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Te Ao Hou, April 1958, Page 23

In the 100 mile long Wahgi valley, 5,000 feet up in the highlands the Wari Kanana is a dance by the warriors. Sometimes hundreds of them, forming a rectangle will chant “kwi ro randei ndei” for an hour or more in a loud sing song voice. They do a jog-trot kind of step, in place, turning the whole body from side to side as they face this way and that. Then the whole group moves forward in a great circular path still shouting out as loudly as their powerful lungs can manage while the “kundu” is beaten at odd intervals. This produces a rough and tumble sound that appears to have no definite beat. The beat of rhythm is felt only by the successive intervals of some song, then drumming, then song again. The highland men are sometimes six feet or more in height. Their beautifully built bodies seem like columns of strength from the top of which issues living fire—so glorious are the red and gold Bird of Paradise plumes on their heads. The sight of the tall dancers winding up the slippery narrow trails from the deep valleys as they come in for the sing sing—is almost unbelievable. The heavy green of rain forests contrasting with the red and gold halo of the men's delicate plumage, later the massing together midst the roar of shouting, the tinkling silvery sound of the gleaming pearl shells at their waists—all this grooves itself deep in memory. Long afterwards one's pulse quickens when this picture comes again to exhilarate the mind.