Question 1

How do I get to the Sepik River?

Accepted Answer

The nearest airport, Wewak, is served several times a week from Port Moresby, from where river lodges organize transfers by boat or small plane to the villages along the Sepik.

Question 2

What are the spirit houses on the Sepik River?

Accepted Answer

The elaborately carved and painted ceremonial houses serve as the spiritual center of the village communities and traditionally may only be entered by initiated men, while their ornate gable facades rank among the most impressive structures in Melanesia.

Question 3

What can you experience on a canoe trip on the Sepik?

Accepted Answer

Traditional dugout canoes glide silently over the sluggish, brown river past water plants and villages, while saltwater crocodiles can occasionally be spotted along the banks, playing a central spiritual role in the folklore of Sepik culture.

Question 4

Woodcarving art

Accepted Answer

The villages along the Sepik are considered the center of Papua New Guinea's most significant woodcarving art, with elaborate masks, ancestor figures and shields that traditionally carry spiritual meaning and are still crafted today using time-honored techniques.

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