Our culture will sustain the country’s economy after all the extractive resources are depleted, says the Executive Director of National Cultural Commission (NCC), Steven Enomb Kilanda.
While officiating the launch of Kala Community Culture Center at Kala village outside Mt Hagen City in Western Highlands Province on Tuesday, Mr Kilanda reminded the guests and villagers of the importance of preserving, safeguarding, developing and promoting their cultural heritage.
He said after all the minerals that are currently being developed around the country are extracted, one of the fallback plan to sustain the country’s economy would be their culture.
“Therefore, you must make every effort to preserve and safeguard your cultural heritage so that they will benefit you and your children in the future,” said Mr. Kilanda.
He said that apart from cultural activities and events, the cultural centre is where they practice and express their culture and arts daily while passing on cultural knowledge and skills to young people.
Mr Kilanda while commending the Chairman and Chairlady of Kala and Moga Community cultural centres said they took the challenges of preserving, safeguarding and promoting their dying cultures and arts.
He said the NCC was only a small government organization mandated to deal with the huge cultural matters of the country.
Therefore, he told the committees of both culture centers and the villagers to use the certificates that were presented to them to venture into small to medium enterprises (SME) because NCC does not have enough money to give it to them.
“Don’t expect NCC to give you money, rather use the certificate NCC is presenting to you to go into SMEs and earn incomes,” said Mr. Kilanda.
He said conducting cultural activities and events at the cultural centers would certainly bring tourists into the communities because their cultures and arts is the only standalone tourism product in the country.
After speaking and officially presenting the certificate to the chairman of the Kala Community Cultural Center he committed K10,000 and another K5,000 to the Moga Community Cultural Centre.
He also committed another K2,000 each during the official ribbon-cutting to open the culture center for the cultural groups that performed during the launching for both cultural centers.
One of the NCC Board Members and one of the sons of Western Highlands, Professor Michael Mel was also invited to the launching.
He spoke highly of the efforts of Kala Community Cultural Centre Chairman, Martin Dembit and his committee.
Prof. Mel visited the Kala Community Culture Centre and Mini Nature Park and talked to Mr Dembit on conducting traditional knowledge and skills training with children and young people in that area.
Mr. Kilanda, Prof. Mel, invited guests and other dignitaries who were there at Kala village were taken on tour into the Kala Community Culture Center and nature park after the facility was officially launched.