Travel Guide Simbaï

Between the plain of the river Ramu and the peaks of the Bismarck Mountains, already in the mountains but not yet on the highlands, live a long Forgotten ethnic, the Kalam. Coming into contact with the West in the 1960 s, they ended up raising the interest of missionaries in the late 1980 s, which earned them a beginning of development, especially aerodromes (and also Western clothing for everyone!). The Kalam are smaller than the majority of Promise, which sometimes is worth being confused with the Pygmies, which they are not. The main station of the Kalam region, which stretches behind the summits separating it from Hagen to Aiom, on the edge of Ramu, is called Simbaï. There, around a grassy and lumpy airfield, a few shops and religious missions, the village of Niugunt decided to go into tourism. Without external help, villagers built a splendid guesthouse, organised an impressive annual festival and developed a trekking between their village and Aiom, in the region of the river Ramu, trekking which ends with the descent of the river into canoe to reach Bogia then Madang. The culture of the Kalam is still very alive, as evidenced by their many «dance houses», large hangars of pendanus and parapente feuilles, which are separated in two by a partition . This is where the initiation ceremonies of young boys take place before their nose is pierced. The aim of these initiation rites is to ensure the strength and power of adult men, capable of raising and protecting their families. In September (usually after the Goroka Show), the village organizes the kalam festival in which teenage initiation ceremonies are held. An event not to be missed.