PNG contemporary cultural dances in modern day - Is our cultural dances and traditional attires dying out slowly or are they changing?

PAPUA New Guinea is a country of more than 840 different tribes. Their cultures are distinctively so unique and different from each other. They speak completely different languages but they are Papua New Guineans - one nation. The cultural diversity is a pride to Papua New Guineans and each year on the 16th of September, they gather to celebrate the country's independence.

They sing and dance to the chants of their own, in their own languages, more than 840 different languages.

The year 2016 brought the nation its 41 independence. Again they dance and chant to celebrate the day. Over the years, the cultural dances, its chants and traditional attires have changed. This is an indication that the country is losing some of its traditional cultures and dances. 

In the selections of random photographs below, you will notice some changes in the way the girls from Enga (one of the provinces in Papua New Guinea) have dressed. Modern dressing elements are evident their traditional dressing. Take this as an example of the other 840 cultures of PNG which are changing.

Its PNG Contemporary Culture! Are we loosing the traditional values? Are we changing too fast?

Happy viewing!

Engan girls at Ela Beach for the 41 independence celebrations.

 Photo: Nangu Gomo, 16th Sept 2016.

Girls from Kandep in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea. Picture taken by Sharon during the 33rd PNG Independence Anniversary celebration. 2008. 

Image: Mathew Yakai blog

From Porgera Enga province in Papua New Guinea during the 33rd independence anniversary celebration on 16th September, 2008. Image: Mathew Yakai blog

PAPUA NEW GUINEA | Wednesday, 22 September 2010.

 Image: Mathew Yakai blog

PAPUA NEW GUINEA | Wednesday, 22 September 2010. 

Image: Mathew Yakai blog

Enga young at the Enga Cultural Show, 2014. Image: Supplied. 

Engan young girl in 2012. Photo: supplied.

St. Peter's Primary School students in Port Moresby on the 38th independence celebrations in 2013. Photo: Port Moresby blog

St. Peter's Primary School students in Port Moresby on the 38th independence celebrations in 2013. Photo: Port Moresby blog

Engan girls at Ela Beach for the 41 independence celebrations.

 Photo: Nangu Gomo, 16th Sept 2016.

Where you find PNG on the map - the world's second largest island!

United in cultural diversity for better world tomorrow - Papua New Guinea

ONE of the most beautiful and heart warming things to see is individuals of differrent ethnicity engrossing themselves in a foreign culture with virtue. It is a deliberate attempt to close a great divide, to draw humanity together past differrences and understanding.
These acts are demonstrations of a great spirit and a humble heart. 

Let us be open to all cultures, especially of our 22 provinces. Let us bilas in a provincial bilas other than ours and singsing in their groups and learn their chants and appreciate a little of our diversity.

UNITED IN DIVERSITY FOR A BETTER WORLD!

Source: Facebook. Dilu Dee Okuk‎ - PNG Anti Corruption Movement (PNGACM)

Goroka Cultural Show is one of the Papua New Guinea's oldest and important cultural festivals - September annually

ONE of Papua New Guinea’s most important and oldest events is the Eastern Highlands Cultural Show, or widely known as the “Goroka Cultural Show”. People come from all over the world to enjoy the entertainment.

The Goroka Cultural Show is a locally popular tribal event where people gather together to celebrate their culture in stunning displays of dance, music, and tribal rituals. There are about 100 tribes who show up to participate in the event, which is held annually during the weekend closest to the 16th of September (Independence Day).

The festival began in the 1950’s, when it was first introduced by missionaries. The initial purpose was for tribes across the land to come together and learn from each other, to enrich their own customs, and to open minds to the differing rituals of each tribe. These interesting customs are now available for travelers around the world to appreciate and enjoy.

The Goroka Cultural Show usually takes place in September every year.

The 2016 Goroka Cultural Show celebrates its 60th Anniversary and is set to be an even more spectacular cultural event complete with fireworks and fun activities for the whole family. The show begins on Independence Day September 16th and ends September 18th.

The Goroka Cultural Show aims to once more provide the best in cultural entertainment to the people of the Eastern Highlands Province and make visitors feel welcome from Papua New Guinea and around the world.

Held every year during the weekend closest to Independence Day, the Goroka Cultural Show is Papua New Guinea's most well-known tribal gathering and cultural event.

More than 100 tribes participate in the event performing extraordinary displays of 'singsings' - traditional songs, dances and ritual performances.

The staging of the Goroka Cultural Show began in 1957 and was first introduced and organized by Australian patrol officers known locally as 'kiaps'. Kiaps from each district built round houses typical of their districts where they displayed the various and unique cultures of the people living there. The kiaps brought in 'singsing' groups from surrounding areas. It created an entertaining weekend for everyone in the Province helping people forget their tribal differences.

The 2017 Goroka Cultural Show is set for September 16th to 18th.

