Colour and Ceremony: the role of paints among the Mendi and Sulka peoples of Papua New Guinea

This research examines the use of paints, from mineral and botanical sources, by the Mendi people of Southern Highlands and the Sulka people of East New Britain. It focuses on colour use for self-decoration and on artefacts, exploring in some detail the designs used, the range of substrates painted, colour symbolism and types of ceremonies for which paint is used, including discussion of paint usage in magic and medicine. It looks at colour selection and the limiting factors placed on it by availability of source materials and technological knowledge. It draws comparison between the two groups looking at differences and similarities in their social activities and in the environments they each inhabit.