Commission halts major festivals

ALL major cultural festivals and shows around the country are on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Emil Tammur says.
“All other smaller festivals and shows at the district and community levels would be organised to keep the momentum alive,” Tammur said.
“This is one of the ways to keep the momentum while waiting for the Covid-19 to subside.”
Tammur jointly launched the Mt Hagen Amb Kurr Cultural Festival in Port Moresby with Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry and Hagen MP William Duma last Thursday.
Duma committed K100,000 while Tammur, through the commission, committed K10,000 to host the festival this year.
National Cultural Commission (NCC) acting executive director Steven Kilanda said Duma was one of a few MPs who supported cultural festivals in the country.
He said the commission had supported the Mt Hagen Amb Kurr Festival last year and would do the same this year.
“The major cultural events are put on hold but we are going down to the districts and community levels and assisting them to keep the momentum alive,” Kilanda said.
Duma said PNG’s traditional arts and culture had been overlooked.
He said the country’s natural resources would one day diminish but people would remain.
Duma said culture defined people because it was their identity and set them apart from others.
“In Western Highlands, we don’t have any natural resources like other provinces but we have culture,” he said.
Tammur said the National Cultural Commission was not like what it was 10 years ago.
He said the commission was brought to its knees under various appointments until the appointment of Kilanda.
He said the role of facilitating cultural festivals and shows was taken over by the Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) in the past.
He said the commission regained the role under Kilanda.