Melanesia Culture Festival (voiceofmelanesia.com)
Jayapura, 18/6 (Jubi) – The Provincial Government of Papua has confirmed its participation in the 5th Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture that will be held from 28 June to 11 July in the Kokopo Beach, Pomio Regency of East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea.
The provincial governments of West Papua, Maluku and Nusa Tenggara Timur will also represented in the festival.
“The Delegation of Papua Province is ready to go. We keep our coordination with the local committee, the Indonesian Embassy in PNG as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta,” the Head of the Border and International Cooperation Body of Papua Province, Suzan Wanggai said in Jayapura on Wednesday (18/6).
She further said Papua would be a guest of honor at the opening ceremony. For the festival, Papua has prepared two dance teams from Jayapura and Keerom regencies and would also promote local commodities such as “Buah Merah (Pandanus,Sp) and Papua Batik”.
“So the participation of Papua in the Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture is more like a cultural partnership, and how to develop good partnership in the future. During the time we has had a partnership with PNG, and now we want taking the opportunity to work with Fiji, Solomon, Vanuatu and New Caledonia because we come from the same root as Melanesian,” she said.
The Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe and some officials has also been confirmed to attend the festival, she added.
“It would be a great moment for the regents to come and see this event, so for the next four years we could send our teams as much as possible. The Provincial of NTT has confirmed to send 15 people, but we still wait the confirmation from Maluku and West Papua,” she said.
The 5th Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture would be held in next July at Kokopo Beach, Pomio Regency of East New Britain Province, but the festival committee has set up their well preparation welcoming the participants from the Melanesian Culture Brotherhood in the South Pacific.
The Head Advisor Committee of Melanesian Festival of Arts and National Mask and Warwagira Festival, John Robin said to Post Courier and quoted by tabloidjubi.com on Monday (19/5) said the festival would be opened with a ritual dance of Tumbuan Kinavai ceremony to welcome the officials and participants from all over the countries. The National Mask and Warwagira Festival would be held on 16 July at Kokopo Beach and would present the unique mask culture parade along the opening ceremony. (Jubi/Alex/rom)
