BY JEREMIAH URRO
Occasions co-ordinator
The primary Bawana Gai andVawari Numa Competition was hosted by Gavuone group from November 28-30 final yr.
The three-day occasion was a celebration of tradition and custom. Members from all around the district flocked to Gavuone to showcase their music and dance, artefacts, and humanities and crafts.
The competition goals to;
– Revive dying cultures and traditions;
– Educate the present and future generations concerning the significance of their tradition and traditions; and
– Construct the ecotourism trade via tradition and traditions.
Bawana Gai is a double hulled, dug out, conventional canoe made completely of conventional supplies gathered and picked up from the bush.
These canoes vary from 22 to 30 ft lengthy, and had been initially used to move males in and across the lagoon space throughout tribal warfare from the mid 1800s up till the late 1900s.
The arrival of Christian missionaries within the late 1800s introduced with it lots of adjustments. These influenced using this canoe in some ways; from tribal warfare –– used solely by males –– to gardening –– with the inclusion of girls –– and so forth. Vawari Numa refers to huts constructed from conventional supplies.
The design of the huts are just like that of a barn home. From the posts to the flooring, partitions to the roof, all the supplies are collected from the bush.
These huts have sheltered households for generations previous to the introduction and use of western or trendy instruments and supplies by Christian missionaries.
The canoes and huts had been on show on the competition, together with conventional attires, meals, arts & crafts and a lot extra from throughout Abau.
The competition highlighted that ancestral data and expertise are steadily, if not, quickly fading and such festivals protect these data and expertise, and handed onto generations.
The competition is an initiative of Gavuone group and was made doable via the assist and help from the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Tradition Isi Henry Leonard, the Tourism Promotion Authority, the Nationwide Fisheries Authority andthe Nationwide Cultural Fee and native companies.
Company on the occasion included the MP Mr Leonard and Vice Chancellor for Unitech Dr Ora Renagi.
Mr Leonard inspired the individuals to embrace tourism instead revenue producing exercise.
He urged the younger individuals to worth their identification and tradition to drive the tourism trade ahead.
A analysis staff from PNGTPA shall be assigned to conduct a feasibility research at Gavuone and close by communities on the tourism potential and alternatives within the space.
Mr Leonard pledged K150,000 in assist in direction of the occasion.
Prof Renagi, whereas reflecting on his childhood rising up within the village, urged younger individuals within the village to exhibit ardour, pleasure and take possession of their tradition and custom.
This yr, greater than 21 cultural teams from completely different components of Abau District participated within the competition.
