Koteka

For a self-claim West Papuan ethnic group, seeKoteka peoples.

"Horim" redirects here. For the people mentioned in the Torah, seeHorites.

Koteka

Koteka souvenir
Place of origin	Indonesia (Central PapuaandHighland Papua) Papua New Guinea

Thekoteka(Mee,lit. 'clothing'), also referred to as ahorimorpenis gourd,is apenissheath traditionally worn by nativemaleinhabitants of some (mainly highland) ethnic groups inNew Guineato cover their penises. The koteka is normally made from a dried-outgourd,Lagenaria siceraria,although unrelated species such as pitcher-plant (Nepenthes mirabilis) are also used. The koteka is held in place by a small loop of fiber attached to the base of the koteka and placed around thescrotum.A secondary loop placed around the chest or abdomen is attached to the main body of the koteka.

Men choose kotekas similar to ones worn by other men in their respective cultural groups. For example,Yalimen favour long, thin kotekas that help hold up the multiplerattanhoops worn around their waists, whereasLanimen wear double gourds held up with strips of cloth and use the space between the two gourds for carrying small items such asmoneyandtobacco.

Traditions

Two Kanak warriors posing with penis gourds and spears, around 1880

The koteka is traditionalclothingin certainNew Guineahighlands societies, including in the GrandBaliem ValleyofWestern New Guineaand theOk TediandTelefominregions ofPapua New Guinea.The koteka is worn without otherclothingand is tied in an upward position.

Tribal identification

Many tribes can be identified by the way they wear the koteka. The koteka may be pointed straight out, straight up, or at an angle. The diameter of the koteka can also be distinctive to an individual tribe. For Hubula (Dani) people ofBaliem Valley,the shape of horim is associated with the social status of the wearer. A curved horim toward the front (kolo) is worn byAp Kain,the leader of Dani confederation, a curved horik to the side (haliag) is worn byAp Menteg(war general) andAp Ubalik(healer or cultural leader). A straight Horim is worn by ordinary people.For Lani people, the angle is the marker of status. If thekobewakleans to the left the wearer isApendabogur(war general). On the other hand if it leans to the right, the wearer is an aristocrat or rich. Straightkobewaks are worn by virgin men.

The koteka is made of a specially grown gourd. Stone weights are tied to the bottom of the gourd to stretch it out as it grows. Curves can be made in it by the use of string to restrain its growth in whatever direction the grower wishes; the koteka can be quite elaborately shaped in this manner. When harvested, the gourd is emptied and dried. It is sometimes waxed withbeeswaxor resin. It can be painted or have shells,feathers,and other decorations attached to it.

The termkotekais used as a self-proclaimed name byAssembly of Koteka Tribes(DeMMak) organization who claimed to representKoteka people,a union of seven major koteka-wearing tribes in the central and southern highlands of Papua; namely Lani, Mee, Amungme, Kamoro,Yali, Damal, and Moni with other sub-tribes such as Nggem, Walak, Hubla, Kimyal, Momuna,Ngalik.

Discouragement of usage

In 1971–1972, the IndonesianNew Ordergovernment launched "Operasi Koteka" ( "Operation Penis Gourd" ) which consisted primarily of trying to encourage the people to wear shorts and shirts because such clothes were considered more "modern."However the people did not have changes of clothing, did not have soap, and were unfamiliar with the care of such clothing, so the unwashed clothing caused skin diseases. There were also reports of men wearing the shorts as hats and the women using the dresses as carrying bags.

Eventually, the campaign was abandoned. Nevertheless, shirts and pants are required in government buildings, and children are required to wear them in school. As of 2019, it is estimated that only 10%highlandpopulation (inCentral PapuaandHighland Papua) regularly uses koteka,and it is only used duringcultural festivalor as a souvenir.

Phallocrypts

A Lonka Lonka, an ornate carved-pearl-shell type of phallocrypt worn by someAboriginal peoples of Australia

Phallocrypts are decorative penis sheaths worn in parts ofNew Guineaduring traditional ceremonies. They are usually made out of gourds or woven fibers and decorated with feathers, beads,cowryshells, and small metal ornaments. The most elaborate phallocrypts are sold to tourists as souvenirs and are not usually representative of ones used in ceremonies.

Use in other regions

Some native tribes in South America and Africa have used penis sheaths.

See also

• Codpiece
• Kynodesme
• Namba (clothing)

Further reading

• "Koteka! Size is Not a Sign of Status"Article on website of West Papua Action Network.
• "Tribe caught in a time warp," by Kenneth L. Whiting,Chicago Sun-Times,May 14, 1987, page 47.
• "Stone Age Ways Surviving, Barely," by Calvin Sims,New York Times,March 11, 2001, page 1.8. (Also linked athttps://web.archive.org/web/20060901083829/http://environment.uchicago.edu/studies/courses/archive/2001/es212/daily_notes/stoneage.doc)
• Phallocrypts from Papua New Guinea and Papua (Irian Jaya), IndonesiaArticle on website of Art-Pacific.com. Note illustration of man wearing a "koteka" made from a flashlight rather than a gourd.
• The Dani in the Baliem ValleyArticle on website, Tom-Toms of Time: Mysterious Indonesia.
• Penis Gourds from Papua New GuineaArticle on "Pilot Destination Guide" website.
• Ethnobotany of the Yali of West PapuaArchived2009-09-10 at theWayback Machineby William Milliken, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
• "Lipstick Girls" and "Fallen Women": AIDS and Conspiratorial Thinking in Papua, Indonesia, "by Leslie Butt.Cultural Anthropology,August 2005, Volume 20, Issue 3, page 412.
• "Indonesia: Cover up,"The Economist.July 29, 1995, Volume 336, Issue 7925, page 28.
• Ucko, Peter J. (1969): "Penis sheaths: a comparative study." inProceedings of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland for 1969.