Gifts

Papua New Guinea is known for it's wonderful, rich coffee. Some of the best coffee to pass through my lips has been PNG coffee - or copi for my Papua New Guinean friends. And it isn't the same as the Starbucks variety. Starbucks is less rich and earthy. PNG coffee is rich, complex with a wonderful finish.

If you come to my house you will also find a plethora of wood carvings, baskets and woven bags laying around. 'Bilum' bags are woven by the women of PNG and are used to carry everything from babies to kaukau - sweet potatoes to you.

After speaking to my husband about what kinds of things I should bring back this visit, we both agreed we didn't need anymore baskets or wood carvings - unless I find something equally as amazing as the puk puk bowl or snake/pukpuk cane. Oh yeh, pukpuk means crocodile in Tok Pisin.

One of the many gifts we brought back from PNG 19 years ago was the infamous penis gourd. Somehow, after distributing these priceless, one-of-a-kind gifts to our family and friends, our hands were empty. It is the one memory of PNG that is missing from our home. This is something I hope to remedy upon my return.

I plan to purchase around 20 of these items while in PNG. Not only for myself, but my co-workers and friends who really don't know what owning one is like.

This picture was taken by my dear friend, Luke Davidson. While he and his family lived across the border of PNG in Irian Jaya, they ran into a colorful group of people. It appears that this is some kind of welcome. I don't remember seeing a penis gourd this large in PNG. But I am sure gona be on the look out.