My Culture, my pride and identity

The National Weekender

By BALTHAZAR MORIGUBA
OUR culture is our pride and identity. It surely defines one group from another Engans, Tolais, Motuans, Kiwais, for instance, are identified by their culture and languages.
People are easily identified and recognised through their language and cultural identity as from this or from that province.
A few hours before the last Enga provincial day show at the Sir John Guise Stadium on Saturday, Sept 14, a cultural group was launched at the residence of its chairman Alus Mark, at North Waigani.
The Ipili Humari Sianda Cultural Group was the initiative of the Porgera, Paiela and Hewa students of University of Papua New Guinea, established on July 7 this year.
At the launching, chairman Mark stated that the cultural group was established with the vision to preserve, promote communicate and celebrate the Ipili’s art and culture amongst other diverse arts and cultures of Papua New Guinea.
He added that their mission statement was “A culturally focused organisation working towards peace, unity, social and economic empowerment through advocacy, event participation and educational support.
The Ipili speakers span two valleys, the Porgera Valley, home of the Eastern Ipili, and Paiela Valley, home of the Western Ipili. Porgerans and Paielans also share common language, culture and a history with the Ipili.
In the past and till today, marriage, travel and trade linked Porgera with Paiela to the west, the Tari basin to the south, and Enga speaking areas to the east of Porgera.
Ipili society is unusual, yet brilliant at every turn and with an incomparable fluidity, openness, and ability to respond organisationally to every contingency without loss of integrity.
Ipili culture has been preserved and sustained through generations. As part of preserving the culture, traditional artworks on attires have been showcased in the past during Independence celebrations, provincial cultural shows and at other special events only within Enga.
The Ipili arts and cultures were not recognised by responsible cultural organisations at the national level. Our participation in events in the provincial level was just as a traditional singsing group but not a duly recognised group.
Fortunately, in 2017, the traditional attires of the Ipili were showcased in Port Moresby by the Ipili Students of at the Enga Day event. They were showcased again in 2018 in the same event,
To maintain the value of Ipili art and cultural practices, we have registered our group with the National Cultural Commission to assist elevate the Ipili arts and cultures to the next level of performance to showcase and express our symbol of ethnic identity.
Furthermore, it would bring development to our rural communities and a sense of empowerment and ownership and wealth of our indigenous cultural identity towards promotion of our unique traditions and cultures.
Present at the launching representing the acting director of National Cultural Commission (NCC) Steven Kilanda, to present the certification of registration with NCC were Andrew Kina (senior festival officer) and John Umba (marketing officer), from the festival extension and management services division.
Andew Kina, speaking on behalf of the acting director of NCC, acknowledged that the commission was pleased to have registered Ipili Cultural Group under its cultural group data management registry along with many other such groups.
The Ipili Cultural Group can now liaise with NCC to be engaged in other cultural events nationally and internationally. They can also facilitate and host their own Ipili Cultural Show in Porgera, Enga.
This small event is the lead up to a major launching of the Ipili Humari Sianda Festival which will be held on Nov 29 and 30 in Porgera, Enga.Balthazar

  • Moriguba is the music technician with the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies.