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November 5th, 2009
05:55 pm - The highland hug
Last year I found myself devastated when a colleague refused to shake my hand when I met him at Mogadishu's K50 airport. Once I had recovered my pride, I started getting cautious when approaching men. A smile and a nod would suffice, I thought. Or if adventurous, I would look expectantly for a handshake.
So when I arrived in Goroka in the Papua New Guinea highlands a few days ago*, I wasn't so sure what to expect. It wasn't too long before we were piling into a Land Cruiser to head off to village meetings. The trek uphill to the village was short and slippery, but left me breathless at the high altitude. In a little clearing on the plateau, there were little round thatch huts and scores of Highland people to greet us.
Not knowing what the etiquette was, I started shaking hands with only the petite Highland women, who only reached my shoulders in height. First they started shaking my hand one by one. But then one woman got rather excited, and started hugging me. And I'm not talking polite little Euro-hugs with Euro-cheek-kisses. I'm talking a proper grab by the waist and a solid squeeze with a little jig. And that was it - a precedent was set. So I had to hug every woman in the entire village.
Once done with women, I thought I would be prudent and revert to shaking hands with men. But it was not to be. Hugs it was. So not only did I hug all the women in the village, but all the men too. The most memorable of the men was a tiny wizened old man with a machete (called a bush knife here) in his left hand. He came up to me poised for a hug. Then he put his right hand firmly on my left bum cheek. Then gave it a firm squeeze. Then shook it. Up and down. Three or four times.
This profession is indeed rather special. From being refused a handshake in Somalia, to have my bum shaken in PNG. Who would have thunk?
*Don't get too excited. It's just a short trip.
Current Location: Goroka, Papua New Guinea
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Comments:
I shall try the arse grabbing technique today.
You've always had a death wish.
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/89000004/2966590) | | From: | ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) congogirl |
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| Date: | November 5th, 2009 09:59 am (UTC) |
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| | The ole bum shake. | (Link) |
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Wow - I think I would have been kind of pissed off! Or, special? I'm just not programmed to accept bum shaking. But I hope it helps negate the rejection from before.
What's up with the PNG trip?
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/32211155/822888) | | | Re: The ole bum shake. | (Link) |
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Wasn't sure how to take it, but it did appear harmless rather than perverted! And I'm not sure if it exactly negates rejection, but let's just say that I am now realising how broad the full spectrum of cultural difference is! And what am I doing in PNG? I'm being a text bitch.
| | From: | congogirl |
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| Date: | November 11th, 2009 03:15 pm (UTC) |
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| | Re: The ole bum shake. | (Link) |
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Heheh, finally had a moment to check out the link. Yeah I think some people at my current post think I'm supposed to be text bitching. I'm mostly lifting from previous documents. Fortunately within our project context and furthering the same set of goals, this cannot be considered plagiarism.
The differences in culture are interesting ...
I remember when I worked as a flight attendant with Qantas. There was a German girl who thought Australians were artificial, because we would ask "how are you?" but weren't particularly interested in how the person was. Whereas Australians asked how ppl were as a greeting, Germans only asked if they were truly interested in the welfare of the person in question.
This German recalled that she told a Sydney bus driver her health status in response to his question, but that he wasn't particularly interested.
Cultural differences are interesting indeed! :D
Hah. Good point. You know, in Afghanistan, they ask you of the health of your family too. And it's meant to be just a quick "fine thank you". Except I kept on thinking I had to explain that my mother's blood pressure was fine, and that my brother got over his cold.
I still shake my head with disbelief that you have worked in a warzone :D
Except it wasn't a warzone when I was there. :(
That's hilarious! It must be pretty amazing to visit Papua New Guinea. Hope it goes well.
Thanks! And yes, this is my first visit to PNG. I'm struck by its beauty.
Seeing your icon made me smile and say, 'she's posting!'
Thanks! It's been a while, hasn't it!
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/4479692/875894) | | From: | rezendi |
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| Date: | November 5th, 2009 03:06 pm (UTC) |
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Ha!
Off topic, I have very fond memories of Goroka. Mostly they involve lying around and doing nothing, after having climbed Mount Wilhelm.
I'm really impressed with Goroka. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but nothing quite this beautiful in a tropical highland way. And I think I had strawberries from Mount Wilhelm last night!
![[User Picture]](http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/9882267/388190) | | From: | litos |
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| Date: | November 5th, 2009 04:51 pm (UTC) |
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Yay! You're back.
Sort of... I've lost my blogging steam.
Tell me about it. I'm not sure if I'll recover. Maybe on other blogs, about other topics...
| | "it's our culture..." | (Link) |
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Note to self: employ this technique when encountering attractive non-American females in Seattle... It's the way we do things here.... it's our "culture"! ;)
| | | Re: "it's our culture..." | (Link) |
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Though keep in mind if you do it, that it might be a good idea to have a machete in your left hand if you have someone's arse in your right...
I was being introduced to a group of Lao people the other day, one older man, short and balding, was facing the other way talking to someone else. When he turned around his eye-level was right at my boobs, and totally without realizing it, his jaw dropped and he murmured 'coconuts'. I just stared at him, with a slightly 'I don't believe that just happened' look, while everyone else cracked up. Poor guy was so super embarassed...
Hmmm... that might very well be worse than a bum shake. I'm not sure how I would have responded to that!
Happy to see you back blogging. I hope you will find your blogging steam back soon.
Thanks Michael. Just had a look at your blog. Interesting stuff. Also interesting to see that you've also worked in Somalia. I've now subscribed.
| From: | moneya |
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| Date: | November 6th, 2009 11:01 pm (UTC) |
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Hey! Nice to you you posting and glad all is well in PNG. I got a LiveJournal account! For some reason. Feels about 4 years too late.
The story is hilarious. Love the contrast between this and your last posting. Gros bisous cherie, Mona
Indeed, a few years late, but not too late.
You missing me at Scrabble?
| From: | moneya |
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| Date: | November 9th, 2009 04:38 pm (UTC) |
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Of course! But I suppose it's payback for my August Scrabble abandonment.
Hmm, I think you may be my only LJ friend. Ah, well.
That's gold!
I thought one greeting I received by an equally old and wisened man (only this one was carrying a pair of binoculars, not a bushknife) a little confronting, but this is sensational!
A sniff of the cheek, not a kiss, is the way to do it in Mongolia. This old herder gave me a very enthusiastic, fill-the-lungs kind of whiff that took me quite by surprise. No bum-jiggles though.
Oh gosh, I think I might have found that even more challenging. Being pretty much inhaled by someone! I wonder if this makes perfume all the more popular in Mongolia.
For the folks out in the countryside, sadly no!
I think the old guy who smelt me he hadn't bathed in quite some time, not so unusual ... but luckily the old smell the young, so my nostrils were unscathed!
| | Good to read you again! | (Link) |
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I have not been online for some time, but now back. Loved visiting here again, and will be back soon.
Best regards from Islamabad,
Kacper |
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