kevindayonga

  Daga women performing a mourning ritual in front of their long haus. The Kutubu Kundu and Digaso Festival will not be held this year, this is due to the uncertainty of covid-19 pandemic outbreak. This year (2020) will mark 10years since its inception in 2011, However, organizers have however changed the festival activities to put resources towards supporting the establishment and construction of the Kutubu Foe Cultural Resource Centre this year in Daga Village, Pimaga. Organizer of the festival Ms. Saina Jeffrey Philyara said, ‘’After discussions with PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, it was wise for the festival steering team to have made a decision not to go ahead with the festival this year as usual but focused more towards the construction of our long term goal of establishing a community based Kutubu Foe Cultural Resource Centre in Daga village.’’ ‘’Since the inception of the festival in 2011 through the Kutubu Foe Culture Society, establishment of the Cultural Resource Cen

  A SHIFT IN MINDSET ''It is has been a really good experience these couple of days, just been involved in this radio drama an initiative of our development partner Media Development Initiative. ''I learned quite a lot, coming from a background of Communication but in the field of engineering (Communications in the technical sense).'' George Mageto (left) with young Beverlyn Divaki and Rona Aigilo putting their voice on the play ''Grace''. ''I'm thankful that I have been asked to put couple of voices to the scripts written by our talented writers from West New Britain.'' ''The issues that were covered in the scripts, highlighted all the things that are happening right now. The very issues, we face day in day out. From child abuse, alcohol abuse, arm holdups, gender-based violence, and many more.'' ''About time we start talking about them, and the approach the writers are talking about speaks a

East New Britain province boasts of its tourism industry and its thriving cash crop economy. But all these came to a standstill after the first case of covid 19 was reported in the province. And like any other province, it shut its doors to the rest of the country to deal with the local transmission and the two positive cases that were reported. The bustling commercial hub of the New Guinea Islands came to a halt, causing fear and anxiety among its citizens. All business houses closed their doors except for essential service providers. SOE Controller and Provincial Administrator of ENB Wilson Matava. State of Emergency Controller and Provincial administrator Wilson Matava said it was not easy to go into lockdown. ’’When you lockdown services, stop transportation, food, and medical supply, this is something else. This situation caused fear and it was something we couldn’t control. our people were not ready for the lockdown and it was a huge challenge. We quickly learned from the f

An Experience shared by Sinivar Kasimani, Senior Producer, NBCTV  When I was first told I will be travelling to the Eastern Highlands Province, for the ABC Media Development Initiative Project, “Road to Recovery,” the first thought that went through my mind was, “These highlanders are rogue and rough.” I panicked. You know the typical stereotype of Papua New Guineans that all highlanders are same…                                      Sinivar Kasimani and NBCEHP Broadcast Officer Cecelia Woito This was also my first time to the highlands region and as a coastal woman, I was scared yet excited. My partner, being to the highlands region quite a couple of times assured me not all highlanders are same, but you would know as a first timer; it still did not go down well with me. Like yes I have many friends from the highlands region, but this was going to be my first time to meet people from the rural areas. It will be a different scenario. On the day we flew, I was anxious. I tried to sleep

Kids enjoying themselves near Omo Village - Kikori. ‘’The Kikori River is one of my favourite places in PNG. At almost 230km long, it stretches over 23,300 km2 through the western part of Gulf Province in Papua New Guinea, forming a magnificent delta that reaches down to the Gulf of Papua. It is intensely remote, with dense mangrove forests lining the interweaving waterways, and small villages appearing along the river banks,’’ says Yolarnie Amepou, a young biologist who is currently heading the Piku Biodiversity Network in the Western end of Gulf province. A common sight along the river bank - Kikori. ‘’The villagers live predominantly off fish and sago, banana, and are complemented by sweet potatoes, cassava among other vegetables. The people here live humble lives, their stilted wooden huts line the river banks and their dugout canoes paddle softly along the water. There is certainly magic in these waters, a calmness, a soothing, and it is without a doubt one of the most b

Talasea District is currently the biggest and perhaps the largest in the country having more than 185,000 people within a land mass of approximately 7,708 square kilometres including three island communities of Bali, Vitu Island in the Bali/Vitu LLG and the Lolobou island in the East Nakanani Local Level Government. Governor Francis Maneke and Member for Talasea.   Talasea District is the home of Oil Palm in West New Britain Province. Oil Palm has been in the district for more than 42 years and currently this cash crop occupies more than 80% of the land mass of the district. Oil Palm has brought about many changes to the communities especially road infrastructure and other community service programs. During the officially launching of the District Plan and Cocoa Resource Centre in Kapore, Governor Francis Galia Maneke acknowledged the support of the Oil Palm developers.  ‘’ I want to acknowledge New Britain Palm Oil Limited and Hargy Oil Palm limited for their part in de

In the early days of radio broadcasting in Papua New Guinea, dramas topped entertainment on air. Those were exciting times of nation-building with the then National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) leading the production of radio dramas out of the capital Port Moresby. Papua New Guineas’ rich oral culture originating from over 800 language groups place them among the most unique people in the world when it comes to passing on information. Traditional media including the slit gongs, hollowed drums, and conch shells now find their place in cultural performances more than a medium for passing on information. But storytelling remains constant in the ways it uses songs, chants, dance and art inspired by the environment, the elements, spirituality and lived experiences. Storytelling has changed a little though. People have become savvy at operating modern-day media having bare minimal support infrastructure for most of the gadgets. While not completely abandoning traditional mediums, th

Construction accounts for almost 9% of Papua New Guinea’s GDP (2007). The government is taking the lead on stimulating construction in the country, with an emphasis on industrial development. It provides employment opportunities for a considerable number of Papua New Guinean men, women and with companies drawing their workforce from communities close to the project sites etc. many Papua New Guineans will at some point in their lives find casual employment in the construction industry. However in this industry, most employment opportunities are short term and very few Papua New Guineans build a career in construction. In the industrial hub of our country, a young Papua New Guinean has taken a bold step to venture into this vast, technical, yet challenging industry. Adam Steven Orong hails from New Ireland and Madang parentage, Lae brought up and is an adamant, strong willed young man that has beat all odds to venture into the world of construction. Adam inside one of the Modular Cont

Hailing from Porebada village is 95-year-old Lahui Arua Tarupa the oldest renowned ceramic artist and instructor perhaps in the Motuan society. She carries on the age old tradition of women potters; Born in this coastal fishing village, in 1924, like any other Motuan woman growing up, it was customary that she learn the skills, art and technics of Pottery making from her mother and grandmother as well as the rituals surrounding this art of making pottery. Women Working on the clay. Almost a century today she and her children, her nieces and other relatives are clinging on that dying tradition by a thin thread to continue the legacy as acclaimed potters her people from that era have left behind. In history, the maiden Hiri voyage on a Lakatoi is said to have sailed out of Boera Village to Gulf, thus the Hiri Trade commonly known to many, formed an important part of the culture of trade by the Motuan and Gulf people. Travelling the harsh weather conditions to trade surpluses of clay po