Causing quite a Papua New Guinean spectacle in New York City in 2014 were Huli Wigman Mundiya Kepanga and New Ireland Malagan mask carver Fabian Paino.
Dressed in their traditional ‘bilas’ they caught the attention of dozens of curious New Yorkers who brought out their cameras to take pictures of the odd but fascinating pair.
Barefooted and wearing grass aprons, leaves, a bird of paradise head-dress and sporting an eerie Malagan mask Mundiya and Fabian were seen catching a train at the New York subway, peering through the ‘tower viewers’ at the Empire State Building and hanging out with famous New York characters at the Times Square - namely the Three Statues of Liberty and the Naked Cowboy.
Mundiya and Fabian were guests at the PNG Pop Up Village held on the 12th of June and hosted by the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority with support from Absolute Travel, Trans Niugini Tours and Drift Studios New York.
The PNG Pop Up Village was an initiative of the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority’s North America Office to generate interest in the American market to visit Papua New Guinea.
Visit: www.papuanewguinea.travel/usa