More than 5,000 people, including 90 cultural groups from within Western Highlands, Southern Highlands, Enga, Jiwaka, Chimbu, Morobe and Madang, packed the Rabiamul Rugby oval last week.
More than 40 tourists were also there, at the Mt Hagen cultural show.
The event boasted colourfully adorned bodies and rich traditional attires. Dancers swayed to the beat of their kundu (hand) drums, making it difficult for onlookers to pick a group to watch.
The two-day show ended on a high note, although there were a few hiccups towards the end of the peaceful cultural celebrations.
The event was facilitated by the National Cultural Commission (NCC).
The NCC continues to fulfil its mandated obligations to assist indigenous Papua New Guineans preserve, protect and promote their cultural heritage.
Officials from the Commission with Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Tobias Kulang, were in Mt Hagen last weekend to officially open the 57th world renowned Mt Hagen Cultural Show.
While at the show, the acting executive director of NCC, Casper Damien, presented K10,000 as NCC’s assistance to the Mt Hagen Show committee. This was prior to him presenting the organising committee of Jiwaka Mini festival in Banz with K6,000.
This followed after the handing over of another K10,000 as NCC assistance to the Simbu Tourism Arts and Cultural Development Authority during its launching in Kundiawa.
“NCC’s work is to assist and support cultural shows, festivals and cultural events to preserve, protect, safeguard and promote PNG’s indigenous cultures,” said Damien.
While presenting the cheque to the Jiwaka Mini Festival committee members, Damien said NCC supports shows and cultural events, whether big or small, as long as it preserves, protects and promotes cultural heritage.
He told the committee to maintain the dates of the festival so that it would become one of the national cultural events which are always promoted on national cultural calendar.
The NCC’s assistance comes in many different forms, including technical advice, funding, materials and officers’ presence at the cultural events.
(Singsing groups displaying their colours and style at the 57th Mt Hagen Cultural Show.)
