John Tyman's Cultures in Context Series Torembi and the Sepik A Study of Village Life in New Guinea |
|
Topic No. 25: 24 Hours in the Life of a New Guinea Woman ~ Photos 517 - 600 |
|
|
|
John Tyman's Cultures in Context Series Torembi and the Sepik A Study of Village Life in New Guinea |
|
Topic No. 25: 24 Hours in the Life of a New Guinea Woman ~ Photos 517 - 600 |
|
|
 |
| 538. Then it’s back to the fireplace to start work on the pancakes. Everything is carefully arranged, rather like a production line. In place of the flour made from grain used for pancakes in most countries, Antonia depends on powdered sago, gathered from the forest. |
 |
| 539. Small pieces of sago are first sliced from a large block, taken from the storage pile in the corner of the hut. |
 |
| 540. These are then crumbled up and kneaded into a lump … in much the same way as bread is prepared for baking. |
 |
| 541. This lump is then flattened in the hot frying pan; and, gradually, it is shaped into a pancake. |
 |
| 542. This is then sprinkled with water, using half a coconut shell. |
 |
| 543. And a couple of minutes later, it is turned over. |
 |
| 544. When it’s been cooked on both side the pancake is transferred to a platter and another lump of sago is spread around the hot pan. |
 |
| 545. The finished pancake is now folded over -- for easier and better storage -- and placed on the wooden dish in the rear. |
 |
| 546. The cakes which Antonia makes for her husband are dipped in water, to soften them. His teeth have rotted away from chewing betel nut and he can’t eat properly. |
 |
| 547. Antonia was now churning out pancakes every 2 to 3 minutes … 3 for Damien, 3 for Terrence, 3 for George and so on. Those for the men were cooked first, and as each individual’s ration was prepared it was wrapped in plastic (to keep it fresh) and hung up until such time as the owner of the bag was hungry. The family did not aim to sit down together for breakfast; each person would eat when he or she felt like it. |
 |
| 548. The youngest member of the family had woken up with the other children but Antonia had promptly stuffed him into a large bilum hanging from the ceiling. From her position by the fire, she was able to give this improvised cradle a push from time to time. Emma, too, helped rock the baby to sleep again, swinging him to and fro. |
 |
| 549. Eventually, though, hunger got the better even of Colin. He was 18 months old, but Antonia was nursing him still – and she fed him repeatedly throughout the day … usually while busy working on other things. |
 |
| 550. It was now 7.15am and Antonia had been up for one and a half hours. She had cooked enough pancakes and it was time to eat. The children, for a treat, each received a small piece of smoked pork, plus the usual pancake. |
 |
| 551. Damien had his 3 soggy pancakes plus some pitpit – a type of wild sugar cane. And the food for the older boys was hung up safe from rats and flies till required. |
.
Text, photos and recordings
by John Tyman
Intended for Educational Use
Only.
Copyright Pitt Rivers Museum,
Oxford University, 2010.
Contact Dr.
John Tyman for more information regarding licensing.
Photo processing, Web page layout,
formatting, and complementary research by
William Hillman ~ Brandon, Manitoba
~ Canada
www.hillmanweb.com