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And the story of the upe hat depicted on the Flag.
By Ishmael Palipal
“The Upe is a traditional hat worn by boys in Central Bougainville, especially in Terra & Rau constituencies within Wakunai area.
The Upe is sacred and is allowed only in the ritual grounds, an area high up in the mountain forests where first born males are taken to be initiated into manhood.
Ritual grounds can also be an area where performances are held on big occasions. The visit of a prime minister or president is a suitable example in the modern context.
The ritual grounds in the mountain forest of Wakunai are very scared and tradition demands that women are not allowed to enter these grounds or even see the Upe initiated boys in the bush, be it intentional or accidental. The consequence of breaking this taboo is believed to be a curse on both man and woman, which can result in sickness or death.
Oral history tells two stories that explain how the initiation came into existence.
The first story tells that long ago a man was walking in the bush when he saw a woman holding an Upe hat. The hat was acquired from a supernatural being and gave her knowledge.
The hat was so beautiful that the man demanded the hat from her and, having been refused, took the extreme step of killing the woman.
He buried the Upe and the woman to hide his guilt.
Sometime later he retrieved the Upe hat from site and, in order to keep the secret of his possession, no woman was allowed to view the hat. And so came about the secrecy of the Upe.
The second story tells that once lived a couple who one day went out to the bush.
The husband told his wife to wait for him under a tree, while he went out to hunt for possums.
When he returned his wife was holding a beautiful ring-shaped object, which she had made from bamboo pieces while she waited. This caused a great deal of contemplation in him, but eventually he moved on.
Later, he and his wife moved out from the main village and settled in a small hamlet where they raised their first born son.
When the boy was grown enough, his father built him a haus-man and at the same time made him the ring-like hat – the very first Upe hat. Henceforth the villagers who visited the family were filled with admiration for the boys hat.
They knew instinctively that the object was of great importance and the custom of the Upe hat was adopted in the Wakunai area based on this significance.
At big occasions in contemporary Bougainville, where there will be many men and women working and visiting, special initiations are made to protect them. This enables the boys to be seen by others as they perform, at all other times though they are hidden in the mountain forest away from the villages.
The initiation of Upe aims to prepare young males for their future lives as fathers, husbands, brothers, leaders and chiefs of their villages. The practise of Upe Initiation has significant ethical values and morals in it.
In the forest the young boys are taught many things needed for adult life. The guides and educators teach the young boys about hunting, planting, catching, building, fatherhood, leadership, war, how to make weapons, responsibility, honesty, respect, bush medicines, different types of plants, animals, living things, non-living things, their purpose of existence and their uses.
This life in the forest is out of the normal but is very useful in the long run and the life of the community.
When the Upe Leader and helpers see that the boys are ready to be men they are initiated and return home to make a normal living. At this point many are now ready to be married and start a family so they can now fully utilise what they have learned during their time in the jungle.
The initiation produces resourceful, ethical, respectful, wise people in the communities.
These people are known to be healthy and good looking. Their skin looks smooth, nourished and shiny as they came out of the ritual grounds up in the mountain forest.
As soon as they are married, they produce healthy children with healthy lifestyles and remain monogamous.”
Upe Hat, Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARoB, Papua New Guinea.
“God bless our lovely homeland
From mountain peaks to golden sands
Land of the brave and land of the free
The brave and the free
Enfold your children in your hands
Beneath the Southern Cross we stand
One mighty Christian family
O Bougainville
My Bougainville
Bless Bougainville
The smile of God upon her face
The bright and joy of all our race
She wears beneath her purple sheen
A mantle of green
Today we pledge our love and life
We stand by you in every strife
Our own dear home
Our Motherland”
Flag of the independent state of Papua New Guinea
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Bagi (Necklace of Milne Bay Province)
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