Culture brings money: Leonard

By ELIAS LARI
PAPUA New Guinea has a huge potential in tourism and people need to go back to the start to maintain their cultures, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Isi Henry Leonard says.
Leonard said this after opening the 61st Mt Hagen Cultural Show at the Rebiamul Rugby League Oval on Saturday.
He said PNG had cultures that would bring in tourists to generate money, but they needed an opportunity before an international audience to be showcased properly.
Leonard said the cultures had the potential to create income and wealth, but marketing was badly needed.

“When cultural events were staged, tourists would realise how interesting Papua New Guinea was,” he said.
The Mt Hagen Cultural Show, he said, was one of the events that had the potential to give tourists a glimpse of what was in store in the country.
“This (the Coronavirus) pandemic has badly affected tourism and the economy but we will try to revive it because we see the potential in it.
“PNG has 800 languages and it is rich with culture.”

Leonard praised about 70 singsing groups that performed in the show, saying they had provoked people’s mind what such culture could do for them as far as their earnng went. “You need to teach your children at home so that they continue to practise it,” he said.

“We are privileged that we have been blessed with so many cultures, this is our pride and identity.”
Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti asked people to maintain their culture, pride and identities.
He said showing their cultures to the outside world was highly important.

“This is our identity and I take this time to thank the participating singsing groups for taking part in this show,” he said.
Show manager John Bonney said the event could have been bigger but due to the coronavirus, they had to downsize it to follow protocols and make sure people were safe.
The two-day show ended yesterday with various cultural groups from the Highlands and coastal areas performing.