Thursday, December 23, 2010

Merry Christmas: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas go long yu!



Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas go long yu!

That's "Merry Christmas" in Tok Pisin, the common language spoken amongst Papua New Guinean language groups.

It's a busy time of year but here are a few quick notes about the holiday season in Papua New Guinea.

Stores in Papua New Guinea's towns use many more meters of glittery tinsel garlands per square foot of sales space than stores in North America.

Imported grapes and apples are a Christmastime treat.

Birth records do not exist in much of Papua New Guinea. Christmas is often used to keep track of approximate ages. It is common to ask someone's age with this question, "Hamas krismas bilong yu?". It translates as: "How many Christmases do you have?".







Posted by Mary Jane Murray at 9:47 PM

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