Hiri Moale gets K700,000 funding

National

By Moya Iowa
THE 2017 Hiri Moale Festival is set to be bigger with a secured sponsorship of K700,000 and 18 contestants in the running for the Hiri Hanenamo Queen crown.
The major sponsors are the National Capital District Commission which gave K500,000 and Governor Powes Parkop who allocated K100,000. Other sponsors include ExxonMobil PNG with K50,000, Vitis Industries and Ports Services Limited which gave K30,000 and K20,000 respectively.
Festival committee chairman Opao Udia said the opening on Friday would feature a lakatoi sailing from Manubada Island.
There will also be the second judging of the Hiri Hanenamo. The crowning of the queen is on Saturday.
Yesterday was the introduction of the queens and the first judging session at Nature Park.
Udia said the Hiri Hanenamo was tied to the Hiri Lakatoi tradition and was an integral part of the festival which celebrated the trading between the Hiri Motu people of Central and the Gulf people.
Committee chairlady Mere Oala said the first judging saw the 18 showcasing their traditional attire with full traditional body tattoos and headdresses.
Oala said they were also judged on their traditional knowledge of the Hiri trade.