Body painting and this type of pigвЂ™s tusk prestigious finery is exhibited squeezed in the mouth or as head dress during certain ceremonies and rituals. PigвЂ™s tusks are considered very valuable, serving as traditional native money as well as decoration. Pigs are used for bride prize payments, as gifts to establish or maintain social relations and as payments to resolve social disputes or strengthen relationships between individuals, families, clans and tribes. The colours frequently represent the tribe (as a sports jersey would indicate what team the spectator supports), or can be used to convey a specific message about that person. Pigs are culturally the most important animals used extensively in many forms of exchange, alms-giving, feasting, compensation and as symbols of social status and rank. Body painting is a common method, and is used in religious rituals, celebrations and to indicate sexual maturity. Pigs have strong socio-cultural significance in Papua New Guinea.

It can for example represent the origin or the social position, and also protect from evil forces, and show bravery and beauty. See more ideas about aboriginal painting, aboriginal art, indigenous art. Body painting is often practised for rites of passage for puberty, marriage and death, or during tribal war. Australian aboriginal art, aboriginal paintings, ancient art, indigenous art. Body painting with clay and other natural pigments existed in most tribal cultures and still survives in this ancient form among the people of Papua New Guinea.

Tribal body paint aboriginal