Sepik River Crocodile Festival helps to maintain traditional cultural heritage.

THE Sepik River Crocodile Festival encourages cultural performances and the displaying of iconic items, says festival vice-chairman Paul Goumier.

“It’s an avenue where people congregate and exchange indigenous skills and knowledge through singsing performances, drama, selling arts and craft while exchanging preservation methods of the ecosystems,” he said.
Goumier said stakeholders such as PanAust provided awareness about their operations and progress.

The World Wildlife Fund initiated the festival in collaboration with Sepik wetlands management initiative.

He said after 10 years, the protection and conservation effort of crocodiles and other aqua lives, including their habitats, had grown from strength to strength. It involves Bank South Pacific, National Development Bank and PanAust supported by the East Sepik government and Ambunti- Dreikikier administration.

The Frieda River gold-copper project contains 12 million tonnes of copper and 20 million ounces of gold which remained undeveloped and located in the Sepik River basin.
The developer, PanAust, holds 80 per cent and Highlands Pacific 20 per cent.
PanAust provides quarterly project updates to local communities and supports the festival annually.

Source: Sione Girrapa/PNG Development Forum - FB Group/2016