In the rugged Eastern Highlands, morning fog fills valleys and slopes while mountaintops bask in sunshine. As the day warms, the fog moves up the mountain, snagging on the summits until the clouds brood up their daily rainstorm. Spent, the clouds roll meekly back down into the valley with the cool night temperatures. Lovely climate for coffee.
But thousands of years before coffee came to the Eastern Highlands, people lived there. In fact, it was not until 1927 that the first European settlers arrived. Traditional dress is not often seen these days except perhaps during celebrations. However, one can still see the famous Asaro Mudmen masks, traditional round huts on the rolling grassy hills, or the annual independence day gathering in which thousands of islanders converge to sing, dance, and drum.