Upe - initiation headdress
The Upe headdress is unique to Bougainville. It is one customary practice that was performed or carried by all tribes and clans right throughout Bougainville. (It is still practised in the Wakunai and Keriaka area of Bougainville.) This is a clear sign of the homogeneity of the different tribes in Bougainville, as distinct from Papua New Guinea.
The Upe or Upi was worn by young boys in special camps deep in the jungle during their two- to three-year "internment", during which they were taught their oral tradition.
The Upe was made from the leaves of the kobu palm (a small fan palm or Licuala - B. Blackwood ). These leaves are stretched over a bamboo frame. The bottom is made of stiffer cane, so that it can sit comfortably on the head of the wearer.
The designs on each Upe were the boy's clan designs. They were at all times hidden by an outer covering. They were only revealed during special celebrations, such as the ceremonies/feastings to celebrate the successful completion of the initiation period.
Moses Matamana Havini
Initiation headdress, Asatapai Village, Northern Bougainville Island, registered by the Australian Museum in 1982. Height 30cm. Photo: C Bento.
Initiation headdress, Northern Bougainville Island, registered by the Australian Museum in 1939. Photo: C Bento.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2003
