LEGEND OF THE MUDMEN

Asaro or Asaroka is the name of a district headquarter and large village situated some 15km west of Goroka near the upper reaches of a river of the same name. In fact, Goroka town is located within the Asaro valley.

Legend has it that once upon a time, neighbouring tribes would wait until the crops in the gardens of the Asaro reached harvesting season, by which time those tribes would have formed alliances and would mount a surprise attack on the Asaro. While the helpless toilers of the fertile land dashed for cover, the enemies looted and plundered, and sang merry songs as they carried away their spoils of war.

One day the Asaro men, having grown tired of being chased around once too often, came up with the idea of wearing masks and confronting their enemies. There was ample white clay along the banks of the Asaro river which they collected and shaped into large exaggerated masks.

Next day, while the enemies where still sleeping, the Asaro donned their masks and rubbed white clay all over their bodies and took up positions among the enemies village. As people woke up and drowsily came out of their thatched roof huts, low and behold!! You could imagine their surprise and terror at seeing such ghastly figures moving awkwardly towards them. What dark harm could be inflicted by a being of such unimaginable appearance; not to mention the huge pigs' tusks sticking out of the mask men's immobile mouth!!

In the ensuing consternation, the enemies of the Asaro ran away in all directions and never returned.

And so the Asaroka people once again had total possession of their fertile riverside land, and were never bothered by their enemies again.




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