Montague Island

The tribe has been exploring the far south coast of NSW.

Here is a small impression of the experience out at Montague Island ...

 

 

Paddling origins

Papua New Guinea has a canoe culture that is strung out along its many spectacularly beautiful coastlines, river systems and island archipelagos.

Looking back on it now from the distant land that is adulthood, I was really fortunate to have been born and raised amongst the coastal culture of PNG.

That's me on the left, aged about 6 years old, standing beside a pair of Trobriand outrigger canoes on Muwo Island. The canoe behind me has an elaboratey carved bow and painted splashboard - typical of the manner in which Trobriand Islanders invested their paddle craft with meaning and spirit.

This is one of three scaled-down outrigger canoes that I still have from my childhood.

My oldest son's hand is included for scale.

I was back in Papua a few days ago and took these photos of gorgeous model canoes at the PNG National Museum located at Waigani, Port Moresby.

Innovative, decorative, spiritual, essential for survival, transport and war - canoe culture was once central to a life on the Papuan coastline.

Not a lot of rocker evidenced in this elegant beauty but she probably paddled like an arrow across the still surface of a Papuan lagoon.