Mask Festival costs K190,000: Renson

THE National Mask Festival in Kokopo, East New Britain last week cost K190,000, East New Britain Tourism Authority chief executive officer Gard Renson says.
Renson said in Kokopo on Tuesday that the festival attracted over 100 tourists from around the world.
However, he added that not many locals attended.
“The festival ended quietly and I guess it had been the same over the years. It was quiet in a sense that not many locals attended the two-day event,” he said.
He said 20 groups performed during the festival.
“The highlight of the festival was the kinavai event that happened early dawn last Thursday. It attracted hundreds of locals and tourists. The other performance that attracted many locals and tourists was the Baining fire dance.
“We had to arrange for another Baining fire dance performance on Monday night to cater for tourists who missed out last Thursday,” Renson said.
He said special guests who had attended the festival included Sir Paulias Matane and his wife Lady Kaludia, Governor Ereman ToBaining Jr and Kokopo town mayor Kopman Diuvia.
Some business houses participated at the festival by putting up stalls and promoting their products.
and educating people about their services.
These companies included Farmset, Bank South Pacific, National Rice Industry, ENB Tourism Authority and PNG Tourism Promotion Authority.
Renson said Kokopo district was given the spear to lead kinavai next year.
Kinavai is a traditional event that involves Tolai tubuan masks performing out at sea on canoes.