Divine Word University students display culture

By GLORIA BAUAI
THE Divine Word University Madang Campus came alive as students displayed their traditional singsing and dances last weekend.
Student Reinhardt Kerowa who organised it said the show was for the people of Madang, providing the platform for community togetherness.
The chanting of the students of the highlands provinces, the rhythmic steps of those from the Islands region, the kundu sounds of the Mamose region, and the catchy tunes of the southern parts of Papua New Guinea, filled the atmosphere and thrilled the people.
University president Fr Philip Gibbs said the kundu and the garamut “alert us to the rhythm of traditional values, of social time, of hospitality, and sharing, which are the reverse of capitalist values that seek our attention in today’s world”.
“We witness here cultural elements that are striking, colourful, rich and diverse. Hopefully the kundu and the garamut are also a reminder of who we are.
“In PNG I am not just I. I am a person in reference to my family. My clan has a story. Every clan has a story and in the songs and dances we are reminded today of those stories. “DWU is a premier institution for learning. But here the learning is not just medicine or business studies. Our programmes include courses such as Melanesian wisdom. The underlying purpose is student transformation. And what we see here today is just one aspect of that learning experience.”