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A custodian of traditional knowledge
Rita Kuarfri,
aged 115, is the custodian of the traditional knowledge used to
erect the Spirit House in Rofundogum in East Sepik province. NAOMI
FAIK-SIMET writes
Traditional knowledge is categorised
as an intangible cultural property.
Performing a certain dance, music or ritual is a manifestation of
that knowledge. In most Papua New Guinea societies traditional
knowledge is possessed by the elderly people and is gradually
passed on to the young. In some situations, the question arises as
to who possesses this knowledge. Is it possessed by men or women?
A recent study into the culture of the Rofundogum people of the
East Sepik province revealed that women possess certain
traditional knowledge that is used by the men to perform certain
ceremonial rites.
Although the Spirit House (Horombo) is only used for men's
activities such as young men's initiation and other highly
ritualised ceremonies performed only by men, women play an
important role as the custodians of this knowledge.
It was recently discovered during the opening ceremony of the
Spirit House in Rofundogum village, East Sepik province that the
knowledge used to erect the Spirit House actually came from an old
woman by the name of Rita Kuarfri who is believed to be 115 years
old. Rita Kuarfri is still alive today.
During the construction of the spirit house Rita was constantly
consulted as to how the horombo should be built.
She passed on this information to her son, Dominic Wafi, who was
the chief engineer behind the completion of the spirit house.
The erection of the spirit house was a revival of the last horombo
built during the Second World War which deteriorated and
eventually collapsed.
It took three months to rebuild the spirit house which was
officially opened on July 27 this year in Rofundogum village.
It was also discovered that apart from possessing the knowledge,
women are also used to test the strength of the house by going
inside the horombo and shaking the posts inside it to make sure
that the building is strong.
When this is completed the men can proceed into the house and
claim ownership over the horombo while women are denied access.
Horombos are highly sacred meeting places for men only. It is a
place where traditional laws were made.
These spirit houses were also used to store very important
cultural properties such as garamuts and masks.
At present there are 12 garamuts and 13 spirit masks stored inside
the new horombo.
The knowledge to beat a garamut and perform sacred dances
associated with the masks are stored inside the horombo. Only men
are allowed access to this knowledge. The horombo is the place
where men acquire their power and status.
Most spirit houses in the Sepik come from very strong patrineal
societies which enables the men to have control over resources
especially the land.
In such situations, women have little say or no say at all when it
comes to decision-making. Women are not so highly regarded for
their contributing roles but rather are kept in the background as
child-bearers whose main task is to prepare food to feed their
husbands, fathers and children.
However, the significant role that women play in the construction
of the horombo should not be ignored but must be acknowledged and
recognised as the most important part of the ceremony.
In this particular case with the construction of the spirit house
in Rofundogum, we can say that Rita, has proven that women are
good custodians of traditional knowledge kept over a long period
of time.
As a result of this, the people of Rofundogum village can now take
pride and ownership of this cultural property, a horombo, which is
an important part of their cultural heritage.
The opening of the Spirit House and its related performances in
Rofundogum village was documented by staff of the Institute of
Papua New Guinea Studies.
*The writer is a dance researcher in
the music department of the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies.
 
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