Papua New GuineaBark belt from Papua New Guinea, Oceania. Collected by Edward Baxter Riley of the London Missionary Society. Purchased by the Museum in 1911.

This large bark belt (kava), carved and painted with bold designs and colours, is over 100 years old. It was worn by Elema warriors of Orokolo Bay in Papua New Guinea. It is a functional in terms of protecting the vital organs but it is more of a ceremonial piece of armour, presented to Elema male adolescents to mark their entry into adult warriorhood.

Defining Gender

The kava is the Elema symbol of adult manhood, showing that a young man belongs to the Semese ('warrior') age class. Semese is the final stage of Elema initiation. When adolescent Elema attain the previous initiation grade of Heapu, they are placed in seclusion in the Initiation House (Eravo). There, they are instructed in sexual morality and the responsibilities of married life, as well as military skills, and the manufacture of various body ornaments and weapons. Once they have completed this education, Heapu are permitted to wear the ornaments and carry the weapons that they have learned to manufacture. These ornaments and weapons indicate that they are approaching warrior adulthood, but their lack of a kava shows their training is incomplete.

Prior to complete attainment of the status of Semese, the Heapu are required to undergo ordeals to demonstrate their endurance. Central among these are eating huge quantities of raw ginger and drinking the urine of the Semese Chief. Provided a Heapu endures these ordeals, he is taken into the bush and introduced to the howling forest god Tiparu, of whom women and children are terrified. The new Semese is shown that Tiparu is nothing more than the bullroarer. He may then wear the kava.

Elema who are born illegitimately are not permitted to undergo initiation or wear the kava. Therefore they never serve as warriors nor are considered to be true Elema. Consequently, the kava is not only the mark of warriorhood and adulthood, but also of legitimate citizenship.