A THOUSAND DIFFERENT

CULTURES

OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

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Australia

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THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT TRADITIONSThousands of years in the making, the culture of Papua New Guinea is unique and untouched. In the remote

villages visitors will find tribes that passionately maintain traditions through art, initiations and Sing

Sings. A Sing Sing expressing customary dance, music and traditional costume provides the opportunity

for visitors to witness tribal traditions in an explosion of color and sound. There are regular Sing Sings

throughout the country.

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A THOUSAND DiFFERENT TRADITIONS

Information correct at the time of publication. ©PNG Tourism Promotion Authority – 2012

CULTURAL EVENTS National Mask FestivalThe National Mask Festival was initially introduced in 1995 and is staged

as an annual National Event to promote the Mask Cultures of Papua New

Guinea. Masks have been a feature of human civilization for thousands of

years and vary from culture to culture, providing many different functions.

The category of masks that are thought to represent spirits are found

in West Africa, South America and Melanesia. Of this category, the

Melanesian masks specifically focus on ancestral spirits. These types

of masks which we now call the “tumbuan” in Tok Pisin are found in

Melanesia and are an important part of the culture.

In Papua New Guinea, mask cultures are found in the New Guinea Islands,

the Momase Region and Gulf Province. The masks from these areas are

similar in appearance and nature but still have noticeable differences. In

many ways, they are the most important cultural symbols of Papua New

Guinea and identify our cultures from the rest of the world.

Sepik River Crocodile FestivalCrocodiles are part of the Sepik heritage. Men and crocodile share a special

bond. The Crocodile symbolize strength, power and manhood. Many boast

of scares cut into their skin during initiation. The scares resembling the

back of a crocodile run from the shoulder to hip. Crocodiles are significant

to the Sepik culture where they have cultural traditions, beliefs and legends

based on this particular reptile.

Mt Hagen Cultural ShowMt. Hagen Cultural Show was first staged in 1964 by many different tribes

from Western Highlands Province. The show was for the purpose of

sharing the cultural experience with each other, calming the ever-present

tribal animosities and enmities by bringing all tribes together in a one

cultural event to expose the positive side of life, and to celebrate the

diversity of cultures among the natives.

Goroka Cultural ShowThe Eastern Highlands Cultural Show which is simply known as the

‘Goroka Show’ is a significant event in the province. The show provides

entertainment to the people of the Eastern Highlands and to visitors

from PNG and overseas. The Goroka Show is probably the most

well-known tribal gathering and cultural event in Papua New Guinea.

Hiri Moale Festival

The annual Hiri voyage follow the people of the Central Province (then

called the Motuan) on their journey to the Gulf of Papua, to trade with

the Gulf people. The voyage started when Edai Siabo of Boera village

built the first lagatoi, after befriending a sea god. The travellers would

set sail to Manumanu, with the onset of the south easterly winds

(Lahara) started blowing.

The Motuans took with them clay pots, arm shells (toea) and yams, among

other goods to exchange for sago, logs for new lagatois and dog’s teeth. It

was an event that was looked forward to by the trading partners annually.

The voyage forged friendships that lasted for generations which in some

cases are still intact today. Those voyages also created a national language,

Hiri Motu, a vernacular understood by the Moutans and their south

westerly trading partners.

Morobe Agri-Cultural ShowThe Morobe Agri-Cultural show is hosted by the Morobe Provincial

Agricultural Society in Papua New Guinea’s second largest city, Lae. Since

Lae is an industrial city, the show organizers started this show with the

intention of showcasing the agricultural, industrial and commercial

features of the area along with the cultural features of the province. The

show has always followed from Mt. Hagen and Goroka shows giving

tourists and inter-provincial show-goers time to visit each show.

National Kenu & Kundu FestivalCanoes and the Kundu drums are a significant aspect of the lives of the

people of Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. Both the Canoe and the Kundu

were widely used in olden times in ceremonies and rituals and were

meticulously crafted from special woods under strict customs, to

derive the best results and to appease the gods.

