The photograph shows a group of young women standing close together at a cultural celebration in Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea. They are smiling and facing the camera, surrounded by a busy festival crowd in the background with colorful umbrellas, tents, and people. Two women are most prominent in the foreground. They are wearing bright, traditional-style shirts decorated with bold patterns in red, black, orange, and yellow. One shirt has the letters “PNG” printed across the front. Their faces are painted for the celebration. The woman on the left has her face painted green with a red and yellow stripe across her cheeks and nose, echoing the colors of the Papua New Guinea flag. The woman on the right has intricate black-and-white face paint covering one side of her face in swirling, geometric designs. Colorful woven decorations hang across their shoulders and chests, made from yarn or natural fibers in green, yellow, blue, purple, and white. These add texture and movement to their outfits. Behind them are several other participants, also wearing face paint and traditional clothing, creating a sense of energy and pride. The overall mood of the image is joyful and celebratory, capturing cultural identity, unity, and national pride during the Goroka Festival and the celebration of Papua New Guinea’s 50 years of independence. Photo Credit: ©Gregory Rothman 2025
These two beautiful young women were just outside the window is we jerked through traffic in #MtHagen toward the #Goroka Festival. The sense of pride and joy is undeniable. #PNG #StreetPhotography #BlueskyArt #EastCoastKin #PhotographersOfBlueSky #PhotographersUnited #RedWed #ColorIfTheDay
