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Vanishing cultures
By JASON SOM KAUT
Cultures that once existed in perfect
harmony with nature for ages are at risk of vanishing against the
forces of modernization. Many nations worldwide realizing this
threat have tried in vain to find a harmonious balance between
modernization and culture. They surely would give much to visit
places whose cultures are still vibrant and witness for themselves
these ancient cultures in natural settings.
For those that attended the International Singsing Festival and
Seminar launching and fundraising dinner at the Lae International
Hotel, haus win, there is no regret.
I'm sure the occasion, like some old time movie favorite will
remain etched in their memory forever as a memorable moment with
no regrets for time and money well spent for a worthy cause. It
was so well produced and orchestrated and is only a taste of more
to come during the actual Festival later in March, featuring both
contemporary and traditional artists from PNG and overseas.
If the presentation of PNG Traditional and Contemporary fusion
music by local groups including former Duadua founders Brown
Bolong and re-known international PNG Contemporary musician Pius
Wasi did not hush the crowd the highlight was a rare front-seat
performance by Morobe's infamous Snakeman. Joined by his wife, 15
year old daughter and her three younger brothers, he left those
present awed and in shock at witnessing such intimacy between man
and snake. If it wasn't Snakeman placing the snakes head into his
mouth it was when 15 year old Ngawi Saku, dressed in colorful
traditional attire imitated her father placing the head into her
own smaller mouth as its shiny body slithered around her neck and
hands on familiar ground. Ngawi later revealed that the snake was
called 'Steady' and was one of five family pet snakes who while
being free to roam behind closed doors where all placed in
claypots when brought out of their Buigim village home in Bukawac
for such performances. For the launching they only brought along
two of the troupe but will have the whole family present for the
Singsing festival. The family is the core of the Bongalick family
theatre group and will undoubtedly be a highlight during the
International Singsing Festival.
The fundraising two Fridays ago featured the presentation of PNG
Traditional and Contemporary fussion music prior to speeches from
Keynote addresser, Agriculture and Livestock Minister and member
for Huon Gulf Sasa Zibe and also from President of Morobe Tourism
Bureau and Lae Businessman Fred Cook who was all praises for the
performance. Referring to the performers, he said 'we could take
this people anywhere in the world and they would bring the house
down'.
Mr Cook and Nellie Mclay, wife of City Chamber president Allan
Mclay were another surprise highlight of the wonderful show when
their feet inspired by traditional and contemporary kundu and
bamboo beats, led them to the front as they joined a traditional
bamboo stomping group on stage, with their own moves.
There was excellent light and sound engineering complementing the
exotic blending of traditional rythms and instruments with modern
ones such as the Saxophone. Pius Wasi and Brown Bolong both well
known contemporary artists did a duet on Bamboo flutes imitating
'dog chasing a possum' and sounds of the 'Bird of Paradise'. Their
performance left everyone speechless and starry eyed some probably
imagining that this was a scene from time past.
Papua New Guineans, 80% of who are in the rural areas are very
traditional people with a strong and diverse culture and land rich
with biodiversity. But the pride that was once fiercely attached
to our cultures and traditions are quickly slipping away in the
quest of globalization. Fluent 'tokples' (local dialect) speakers
are quickly dwindling and cultures that united our people are
changing at a very rapid rate.
PNG has one of the few, if not the last remaining pristine virgin
rainforests in the world. The trend of globalization and
modernization has seen millions of acres of the world's
rainforests given second priority to new technology and
development and our rich cultures and traditions taking back stage
to modern ways of doing things. Minister Zibe while praising
Village Development Trust (VDT) for the initiative called on all
stakeholders to come together in supporting the festival and
forging partnership to promote sustainable management of our
natural resources.
"The International Singsing festival is a platform to come
together to raise awareness on issues of natural resource
management affecting our livelihood,...Lae being central should be
the center to do this" the Minister said. He had a blunt message
for the media saying, "media has an important role to play' and
should not be portraying too much negativity'. He called on the
media to instead promote positive images of PNG. The festival, he
added, 'provides an avenue for all sectors to come together to
create a positive image...marketing our arts, craft and products'.
The March festival and seminar is surely a must see and if
fundraising activities go well everyone residing in PNG can expect
to see international groups coming from as far as America with the
likes of native American groups Red Earth, Chinely Valley Singers
and Navajo Medicine Man. Other international artists that have
expressed interest to attend are Waduma -traditional Aboriginal
dance, well known Yothu Yindi and a West Papua group. Local groups
that are also interested in performing include Et Kalsa, Tribes
(reviving the music of Sanguma and Tambaran Culture), Aponge
Masalai, Snake man and Markham traditional music group Arifiran.
The goal of the international Singsing festival and seminar is to
promote sustainable management of natural resources. It aims to
raise awareness on this issue amongst all sectors through the
festival using PNG's traditional and contemporary culture, music,
arts, products and services as the 'medium' to promote sustainable
management of PNG's natural resources. The festival will start
with a three day seminar from March 21 -23 which will see NGO
partners and civil society putting up exhibits. This will be
followed by the actual singsing festival from the 24-26 in what is
expected to be the first of its kind in PNG with potential to
effectively use our culture to address issues affecting our
livelihood.
The initiative has been verbally supported by the government,
business houses, civil society partners and community groups but
pledges and contributions have been slow in coming to meet the
million kina mark.
Producer and Artistic director Maine Winny described the
fundraiser as a positive outcome with MTB President Fred Cook
making a commitment to help see the festival to fruition and
Minister Zibe who it is believed is one of a few who have made a
contribution since the launch and fundraiser. Guests present
included Minister Sasa Zibe, Nellie Mclay, Fred Cook, Utula Samana,
corporate bodies, government representatives and civil and
community representatives. The launching and fundraising included
performances by local groups of traditional PNG music,
contemporary fusion music and a rare performance from Snake man
who wooed the crowd with his intimacy with his pet snakes.
The fundraiser was made possible after VDT received a third of the
needed funding from NGO 'Protestant NGO church in Netherlands,
'Inter-church for Development Corporation' to host the
International Singsing Festival and Seminar.
Minister Zibe called for all to invest in the festival as a means
to create partnership between all sectors, including rural areas
where culture remains a unifying and vibrant part of life, to
address our natural resources management and other social related
issues.
Mr Cook urged those present to take the festival initiatives
further to the international arena where it has a big potential in
tourism. 'We don't have oil and gas everywhere but tourism we
have...something unique to offer to the world and now is the time.
I will give them 100% backing and surely hope that others, experts
and business community will support ...so it is recognized as it
should be," Mr Cook stressed.
With the right support and partnership the Singsing festival has
the potential to match world festivals and seminars like the World
of Music and dance festival in Singapore and the New Orleans Jazz
festival where our Sanguma band once performed during its hey
days.
Through the VDT International singsing festival and seminar we can
better promote our natural resources management and address issues
affecting it and our livelihood to find the balance between our
past and our future, culture and progress for sustainable
management of our natural resources and preservation of our
cultures for future generations.
 
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