ABSTRACT
Lihir Island is in the New Ireland province of Papua New Guinea. The Lihir island group comprises six islands; case studies from Lihir and Malie are shown here. Lihir is wet and humid all year round, with very little in the way of diurnal temperature range. The original housing type built on Lihir before the coming of the mine had bamboo walls and a sago-leaf roof. The roof was steeply sloped, and resistant to heavy rain. It offered sun protection, and was typical of the Melanesian house type. Papua New Guinea culture comprises a complex system of indigenous beliefs and customs, mixed with elements of Catholicism. Clan and lineage are determined along matrilineal lines,6 and the maternal uncle plays an important role in the family group. Papua New Guinea households are complex and can be very large.