COmE TO PAPUA NEW GUINEAA HUNDRED DIFFERENT STORIES. A mILLION DIFFERENT JOURNEyS.

Buka Passage

Manus

New Ireland

Bougainville

East NewBritain

West NewBritain

Milne Bay

Sandaun

East Sepik

Madang

WesternHighlands

Morobe

EasternHighlands

Enga

SouthernHighlands

WesternSimbu

Oro

Central

Port Moresby

NationalCapitalDistrict

BISMARCK SEA

SOLOMON SEA

Australia

Tu�

Alotau

Hoskins

Rabaul

Kavieng

Vanimo

Wewak

Madang

Lae

Goroka

Mt HagenTari

Gulf of Papua

Ind

on

esia

CORAL SEA

SolomonIslands

Popondetta

Gulf

Kerema

Daru

Kimbe

Kokopo

MinjJiwaka

Hela

Kiunga

Tabubil

KokodaLosuia

Misima

Ambunti

Bulolo

Buka Passage

Lorengau

Buka

ArawaMendi

Wabag

Kundiawa

Lihir

CALENDAR OF EVENTSDate Event LocationJuly National Mask Festival Kokopo, East New Britain Province

August Sepik River Crocodile Festival Ambunti, East Sepik Province

August Mt. Hagen Show Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province

September Goroka Show Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province

September Hiri Moale Festival Port Moresby

October Morobe Agri-Cultural Show Lae, Morobe Province

November Kundu & Kenu Festival Alotau, Milne Bay Province

Cultural Festivals

PORT MORESBy – HEAd OFFICEPNG Tourism Promotion AuthorityPacific MMI Building, Level 5, Champion Parade, Central Business district PO Box 1291, Port Moresby Papua New GuineaTel: + 675 3200 211 Fax: + 675 3200 223 Email: info@pngtourism.org.pg info@papuanewguinea.travelFacebook: facebook.com/PNGTourismGlobalTwitter: twitter.com/png journeys

AuSTRALIA & NEW ZEALANdPNG Tourism Promotion AuthorityGlobal Tourism Interface 35 Grafton Street Bondi Junction NSW 2022, AustraliaContact: Stuart Thompson Tel: + 612 9028 3594 Email: stuart.thompson@gtitourism.com.auFacebook: facebook.com/papuanewguinea.travelTwitter: twitter.com/PNG_TOuRISM

TOKyO, JAPAN OFFICEPNG Tourism Promotion AuthoritySOLO Inc. 3F 1-1-3 Nihonbashi, Horidome-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0012, JapanContact: Takashi yamada Tel: + 81 (0) 80 6649 5121 Email: yamada@pngtourism.jpFacebook: facebook.com/PNGTPAjapanTwitter: twitter.com/PNGTourismJapan

LOS ANGELES, uSA OFFICEPNG Tourism Promotion AuthorityMyriad Marketing 1334 Parkview Avenue, Suite 300 Manhattan Beach California 90266, uSAContact: Ally StoltzTel: + 1 310 545 4200 Fax: + 1 310 545 4221Email: ally@myriadmarketing.com Facebook: facebook.com/visitpapuanewguineaTwitter: twitter.com/PNGTourism

LONdON, uK OFFICE PNG Tourism Promotion AuthorityLee Travel Consulting unit 4, 2 Archie Street London Se1 3JT united KingdomContact: Robin Russell-Pavier Tel: 020 7260 2993 Fax: 020 7357 9966Email: robin@pngtourism.org.ukFacebook: facebook.com/PNGTourismuKTwitter: twitter.com/PNGTourismuK

CENTRAL EuROPEAN OFFICE PNG Tourism Promotion AuthorityLee Travel Consulting Fraunhoferstr. 8 82152 Martinsried, Germany Contact: Rhett LogoTel: 49 89 219 096 513Email: rhett@pngtourism.eu

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