The ‘Goroka Cultural Show’ is a significant cultural event in the Highlands region of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The 2016 Goroka Show celebrates its 60th Anniversary and is set to be an even more spectacular cultural event complete with fireworks and fun activities for the whole family. The show begins on Independence Day September 16th and ends September 18th.

The Goroka Show aims to once more provide the best in cultural entertainment to the people of the Eastern Highlands Province and make visitors feel welcome from Papua New Guinea and around the world.

Held every year during the weekend closest to Independence Day, the Goroka Show is Papua New Guinea's most well-known tribal gathering and cultural event.

More than 100 tribes participate in the event performing extraordinary displays of 'singsings' - traditional songs, dances and ritual performances.

The staging of the Goroka Show began in 1957 and was first introduced and organized by Australian patrol officers known locally as 'kiaps'. Kiaps from each district built round houses typical of their districts where they displayed the various and unique cultures of the people living there. The kiaps brought in 'singsing' groups from surrounding areas. It created an entertaining weekend for everyone in the Province helping people forget their tribal differences.

The 2017 Goroka Cultural Show is set for September 16th to 18th. See you in Goroka!

For further information regarding the Goroka Cultural Show Committee
Attention: Ms. Keryn Hargreaves - Chair-lady 
Email: gorokashow2014@gmail.com 
Phone: +675 532-2644.
Visit their website at: www.gorokaevents.com

For accommodation near the festival click Accommodation in Eastern Highlands

VIDEO: Troy Pfeifer produced the following video about his trip to Goroka and the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Its recommended for those who wish to travel to Goroka for the first time.

 Here is what Troy has to say about his trip "Our amazing 20 year wedding anniversary trip to Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Highland Tribal Festival has been on our travel bucket list for quite some time. 

Almost two years in the planning, and plenty of money later (holy cow this was an expensive trip), we can check this one off our list. As you know we have been to a country or two, but we are definitely not immune to new cultures, people and basically how things are in other countries."

Sources: Tourism Promotion Authority and North South Travel

PNG's cultural sustainability more important than ever

CULTURE is who we are and what shapes our identity. No development can be sustainable without including culture.

The protection, promotion and maintenance of cultural sustainability is vital for sustainable development that benefits both present and future generations. Culture is an integral part of sustainable development; however the key challenge is the understanding of the relationships between culture and sustainability.

Culture plays an important role as a non-renewable resource that is a vital part of our cities; the adaptive re-using of the historic urban environment adds to the quality of life of their inhabitants by strengthening their sense of belonging, social unity and providing a pleasant environment that lessens excessive urbanization.

The Pacific region, the richest in the world in terms of cultural diversity, holds one-third of all languages in the world. Cultural considerations should be integrated into sustainable urban and community planning. The Pacific is ahead of other regions in rethinking well-being and prosperity: culture has been important in this approach, now all it needs is for it to be nurtured.

Communities, through their traditional knowledge and values and local sovereignty approach, understand their rights and responsibilities with respect to their environment, social stability and towards each other.

Most land across the Pacific is held by communities and not through private property. This has prevented the food poverty and extreme inequality seen in many other parts of the developing world. It has enabled women and men to draw on the environment for medical, housing, and expressive purposes, thereby continuing to foster agro-biodiversity, and allowing communities to enjoy leisure time.

Due to increased urbanization, imported unhealthy foods and increasingly sedentary lifestyles, life expectancy rates have dropped. Cultural food production and preparation, which preserve and improve diversity, including organic farming, provide healthy diets. Community arts and sports (dance, games, and communal fishing practices) provide healthy practices.

Pacific cities contain ‘old’ heritage, colonial heritage and increasing arts offerings. All are crucial to attracting responsible tourism. Cultural heritage, particularly cultural landscapes and historic cities, can make a significant contribution to environmental sustainability.

Culture contributes directly to employment. Most Pacific countries do not measure cultural employment. Cultural and creative industries represent one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in the global economy with a growth rate of 6.9 per cent in Oceania. Artist, cultural producers, and entrepreneurs are direct active contributors to Pacific economies and cultural events create indirect economic activities.

Many cultural activities take place in the informal economy – the subsistence economy is based on cultural knowledge and practices. If one considers remittances and traditional social security are basically driven by cultural factors, the relationship between poverty prevention and reduction and culture is obvious.

Culture indeed has a role to play towards achieving a sustainable environment because culture is a key element in the concept of sustainable development; it frames people’s relationships and attitudes towards both the built and the natural environment. Cultural value shape peoples way of life and therefore has the potential to bring about the change in behavior and attitude needed to ensure the achievement of sustainable development.

Sustainability efforts that once were characterized by environmental, social, and economic issues only now see the inclusion of culture as a holistic benefit to sustainable development.

Source: DAPHNE RASEHEI - EMTV Online