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lcurran | all galleries >> Papua New Guinea 2007 >> Southern Highlands > Yamari Widow Village
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08-JUL-2007

Yamari Widow Village

The widow is attended by two friends who will stay with her until she finds a new husband.
Mindima widows wear necklaces of seeds (Job's tears).
The woman will remove one collar of seeds each day during the mourning time until the last one.
Then she can wash herself and find a new husband.
The white make up is the sign of death. The stakes in front represent a hypothetical 'fence' to protect the widow from any further misfortune.

Canon EOS 5D
1/160s f/6.3 at 70.0mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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