Upe

The upe (or upi) is a traditional headdress worn by men in parts of Bougainville (an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea) to symbolise their transition to adulthood.

Upes spend as long as three years undergoing initiation rites in a "school" or "college", located in a remote region.

They learn traditional customs including medicine, fishing, hunting, gardening, and singing.

[3] During the 2019 independence referendum, upes were authorised to vote at special male-only polling stations to avoid being seen by women.

Election officials "hiked for two hours into the jungle to collect the votes".