Ricky’s Rules
Papua New Guinea society is characterised by gender-specific roles, developed over thousands of years. These are not roles crafted by subversive foreign agents trying to create their ‘new world order’. Generally, if one looks after their health and food intake with care, life can be enhanced on earth. Some of these vital customary practices and beliefs for men include: • do not eat food from the hands of a girl or woman who is having her menstruation period (to this day, my family is told to uphold this basic rule permanently in the kitchen or household); • avoid walking past or sitting next to girls or women otherwise their scent will weaken your strength and stamina; • sleep separate from women; • avoid eating food from a woman who brought food in a bilum over a long distance because the food may be tainted; • do not get involved in black magic as per Christian teachings. Foreign governments and their subversive agents should be respectful and mindful of this before att...