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with Alexis Denisof |
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 n E! Entertainment
television - Celebrity Adventures, hosted by Kelly Wiglesworth
and Scott Lasky, celebrities are taken each week to the remote
corners of the world to experience first hand things they
would never imagine existed. Recently, Angel's Alexis Denisof (Wesley)
and girlfriend, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Alyson Hannigan
(Willow) ventured to a place so far back in time, it's called the 'Land
Time Forgot'. But modern man knows it as Papua New Guinea, with an area
of 452,860 square kilometers, the country is about the size of the state
of California. It has a population of 4.6 million with its native official
language being Motu although English and Tok Pisin are also common,
yet more than 770 languages are spoken here. Our visitors were quick
to pick up 'Arimee' which means Thank you.Taking a Plane into Tari "Going to Papua New Guinea is like traveling back in time," explained Kelly. Their first stop was a village called Tari, where they spent a few days with a tribe of Huli Wigmen. Their village is very primitive, and Alyson was the first to discover just how primitive it was. "The bathroom is fantastic," he announced to Alyson who asked, "Is it? Are you gonna warn me about something?" "I've warmed it up for you!" he replied. Although Alexis tried to take a picture of Alyson experiencing this event, the hysterical fits of laughter from them both along with Aly's objections prevented it. Upon hearing strange music, Alexis quickly tracked it down. It was a Huli native playing a 'jaws harp' which is a string harmonica like instrument. After a brief demonstration, Alexis gave it a try with not much success. But next, this former Brit shined through as in the middle of a Bioganda Village, of all places, stood a dartboard where a young boy suckered Alyson for a can of Coke. He impressed Alexis so much that he commented, "In a couple of years I want you to report to the Mets' training camp."
Next they traveled down a trail to the Welcoming Ceremony called a 'Sing Sing'. It is a dance, which is a cultural performance to celebrate special occasions such as welcoming VIP's. Alexis and Scott joined the men as Aly and Kelly went off with the women to get dressed in traditional tribe garb and face paint. "They took me back there," Alexis explained, "and I didn't know where Alyson and Kelly were because they took them off to a different place. And I was like, 'I wonder if they're going through the same thing?' " While Alexis got dressed up like a Huli man he asked Scott, "Are we going the whole way on this?" Scott suggested, "I think you should whip your shirt off." The natives painted their faces with sticks red and yellow, which was made from dried clay, dressed them in feathers, native jewelry and leaves. "Gradually, piece by piece, [they] created this transformation," said Alexis, "and I'm just getting more and more nervous and excited all at the same time." As the
guys are getting into it they begin to shout along with the natives
and Alyson says, "Either they're having a lot of fun or someone's
head in shrinking." Seeing the final 'last looks' of his transformation
Alexis admitted, "I didn't wake up this morning or any morning
of my entire life and think I would look like this." When they
were completely dressed, the ladies join the men and they celebrated
the dance together. "And there's Aly with her face painted and
she's got the headdress. I look over and she's got her hands together
and she's dancing along side of me and that was just incredible. It's
hard to put words to it really, I just uhm - this is a really special
event and they really put up with our bad dancing and drumming and singing
which I'm very grateful." Sharing a Piece of the New World Alexis gave the Hulis a present to remember him by, a Kodak View Master. "They look in and it has pictures from where we come from. I'm anxious not to make out like they're children or something. I mean, this is an incredibly complex and detailed culture." Scott had asked whose idea was the camera and Alyson told them it was Alexis as he explained to them, "I was in a store and was like, 'This could really blow their minds to see images of our country,' so I don't know, it just popped into my head. So I got the film, I didn't know if they would think it was dumb or not and then Alyson had the idea of Jellybeans. Because we were trying to think - we were probably going to meet a lot of people. It was so amazing what they were giving to us, but they seem to like it." Of all the areas they would experience on their trip, the Huli village seemed the most special to Alexis as he commented, "To me, that placed touched me the most. Partly because it's so remote and I felt like I was in such an extraordinary place that I had no idea existed on this planet." Another bus ride took them to where they would be spending the night and Alexis reflected on what they had just seen. "Already it's nothing like I imagined and more than I imagined all at the same time." They arrived to their 'hut away from hut', chose their rooms and got situated with their gear, knowing that latter they'd be crawling into warm and comfy sleeping bags. But before that, dinner . . . "I'll be changing into my tux for dinner," announced the ever-proper Alexis. The smell of the Mu Mu brought them out of their huts as they were greeted by Spirit Dancers to celebrate their dining together. The 'Mu Mu' is cooked beneath the ground for 2-hours on hot stones and protected by greens leaves, much like the Hawaiian Emu pit. The Huli's use locally grown corn, potatoes and other indigenous vegetables for the majority of their meals. Scott was eager to jump in to get served up and asked Alyson what she was having first. She went with the familiarity and safety of, "Chicken." But Alexis was a bit more adventurous. "I'm going for the Pip pit." (a root vegetable similar to asparagus) "Hmm, it's nummy," he stated as he shared his with Aly. He further commented, "Oh it's delicious!"
The next day found our travelers waking from a well-rested night. Not too warm, not too cold. "I was in the buff," admitted Alexis happily. Hang on girls; he spelt the night in his boxers according to Alyson! After breakfast Alexis came upon a local villager making a Bowstring. "There was a man this morning making a bowstring out of bamboo with a little paring knife and his teeth and his fingers. And in about 5-minutes he made a bowstring with whittling and carving and tying and shaping." Alexis continued, 'And that's just something every Huli man knows how to do, and that's one of millions of things they know how to do with their hands and one or two tools." Time to practice with the bowstring and arrows. The villagers practice their war tactics as the Hulis are still engaged in warfare with other tribes to this day. Alexis gave it a go and had the best launch of the day. And for his rewarded effort, a tribesman gave Alexis his favorite hand carved arrow as a gift. He sincerely tells the tribesman, "I don't know what to say. It's such an honor to have this. This will be a great treasure for me." "Tell me that's not priceless," asked Scott. "It really is!" replied Alexis, "And it was his favorite. He said because he killed many pigs with it. It's one he's had a very long time." Next, they witnessed Huli Wigmen create a wig which the Hulis are famous for. This is a sacred ceremony and it takes an average of 18 months to grow enough hair to make one wig. "Huli women aren't ever allowed to participate in or watch those sacred rituals," explained Kelly. So the honor was very great for Alyson and Kelly to witness this event.
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