Opening ceremony so unique , spectacular

 ONE could not help teary eyes and feeling of warmth in the heart at the Pacific Games opening when Carmelita Tibola’s soothing voice rang out from the sound system at the Sir John Guise Stadium as she broke into “Komalala” an ancient lullaby chant from her area. 

The village of Pidia situated on the Western side of picturesque Kieta peninsula was twice honored when Carmelita and the late William Takaku’s chants were used to entertain the packed stadium during opening extravaganza last Saturday night. 

These chants reminded us of our traditional values and origins where people had possessed talents in the art of composing articulate verses that appeal to the mind’s eye view of the world around us in a interesting, colorful and magical way. 

In a world where games opening and other major ceremonies around the world are associated with dazzling multi-media and other hi-tech gadgetry, Papua New Guinea looked inwards to its diverse and colorful traditional culture of dress, dance and song and other forms of art to create an opening ceremony so unique.

It surpassed anything anyone in the Pacific could imagine possible from a country that often gets more than its share of bad press associated with corruption and crime. 

It is ironic that athletes of Hanuabada village where people exist outer fringes of the doldrums of bright city lights are making history having excelled with many a gold medal in the noble sport of weight-lifting. 

The indomitable fighting spirit in Dika Toua and her siblings have demonstrated sends out clear message that Hanuabada the big village is not to be tucked away and left out in a forgotten corner of Port Moresby. It is time our leaders also see that there is life in the traditional villages of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville. There is heart beat and yearning in the people to get up and go like an explosive with a fuse lit. The government must create opportunities for people to break into sports and other ventures now. 

For too long they have been neglected and the countries so called economic growth does not reflect on wider participation by our village people who also are left out of benefits of development underway in their homeland. 

Development should encompass not only money but all faculties of a human, physical, mental social and spiritual. 

The farcical money oriented development will not bring happiness and contentment to the nation’s 7 million people of this country who need to be reached and touched by the leadership of this country.

Chris

Central Bougainville