Everything about Haus Tambaran totally explained
Haus Tambaran is a
Tok Pisin phrase which describes a type of traditional ancestral worship house in the
East Sepik region of
Papua New Guinea. The most visually recognizable forms are from the Maprik area, with a tall and elaborately decorated front entrance wall where the ridge pole slopes down low toward the back of the building and the roof follows this decline and often continues all the way to the ground. The Sepik people are renowned for their superb artistic ability in painting and carving, which is often exhibited in these religious structures.
The front entrance of the modern
National Parliament building in
Port Moresby is modelled on traditional
haus tambaran architecture. It can be viewed on
Google Earth at Latitude: 9°25'41.69"S, Longitude: 147°11'33.45"E, and is depicted on the Papua New Guinea 50 Kina note.
The Tambaran Culture
The male-dominated
tambaran or
tambaram culture uses the
haus tambaran as a meeting-house and site for rituals and initiations. It is also used in worship for the
yam cult, the yam being the staple food for the
Sepik people. The women serve primarily as preparers of feasts, outsiders, and spectators. The giant spirit
Nggwal is personified as noises that can be heard coming from the
haus tambaran. Nggwal is the primary ancestor deity, though other cultural heroes are also often
depicted in cultural and sacred arts. Ngwalndu are large, flat painted faces that line the inside of the structure. Though they're said to be representations of ancestral spirits, they can also be seen as stylized women's bodies. However, it's important to note that
painting is a sacred activity for the
Sepik people, and the paintings of the Sepik people are taken very seriously.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Haus Tambaran'.
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