the Highlands of Papua New Guinea a place so remote that the people who live
place so remote that the people who live
place so remote that the people who live here are among the most isolated on
here are among the most isolated on
here are among the most isolated on earth one of the native tribes the
earth one of the native tribes the
earth one of the native tribes the Matassa practices an ageless ritual so
Matassa practices an ageless ritual so
Matassa practices an ageless ritual so secret that it has never before been
secret that it has never before been
secret that it has never before been witnessed by some members of the tribe
witnessed by some members of the tribe
witnessed by some members of the tribe much less filmed tomorrow will be the
much less filmed tomorrow will be the
much less filmed tomorrow will be the day of poon a fellows initiation the
day of poon a fellows initiation the
day of poon a fellows initiation the stakes are high a boy may not marry or
stakes are high a boy may not marry or
stakes are high a boy may not marry or take on the privileges of adulthood
take on the privileges of adulthood
take on the privileges of adulthood until he has completed the right poon
until he has completed the right poon
until he has completed the right poon A’s father supports his son’s decision
A’s father supports his son’s decision
A’s father supports his son’s decision those who become too scared to
those who become too scared to
those who become too scared to participate eventually find out that
participate eventually find out that
participate eventually find out that they are less attractive to women and
they are less attractive to women and
they are less attractive to women and they don’t have the same energy as
they don’t have the same energy as
they don’t have the same energy as others in making Gardens building houses
others in making Gardens building houses
others in making Gardens building houses or walking long distances they live a
or walking long distances they live a
or walking long distances they live a miserable life as bachelors until the
miserable life as bachelors until the
miserable life as bachelors until the time of their death I am born here to be
time of their death I am born here to be
time of their death I am born here to be a man to protect my family tribe and my
a man to protect my family tribe and my
a man to protect my family tribe and my people the most important thing is to go
people the most important thing is to go
people the most important thing is to go through the initiation to realize my
through the initiation to realize my
through the initiation to realize my role as a man in my community for
role as a man in my community for
role as a man in my community for thousands of years that role was often
thousands of years that role was often
thousands of years that role was often brutal traditionally Highland people
brutal traditionally Highland people
brutal traditionally Highland people lived in a near constant state of tribal
lived in a near constant state of tribal
lived in a near constant state of tribal warfare and could be expected to take
warfare and could be expected to take
warfare and could be expected to take part in raids kidnappings murders and
part in raids kidnappings murders and
part in raids kidnappings murders and cannibalism at some point in their adult
cannibalism at some point in their adult
cannibalism at some point in their adult lives
they’re painful initiation ritual was
they’re painful initiation ritual was considered essential to transform timid
considered essential to transform timid
considered essential to transform timid boys into brave men it is the morning of
boys into brave men it is the morning of
boys into brave men it is the morning of the Matassa initiation ceremony along a
the Matassa initiation ceremony along a
the Matassa initiation ceremony along a sacred creek the elders prepare for the
sacred creek the elders prepare for the
sacred creek the elders prepare for the painful blood Rite just downstream
painful blood Rite just downstream
painful blood Rite just downstream novices wash and wait it is their
novices wash and wait it is their
novices wash and wait it is their traditional belief that to become men
traditional belief that to become men
traditional belief that to become men they must expel the contaminating
they must expel the contaminating
they must expel the contaminating influences of women you don’t take it
influences of women you don’t take it
influences of women you don’t take it when our mothers give birth to us some
when our mothers give birth to us some
when our mothers give birth to us some of their blood remains in us which is
of their blood remains in us which is
of their blood remains in us which is considered unclean
considered unclean
considered unclean when we do the ritual it helps get rid
when we do the ritual it helps get rid
when we do the ritual it helps get rid of the rubbish that is stored in our
of the rubbish that is stored in our
of the rubbish that is stored in our system and purifies us this is the whole
system and purifies us this is the whole
system and purifies us this is the whole purpose of the exercise the initiate are
purpose of the exercise the initiate are
purpose of the exercise the initiate are brought forward and see for the first
brought forward and see for the first
brought forward and see for the first time the ordeal they face elders shove
time the ordeal they face elders shove
time the ordeal they face elders shove several feet of pit pit cane down the
several feet of pit pit cane down the
several feet of pit pit cane down the backs of their throats then pull it out
backs of their throats then pull it out
backs of their throats then pull it out so they retch again and again
so they retch again and again
so they retch again and again then it’s the novices turn pune empties
then it’s the novices turn pune empties
then it’s the novices turn pune empties his stomach into the stream next to get
his stomach into the stream next to get
his stomach into the stream next to get rid of contaminants they may have
rid of contaminants they may have
rid of contaminants they may have breathed the men Rams sharp Reed’s deep
breathed the men Rams sharp Reed’s deep
breathed the men Rams sharp Reed’s deep into each other’s nostrils
blood and mucus pour freely to complete
blood and mucus pour freely to complete their passage into manhood hue and the
their passage into manhood hue and the
their passage into manhood hue and the others must expose themselves to one
others must expose themselves to one
others must expose themselves to one more bloodletting this time they will
more bloodletting this time they will
more bloodletting this time they will cleanse another part of the body that
cleanse another part of the body that
cleanse another part of the body that was exposed to female polluted food
was exposed to female polluted food
was exposed to female polluted food their tongue the razor-sharp arrow
their tongue the razor-sharp arrow
their tongue the razor-sharp arrow slices tender flesh again and again poon
slices tender flesh again and again poon
slices tender flesh again and again poon a steals himself for his final challenge
a steals himself for his final challenge
a steals himself for his final challenge they said to his pain is great my inside
they said to his pain is great my inside
they said to his pain is great my inside to the outside
finally the stream washes away the last
finally the stream washes away the last of their blood and their trials come to
of their blood and their trials come to
of their blood and their trials come to an end they return to the campsite and
an end they return to the campsite and
an end they return to the campsite and their community as men
”
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