Acolourful calendar

Thousands of years in the making, the culture of Papua New Guinea is unique and untouched. Home to hundreds of tribes and thousands of different traditions, the country is bursting with cultural events, each more extraordinary than the last.

In the remote villages of PNG, visitors will find tribes that passionately maintain their traditions through art, initiations and ‘sing-sings.’ At singsings, tribes and villagers gather to demonstrate customary dance, music and traditional costume. Sing-sings provide the opportunity for visitors to witness tribal traditions in an explosion of colour and sound. There are regular sing-sings featured at cultural festivals held annually throughout the country. Here are some that are not to be missed.

NATIONAL MASK & WARWAGIRA FESTIVAL

The National Mask and Warwagira Festival began in 1995 to promote the mask cultures of Papua New Guinea. The traditional masks are inspired by tribal mythology and ancestral spirits. The National Mask and Warwagira Festival has evolved to showcase mostly the culture of East New Britain, particularly the Tolai, Baining and Pomio people. The Tolai people are the largest tribal group in the province, and the ‘tubuan’ and ‘duk-duk’ masks remain a potent part of Tolai culture. Strict ceremonies and rituals are observed, and shell money called ‘tabu’ is still highly valued and exchanged.

SEPIK RIVER CROCODILE & ARTS FESTIVAL

Crocodiles are an important part of the Sepik River cultural heritage, and symbolise strength, power and manhood. In the East Sepik Province, man and crocodile share a special bond built on reverence and fear. In fact, many men boast of scars cut into their skin from shoulder to hip during initiation, which resemble the back of a crocodile. The Sepik River Crocodile & Arts Festival is held annually in Ambunti. Communities living along the Sepik River come together to perform traditional dances and pay homage to the crocodile. The East Sepik Province is also renowned nationally for its master carvers and ar tisans.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Boats at the National Kenu and Kundu Festival; Performer from Milne Bay Province; Traditional dress at the Goroka Show; Performers at the Mount Hagen Cultural Show. Images: David Kirkland.

Mount Hagen Cultural Show

The Mount Hagen Cultural Show was first staged in 1961 by many different tribes from the Western Highlands Province. The purpose of the show was to share cultural experience and diffuse the ever-present tensions by bringing tribes together in one positive cultural event to celebrate the unique cultural diversity of the Highlands.

Goroka Show

The Eastern Highlands Cultural Show, known as the Goroka Show, is a significant event in the province and one of the most well-known tribal gatherings and cultural events in Papua New Guinea. Held annually in Goroka Town, the event draws more

Calendar Of Events

papuanewguinea.travel/cultural-events

MONTH EVENT LOCATION

July National Mask & Warwagira Festival Kokopo, East New Britain Province

August Sepik River Crocodile & Arts Festival Ambunti, East Sepik Province

August Enga Cultural Show

Wabag, Enga Province

August Tama Festival Autonomous Region of Bougainville

August Mount Hagen Cultural Show

Mount Hagen, Western Highlands Province

September Goroka Show Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province

September Fr angipani Festival Rabaul, East New Britain Province

September Kutubu Kundu & Digaso Festival

September Hiri Moale Festival

October Morobe Agricultural Show

L ake Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province

Port Moresby, National Capital District

L ae, Morobe Province

November National Kenu & Kundu Festival Alotau, Milne Bay Province

Enga Show

Staged in Wabag Town in the Enga Province, this Highlands festival celebrates the unique cultural heritage of the people of Enga. Enga is the only province in PNG where the people are known to speak one language. The province also has intriguing historical and cultural attractions such as the Take Anda Museum and Art Gallery, and the ancient Mulisos Yokonda Salt Ponds.

NATIONAL KENU & KUNDU FESTIVAL

than a hundred tribes and cultural groups from all over the Highlands to participate in sing-sings and riotous displays of colour and sound. At over 60 years old, it is the longest running annual cultural festival in PNG, bringing thousands of tourists to the country every September during the week of the nation’s Independence Day celebrations. It has been described as "one of the most colourful shows on Earth.”

One of the most exciting cultural celebrations is the National Kenu and Kundu Festival in Alotau. Boats (kenu) and drums (kundu) are the pillars of this event, as tribes from the 600-plus islands of Milne Bay Province come together to dance, sing, trade and, most importantly, race. The canoes and kundu drums widely used in Milne Bay culture are meticulously crafted from special woods under strict customs. Expect to see incredible dancing, canoe racing, traditional and contemporary arts, and plenty more at this festival. TA