Bride price still important in Highlands custom

 By OGIA MIAMEL
Bride price is a significant part of the Highlands custom and is still being practiced today.
In the past, bride price consisted of domestic animals, kina shells of monetary value and other items but today the cash economy has changed things completely.
A bride price ceremony was held over the weekend between the Tagabua tribe Koroba and Hanu Iripe tribe of Kopiago in Hela.
The bride, Merolyn Kennedy, a teacher at Mt Hagen Tee Primary School was given over in the ceremony to the groom, Vincent Putary, and his tribe.
The ceremony was witnessed by family members, friends, colleagues and other guests.
The Putary family paid a bride price of K32,000, 25 pigs and a cow to the Kennedy family.
The bride’s father Ken Kennedy said her daughter has been keeping the Tari custom all her life until she met the groom and the bride price reflected that.
He blessed his daughter’s marriage with K2000 cash and a pig valued at about K4000.
The bride was dressed in her Tari costumes and carried a traditional bilum on her head covered with a scarf. She was escorted by her godmother and mother to the husband’s family.