The 26th Papua New Guinea National Mask Festival opened in spectacular fashion with the Kinavai ceremony, a re-enactment of the landing of the Tolai people, one of the three main tribes in New Britain.
The reward for a 4.30am start was watching boats come onto shore to the sound of drums, singing and dancing, and a wonderful sunrise.
After a long awaited breakfast the ceremony continued on land. The Duk-Duk or Tolai Tubuan came in singles and pairs and had lime thrown at legs, before kneeling and being feed / almost beaten with shells, the original Kina currency.
