Maintaining cultural events not only for tourism but for self-identity, says Tourism Minister

By NIGEL KAUA | NEWSFLASH

Papua New Guinea’s major cultural events countrywide will be funded directly from the National Budget every year round. This was revealed by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Hon. Emil Tammur in Goroka, Eastern Highland Province recently.

A policy submission to the Parliament for the National Government to fund major cultural events, shows and festivals is proceeding from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. It will be out in Parliament soon for debate and endorsement.

The major national cultural events and festivals include but not limited to; Goroka Cultural Show, Mt. Hagen Cultural Show, Jiwaka Cultural Show, Enga Cultural Show, Kutubu Kundu and Digaso Festival, Morobe Agri-Cultural Show, Madang Cultural Show, KarKar Island Bilum Festival, Goroka Bilum Festival, National Mask Festival and Warwagira in Kokopo, Sepik River Crocodile and Arts Festival, Hiri Moale Festival, Frangipani Festival in Rabaul, Kenu and Kundu Festival in Alotau and other events or festivals of similar popularity.

“Maintaining and promoting cultural events and festivals is not only important for tourism but also for our identify as a unique and culturally-diverse national in the world,” Mr. Tammur said.

He said unlike many other countries in the world, PNG is a unique nation of over 840 different languages and more than 1,000 various tribes and cultures.

“More importantly, the indigenous people owned over 90 percent of the customary land as individuals, clans and tribes. What this means is that we have the right to determine what sort of economic developments we want for ourselves on our land,” he added.

“We must use the birthrights to embrace tourism and agricultural developments as real sustainable industries. Oil, gas, gold, copper and nickel will benefit only a few including the rich, but tourism and agriculture will benefit the little ordinary people right in the rural communities and for a long time into the future,” the Government Minster said confidently. – Via Garamut News.