Conservation & Culture

I was surprised when I first saw "blue", instead of white  head plumes of the King of Saxony bird of Paradise on one of the traditional dance groups' head dresses. I noticed that while going around with another colleague,(Ben Ruli) interviewing traditional dance groups on their traditional costumes (especially bird feathers, animal skin and fur) they were using.  This year was my third to be involved in a Traditional Bilas Survey that the Papua New Guinea Institute of Biological Research does at the annual Goroka Cultural Show. It was really interesting to see that some cultural groups are turning to artificially modified objects to portray animal parts and are using it as a supplement for real animal parts in traditional cultural costumes.  

Among others, the one that caught my attention was the head plume of the King of Saxony bird of paradise (Pteridophora alberti). When I first saw it, It looked weird because it was blue. I taught waoooh..! This people must be using a head plume of a new King of Saxony species.  Being attracted, I went over for a closer inspection, and found out that it was an artificial one. Plastic sheets were cut out to resemble the head plume and used on their head dresses.

It may relay messages that the bird is becoming difficult to hunt for their head plumes or people do not want to kill the birds and so are resorting to such techniques.

This practise may be bad for our traditional cultures as it is devaluing its originality and pride. However, it is good for conservation as the King of Saxony Birds of Paradise won’t be heavily hunted for their head plumes. The artificial plumes are resistible to insect attack and can be kept and used for longer period of time.

This practise is in itself a new information or idea to people like me working to do research on and conserve the biodiversity. Sitting here writing this, I am thinking…. “It will be good if we can make artificial animal parts for people to use during cultural dances and events so that they do not go hunting to get traditional costumes. This will give time for the wanted population in the wild to replenish.”  

 

mountain mangi