Sepik River

At 1126 kilometres in length, the Sepik is the longest river in New Guinea and one of the world’s great waterways. Running from its central highlands source to the Bismark Sea, much of its length is navigable. The people living along its banks are highly dependent on the Sepik for transportation and food, and well known for their highly collectible wood carvings and works of art. Life for a villager is still very traditional: for instance, young men from the Middle Sepik still have to endure initiation rites involving scarification, one of many ancient practices which remain to this day.