West Sepik: See
A Haus Tambaran. The best examples of these are around the Maprik area of East Sepik. The male-dominated tambaran culture uses the haus tambaran as a meeting-house and site for rituals and initiations, as well as for worship for the yam cult, the yam being the staple food for the Sepik people. A giant spirit is personified as noises that can be heard coming from the haus tambaran. Haus tambarans contain many paintings. Their preparation is a sacred activity for the Sepik people, and the paintings are taken very seriously.