Sayes Arare

A sonic documentary of kustom, ancestral songs, and stories. Chambri Lakes, Middle Sepik, Papua New Guinea

Sayes Arares is a poetic multichannel visual and sonic documentary that takes the audience deep into the Middle Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. On this journey we hear the Sayes Arares songs: a unique sound and tumbuna (ancestral) belief system held and told in the playing of the mambu (bamboo) flutes.

Extending on a creative relationship that has spanned over 30 years, Sayes Arares is a collaborative project by musicians Gaius Wapi, Pius Wasi, Joachim Mamambi, and David Bridie, with video artist K.Verell and the many cultural artists from Changriman Village, Chambri Lakes.

SURFACE TENSION, SAND BLASTED CONCRETE, 2016

Sayes Arares is a song and music form that features the ensemble of bamboo flute and garamut players

Gaius Wapi (musician, artist, teacher)

Interview with Gaius Wapi (musician, artist, teacher), 2022

Sayes Arares is a unique sound and belief, sacred ground music connecting the environment with the spirit world. It brings reflection on village life and family. It encompasses the lake which we live next to. These are ancestral songs about day to day living, spirit stories, laws, morality and customs of this Chambri Lakes region.

Sayes Arares connects the everyday and the spirit world. It is a style of bamboo flute playing that originates from the village of Yambe Yambe-its began with a dispute over the killing of the pig-Wa Gwa Sok Os.

This installation preserves our songs, language and dances, and introduces you all to unique art culture and custom. It is something we would like to share with you and the rest of the world. We would like to preserve and archive this practice for our future generations and for other people to respect and learn about our unique cultural practice.

Wapok Wapok.