Fifty Years Ago Today - Pigs for the Ancestors

Friday, November 8, 1963

Numengump Ritual Grove, Simbai Valley, Papua New Guinea

For a whole year now,  Roy Rappaport has been studying the ritual cycle of the Tsembaga clan. Marek and I have spent a day walking to his field site in Dikai in order to photograph and film the closing rituals of this cycle. 

Today, the pigs that have been raised over the preceding years have been brought to the ritual grove where they are presented to the ancestors with invocations.

Marek films the proceedings and Rappaport takes notes of the details as the pigs are killed and butchered by the men. 

The women are busy cooking, and the children  run around, watching every detail of the action as they play among the busy adults. 

 The pork is destined to be distributed among the Tsembaga's allies who will gather on the next day and receive gifts of meat and fat in recognition of their help in previous battles with enemy clans.

**In future years, as Rappaport worked with what he learned, the ceremonies of this day and the next provided keys to an understanding of Maring culture as a whole**

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