The annual Mask Festival kicked off today with the traditional dawn Kinavai (dancing on water) with six tubuans from Baai, Nodup and Talvat dancing on canoes and coming ashore at the Kokopo beach in front of a capacity audience.
Those in the large crowd which started arriving as early as 3am from all over the Gazelle Peninsula were made to wait for hours as the Kinavai, which traditionally ends on the beach before sun rise, came ashore about 8am.
The tubuans then headed for the festival grounds at Ralum in Kokopo, for the next part of the ceremony which included the kanovo and ngunungut and the varlapang which involves the giving of food and tabu (shell money) to the tubuans. The tubuans will entertain the festival goers throughout the next few days with the gunugu or tubuan dances.
The mask festival will run for a week and will be followed by the world famous Tolai Warwagira. A large number of overseas visitors are here already for both festivals.