ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss a form of sexual behaviour found among the peoples of Papua New Guinea which is not immediately understandable either to outsiders or to many Papua New Guineans themselves. The term bisexuality, as used elsewhere, may not cover all the variants in practice and conception discussed here. Some variants appear similar to forms found in other parts of the world and some do not. An analysis of the form of a sexual act, however, marginalizes the meaning of the act to its participants and to others in the society in question. In this discussion, while forms will be described, the major effort will be focused on attempting to understand what these behaviours mean to those who participate in them and to those who observe or otherwise come to know about them. Secondarily, the discussion will explore how HIV prevention could be enriched by a better understanding of the variation in sexual practices and attitudes found in Papua New Guinea.
