May 21, 2008 | Sex & Society

Koteka? You betcha!

It's called a koteka, or penis sheath, and it's traditionally worn by native male inhabitants of various ethnic groups in western New Guinea to cover their genitals. They are normally made from a dried out gourd and they are held in place by a small loop of fiber attached to the base of the koteka and wrapped around the scrotum. A secondary loop is then placed around the chest or abdomen and attached to the main body of the koteka.

Back in 1972 the New Guinea government launched "Operasi Koteka" ("Operation Penis Gourd") and hoped to encourage men to start wearing shorts and shirts. Those who did make the change ended up with skin diseases because they had no soap with which to wash their new clothes nor a second outfit to change into. Others wore their shorts as hats.

Two extreme travelers, Mark Anstice and Olly Steeds, decided to try the penis sheath for themselves on their TV show "Living With the Tribes" on the Travel Channel. Fun!

Will this look catch on in the West? Only time will tell ...  

Is that a koteka in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

He could conduct an orchestra with that thing!

- "Penis Gourds from Papua New Guinea" [PilotGuides.com]

- "Koteka! Size is Not a Sign of Status" [WestPapua.ca]