The Baruya are a tribe in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. They have been studied since 1967 by anthropologist Maurice Godelier.

The Baruya are characterized by a strong inequality between males and females; all their organizations, institutions, and myths present the male domination. They have a ritual in which boys give fellatio to young males and drink their semen, in order to 're-engender themselves prior to marriage'

Contents 1 Manhood Ritual 1.1 Yivupbwaya 1.2 Kawetnya 1.3 Chawanya 1.4 Kalave 2 Bibliography 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Manhood Ritual

In order to achieve the status of manhood the young boys must go through a ritual in which they drink the semen of young men. The ritual is a lengthy process and can be divided into 4 stages for the initiates.

[edit] Yivupbwaya

At the age of nine, young boys are taken from their mothers to become Yivupbwanya and as a result their women skirts are cut short at the front and removed from behind while their noses are pierced.At age eight they began to ingest semen from older males twelve and up.

[edit] Kawetnya

At the age of twelve, the skirts are completely removed and replaced with a male multi-layered skirt and a narrow strip of bark is worn behind, and their noses are pierced with a large nose peg. They are also adorned with many other insignia representing an approach to manhood. The initiates are now known as Kawetnya.

[edit] Chawanya

At the age of sixteen, the boys reach the Chawanya stage where they given a black feather and other insignia and at their initiation ceremony wear a hornbill and pig-tusk head dress. They are now referred to as the new warriors of the tribe.

[edit] Kalave

The final stage is achieved at the age of twenty, when the warriors now become Kalave or full warriors. They are given a white feather as the symbol of this stage.

[edit] Bibliography

• La production des Grands Hommes. Pouvoir et domination masculine chez les Baruya de Nouvelle Guinée, Ed. Fayard (1982). (The Making of Great Men. Male domination and Power among the New Guinea Baruya, Cambridge University Press, 1986). Prize of the French Academy.
• TOWARDS BARUYA MANHOOD A film that describes the stages and rituals of reaching manhood in the Baruya Tribe.

[edit] See also

• Etoro

[edit] External links

• Resources on the Baruya language

This article related to an ethnic group is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This Papua New Guinea-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e