Centre begins cultural training

The language and culture school under the Boem Sara Culture and Tourism Promotion Centre in the Yangoru-Saussia district, East Sepik has commenced classes with 16 first intakes.
This was the fourth week of the six-week training which began on Jan 30.
The first 16 students currently undergoing the training were from various age groups.
Project initiator and director Rex Naranen told The National on Sunday that the school offered six different classes covering language, garamut beating, lomohangu ceremonial singing; traditional mourning chants; arts and crafts and the menstrual initiation for women.
The latter was done in two parts – the theatre drama was the first part. The second part was the ceremonial singing into the mediation arena.
The training was done for free.
He said priority for the first training was given to the Boem Sara village.
The first 16 students were from that area.
“The next training will be extended to other villages,” he said.
“We will be inviting other Boikin Yangoru-speaking people as well.
“The school is planning to run language and culture training for the Abelam and Arapesh speaking people if they are interested in preserving their culture.
“The Boem Sara Culture and Tourism Promotion Centre will offer their district facility for them to come with their teachers and conduct their training.”
He said the school was affiliating with the Yangoru Secondary School to offer history classes for Grades 11 and 12 students so they would get acquainted with their culture.
He said a date was yet to be confirmed for the launching of the project in the district and the project was funded by the Yangoru-Saussia district, the Tourism Promotion Authority, Kumul Consolidated Holdings Limited, the Yangoru-Saussia community and other stakeholders.
“The school is also planning to turn the Boem Sara Culture and Tourism Promotion Centre to an institute of language and culture depending on government funding in the next five years,” Naranen said.
“We are planning to affiliate with secondary schools and universities to make it become compulsory for all Yangoru-Saussia students to take up language and culture training as a compulsory subject before they graduate.”