The Haroli: Bachelor Cult Fierce Warriors

Most visitors to modern day Papua New Guinea plan a visit to the Southern Highlands to see the fierce Huli warriors who are known for their colorful traditional dress, muscular torsos and physical strength.  The Huli warriors, who were finally reached by outsiders in 1936 and colonized in 1951, are one of the last discovered peoples on the face of the earth.  Their traditions and way of life hearken back to primordial times -- long before metal tools scarred the earth and man became a killing machine through technological advancement.  (The black and white photos are rare photos of a Tege Pulu anda initiation house from Mumia in 1957.)

Initiated young men enter the bachelor cult for a period of two to three years under the guidance of a permanent, celibate bachelor leader (daroali) whom each member pays with valuable pigs and cowrie shells.  They live  in a sacred forest that is set aside from other lands and is forbidden land for women and married men.  There the men are taught the spells, lore and techniques necessary to care for one's body and wig; ensure health and beauty; and protect them from premature aging.  They are trained to be self-reliant warriors and observe premarital chastity.