Western Highlands Province

Introducing Western Highlands Province

The capital of the Western Highlands, Mt Hagen stands at the frontier of a group of wild and undeveloped regions further to its west. The people throughout the province are fiercely proud, with strong tribal loyalties and complicated clan affiliations.

It wasn’t that many years ago that farmers could be seen proudly strutting through Hagen’s market in traditional clothing. The men favoured wide belts of beaten bark with a drape of strings in front and a rear covered by a bunch of leaves attached to a belt (known collectively as a tanket or arse gras). Women wore string skirts and hung cuscus fur ‘scarfs’ around their necks. Such attire is now reserved for singsings and political rallies but the proud swagger lives on. Singsings are still an integral part of life and a great opportunity to witness the Highlanders’ singular sense of style – make every effort to see one.

The Wahgi Valley is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the country and forests only remain on the steepest slopes, while the valleys and lower hills are grassland – bare from slash-and-burn cultivation. Gardens and stands of casuarinas are scattered through the hills and large coffee plantations dominate the most fertile valley floors.

The provinces topography seesaws between the swamps in the lower Jimi Valley (370m) and high peaks, including those of Mt Hagen (3834m).

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009