After two days filled with performances by different traditional dance groups and a showcase of the different masks of East New Britain, the National Mask Festival finally came to a close yesterday.
At around 5.03pm, the big men from the different districts of East New Britain gathered around to watch as a man danced around in circles with a spear in hand. This dancer was beckoning his onlookers to come and claim the spear. He wanted to see which of the men watching would be brave enough to do so.
“This ritual is important as it determines which district will be hosting the 2017 National Mask Festival, depending on who claims the spear and on behalf of which district,” said a member of the organising committee.
After completing the routine, the man threw the spear, sending it tearing through the ground and landing upright. Within a split of a second, another man walked up to the spear, took it in hand and started dancing around with it.
As it turned out, this next man was also from the Kokopo District and so it was decided that Kokopo would be hosting the 2017 National Mask Festival.
The East New Britain Tourism CEO, Gard Renson, said that preparations for the2017 National Mask and Tolai Warwagira Festival will commence in September this year as tourists are already making bookings for the event.
The Festival aims to protect and preserve culture as well as promote tourism in the province, said Renson.
(A tumbuan dance by Vatvat men before the handing over of the spear to Kokopo district.)