MUNDURUCU
The Bismarck Archipelago takes its European name from German chancellor Otto von Bismarck during the colonial period. New Britain, the largest island, is home to the Tolai people and their distinctive Dukduk society.
This male society exercises ceremonial authority and helps regulate social matters. Historical accounts describe substantial membership payments in shell money and ceremonies from which women and uninitiated people are excluded.
Its masked figures wear tall, cone-shaped headdresses and leafy costumes that conceal the body. Early descriptions connect their appearances and dances with the Dukduk spirit. Public performances are now familiar to visitors, but the institution’s significance extends beyond its striking costumes and tourist appeal.