It’s been several years since a magician toured the highlands of Papua New Guinea and sawed a woman in half, leaving the newspapers over the next couple of weeks carrying reports of highlanders in remote locations trying the same thing with varying degrees of success. On this occasion, however, Lisa Menna, one of the world’s most celebrated female magicians, was satisfied to extract coins from the backsides and belly buttons of several Huli Wigmen – much to the delight of the crowd. Add to this, a female divorce lawyer keen to enter into mock combat (as only a divorce lawyer can) armed with a phallic blue balloon, and you couldn’t help but end up with some pictures of the normally serious Huli Wigmen as you’ve never seen them before (above). As I wrote to Lisa (www.menna.com) in a parting note, if there is genuine laughter and joy in these pictures I’ve captured, it’s largely because of the magic she created. A memorable afternoon – certainly one that I’m sure brought laughter to the damp, smoke-filled huts of the Whagi Valley that night. Well done ladies.
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