Duo off to Indonesia on arts, culture scholarship

Two Papua New Guineans will be visiting Indonesia for three months under the Indonesian Arts and Culture Scholarship (IACS).
Gordon Dakuna and Gaby Lahui from Anglung music band were sent off to Indonesia on Saturday by Indonesian Ambassador to PNG Andriana Supandy.
“I am very happy to see the two young Papua New Guineans off to Indonesia. I hope they will learn as much as possible and be able to foster understanding and friendship among the peoples,” Supandy said.
Dakuna and Lahui will tour six Indonesian provinces from May to July learning about music, arts and culture.
They will visit Bali, West Sumatra, East Kalimantan, East Java, South Sulawesi and Yogyakarta.
“The participants will learn Indonesian culture in general as well as culture and art specific to the province they will be visiting; one of such would be the Balinese dance and gamelan,” Supandy said.
“The programme aims to cultivate cultural corporation emerging from direct contact and sharing of cultures.”
He said the programme has been conducted since 2003.
Supandy said the two will be joined by two others from Solomon Islands for the programme.
He said the tour is a non-degree programme and the participants will stay at art centres.