Save culture, says advisor

 By PETER ESOP WARI

CULTURE and tradition are dying out and nothing is being done to educate children about them, a public servant says.

Southern Highlands agriculture and livestock advisor Kenneth Kuim Toap said children aged between 10 and 16 years in the villages could not speak the local dialect and only spoke in Tok Pisin.

He said only the old people could speak the local dialect fluently. Once an old person dies, a little part of the language dies too, he said.

“In the past, Southern Highlands had special songs and dances performed during wedding ceremonies, funeral, moka and compensation,” he said.

“But this could not be seen done today and the new generations do not know have a clue about it.”

He said during Independence Day last month, old people from the Kongu village in the Poroma local level government sang songs sung during weddings and re-enacted how it was done. It was an eye-opener for many people.

“Parents are too ignorant to teach their children traditional dances and songs. Even the customs are forgotten. Our culture is at the verge of dying out,” he said.

He said he was there to witness the celebrations at Kongu.

“We need to do something to revive our unique cultures and traditions as I fear that after 10 to 15 years, they will die out.”