Learning 2: Portrait Skulls

Ventured out on a little field trip to the Mathers Museum today.  Here's what I learned.  The Iatmul people of Papua New Guinea used to have a little thing they did called portrait skulls.  Not sure if they still do it or not.  After someone dies, they take their skull, add some clay and maybe some resin and make a little portrait out of your skull.  Then they display the skull portrait in a ceremonial hut.  Then men you know from each side of your family --- your mom's and your dad's ---- come and tell stories about you in the hut.  The women you know listen to the stories.  After awhile, they bury your portrait skull with your body.  I like this tradition a lot. I got to see a portrait skull.  It didn't look like it would be that hard to make one, ttytt.

Some other tidbits I learned today:
The universe came in to being 13.7 billion years ago.  (Great exhibit on the history of the universe at Mathers btw).
Godwits are birds that fly from Alaska to New Zealand without stopping in spring time.  Over 7,000 miles, people!  Let's hear it for the godwits!

I feel I've more than made up for my lame reality tv show learning of yore.  I'm doing my best, forgetting the rest.