KUTUBU KUNDU AND DIGASO FESTIVAL FOCUSES ON CULTURAL RESOURCE CENTRE

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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 Centre has been one of our key goals. And now, after 9 years of hosting the events and now towards our 10th event, by considering the nature of the corona virus crisis the situation has created an opportunity for us to refocus and change our festival activities into establishing the resource centre which will benefit the community and people of Kutubu at large.’’

With the theme, “Kalsa em i wanem?” (What is Culture?) the festival calls for all Kutubu communities, leaders, and sponsors to support the establishment and construction of the indigenous Kutubu Foe Cultural Resource Centre for the communities as part of the cultural heritage preservation for future generations. The resource centre will be the center of the communities’ cultural resource management, development, and education for the upcoming young generations.

Young Daga boys, taking a breather after a performance in front of their long haus.

‘’The resource centre will be creating opportunities for the people to learn and know about the Kutubu languages, stories behind their different singsings, costumes, arts, crafts, kundu drums, face paintings, long houses, women’s houses and translation of these knowledge to pidgin and English. This project targets the youths and children who are the future generations to uphold their cultural heritage into the future.’’

‘’We thank you for your understanding at these difficult times and we would like our sponsors, leaders, partners, and each one for supporting Kutubu Kundu and Digaso Festival through it all. We wish for you to continue supporting us this year to make a difference during the corona virus crisis, said Ms. Philyara’’.



Daga boys awaiting their turn to be called into the dancing arena.

END!!

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