Male natives on the island of Papua New Guinea have been banned from wearing traditional 'koteka' garments to hide their modesty.
The sheaths, fashioned from a dried out gourd - a type of pumpkin - have been dubbed “offensive and pornographic” by authorities.
The ban comes after an anti-porn law was passed by Indonesian courts last October, allowing authorities to jail people for any “sexually suggestive” performance.
The hard-covered sheaths could easily be mistaken by the uninitiated for an erection – particularly if viewed at a distance.
Natives are adamant they will not change, however. Suroba, a native who just wears feathers and his sheath said he ignored a crackdown in the 70s and won’t change his dress now either.
He said: "Back then we wore our traditional clothes, and we are still wearing them today."
©2008 AOL Australia Pty Limited in association with Bang Showbiz. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
More 'What in the World?!'
- The first medical case of sleep e-mailing has been reported
