Vital to protect our cultures

I WOULD like to express my concern about our traditional cultures which are gradually losing their values.
Our cultures are part of our lives and are sacred.
They must be preserved at all cost.
We cannot sacrifice our cultures in the name of development or influences from the outside world.
Our cultures are already being jeopardised because we are unconsciously forgetting their importance.
As a developing country, PNG has to undergo different development challenges.
However, we cannot allow these changes to affect our cultures.
It is possible to uphold all our cultures and adapt to Western or introduced cultures.
Our costumes and songs are being commercialised.
Foreigners are buying and are taking them away to their homes.
I think we need to enact a law to control the sale of our artifacts and traditional costumes.
The Culture and Tourism Department must wake up and do something constructive to preserve our unique cultures before it is too late.
Our traditional bilas and different languages give us a sense of belonging and maintain our dignity and identity.
Countries like China, South Korea and Japan have never allowed modern influences to affect their cultures which are well preserved.

Michael Drake Kapu
Madang