From the islands of love

THE dancers in this troupe were selected from villages around Kiriwina (mainland Trobriand Islands) to raise funds for the Trobriand Island Cultural Show to be staged next month.
The initiative was from the Kiriwina LLG president Jennifer Rudd and her 33 ward councillors, who decided to do something which would boost their tourism industry.
The purpose of the cultural show is in two parts.
The first is to promote and revive the dying cultures of the islands.
There are a lot which can be offered for tourism such as song and dances, art and craft and many others.
This is to encourage the youths to hold on tight to their heritage and not to let it die out.
The second part is to encourage the people to go back to yam gardening.
With the recent media reports of the yam shortage on the islands, the council came up with this idea, saying that yam gardening was the mainstay of the whole Trobriand culture, without which, “we will be nothing”.
Ms Rudd said that it was a big disgrace if men did not have enough yams for feasting, bride price or any other ceremony.
So the yams play a big part in the society of the Trobriand islanders, which is why the fundraising for the cultural show must be a success.
The plan is to raise at least K100,000 in both Alotau and Port Moresby.