By DALCY LULUA in Popondetta
THE 4th Popondetta Arts and Music Festival is underway at the Independence Oval in Popondetta, bringing together musicians, artists, cultural groups and communities for three days of music, art and cultural celebration.
The festival is also being held as part of Popondetta District’s early celebrations towards Papua New Guinea’s 51st Independence anniversary, with the district believed to be the first in the country to begin its independence festivities.
The festival is funded by the Popondetta District Development Authority (DDA) under Minister for Administrative Matters and Popondetta MP Hon. Richard Masere, with support from the National Cultural Commission (NCC), the Oro Provincial Government and other business houses in the province.
Popondetta District Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Kamani said the festival was more than entertainment, describing it as a celebration of the identity, history and spirit of Oro Province.
“Over the next three days, we have everyone coming together as one people and one family to display the art of music, contemporary Oro Kaiva music, with our brothers and sisters from outside Popondetta and the Pacific who have come to showcase culture and tradition,” Kamani said.
“This is not just a festival. This is Oro Province breathing, this is Oro Province dancing, and this is Oro Province telling its story to Papua New Guinea and to the outside world.”
Kamani said Popondetta would effectively become the arts and culture capital of the country during the three-day event.
He said arts and music remained an important part of Oro’s cultural identity, particularly at a time when communities were facing rapid social and technological change.
“In Oro, we know the answer. Arts and music are not just entertainment; they are who we are,” he said.
Kamani said traditional songs, dances, carvings, paintings, bilas and weaving had historically been used by Oro people to preserve their history, identity and traditions.
“When the Oro Kaiva people dance the Yei, you are seeing stories of war, of peace, of marriage and of harvest,” he said.
“When Binandere sing, you are hearing the rivers, the mountains and the sea. When our women weave a bilum, each pattern is a traditional map, a prayer and a family line.”
He described arts and music as Oro’s “library, newspaper, religion and classroom”, saying they remained an anchor for communities in a rapidly changing world.
“If we lose our music and dance, we lose our strength. If we lose our art, we lose our soul. And this is why the Popondetta Arts and Music Festival matters,” Kamani said.
He also drew parallels between the festival and the spirit of the Kokoda Track, saying the historic track represented courage, sacrifice and the importance of people walking together.
He said artists and musicians from different villages and communities had gathered to share their stories and culture through music and art, while also using the festival as an opportunity to promote unity and healing.
The festival program features performances by local musicians and bands, arts and crafts, traditional food, storytelling sessions with elders and youth talent shows.
The opening day got off to a strong start, with five local string bands performing three songs each, while local production studios including 51 Production, MadOne and Shady Three took to the stage.
Local stage bands also entertained the crowd with popular cover songs.
The return of well-known local groups, including Sanke Beans and Tomatoes and Hau Mates, generated some of the biggest crowd reactions of the opening day, with many locals welcoming the opportunity to hear songs that were popular in previous years.
The performances have set the tone for the festival’s major closing program, which will feature visiting artists including Saugas Band, Anslom, McDonald Taylor and Sean Rii and his band.
The festival will conclude with a grand finale bringing the participating groups together for a unity song celebrating the people of Popondetta and Oro Province.
The closing celebrations will also feature a 14-minute non-stop fireworks display by Lamana Fireworks.
Mr Kamani said the festival provided an important platform for preserving Oro’s cultural heritage while inspiring the next generation.
“Art and music is not something in a museum. It is alive and it is what we do today,” Kamani said.
“When you play a local tune today, you are keeping our ancestors alive. When you sing a song today, you are speaking to the next generation. When you create art today, you are building the future of Oro.”
He urged the people of Popondetta and Oro Province to celebrate their culture with pride and unity.
“Let us celebrate, let us be proud, and let us be one people of Popondetta District and Oro,” he said.