The people of New Guinea have been watching the displays of the birds of paradise for centuries "Loals will tell you they went into the forest and copied their rituals from the birds says anthropologist Gillian Gillison of the University of Toronto, who lived among New Guinea tribes for more than a decade. At local dance performances, now more tourist entertainment than true ritual, the painted Evoke the birds with their movements and beautiful costumes. "By wearing the feathers," Gillison says you capture the animal's life force. It makes you a warrior.