After an excellent visit to Per Village yesterday, guests on National Geographic Orion were excited about an early morning birdwatching river excursion and a visit to the village of Uwus.
The birders set off at 6:00 a.m. and headed into the unknown for a little bit of birding before they were interrupted and drenched by heavy tropical rain…no wind, just buckets of water.
After breakfast, it was back into the Zodiacs for a cruise to Uwus Village, which is known for its mask and dugout canoe culture.
We entered the mouth of the Bo River and were welcomed by a scenic view of the green forests of Papua New Guinea.
Almost 40 dugout canoes greeted our flotilla of Zodiacs. The canoes were lined with Uwus warriors who chanted and cheered to the beat of the paddles that they hit along the sides of their canoes.
It was exhilarating to hear the drums and chants from the village, where women waited to greet the visitors and accept the spirit of the warriors in canoes.
Uwus culture and tradition were displayed through chant, oratory, and song as many artisans brought out their wares for guests to see and purchase.
We finished off the day with an afternoon at sea, where guests were given the opportunity to relax and siesta after a culture-infused two days in the Asmat region of Papua New Guinea.
We took time to reflect on the enchantment found in the rich culture of this land.
Cheers!
