By ORCHY REX
GOVERNOR for Central Province, Hon. Rufina Peter, officially launched the Goilala and Hiri-Koiari Custom Recording Program at Tuna Bay Resort in Taurama today. The initiative, spearheaded by the Constitution and Law Reform Commission (CLRC), aims to document and preserve traditional customs for future generations.
Present at the event were CLRC Chairman and Member for Okapa, Hon. Saki Soloma, and CLRC Secretary, Dr. Mange Matui, who emphasized the constitutional importance of custom recording. The CLRC is a regulatory body that oversees such operations under its mandate to review and document customs and traditions across Papua New Guinea.
Governor Peter, in her keynote address, expressed gratitude to the CLRC team and also acknowledged the government’s commitment to safeguarding traditional knowledge.
“Culture plays such an important role for us and gives us our identity wherever we go,” she said.
“If you go to Australia or Africa, you will see that the Aboriginal people and Africans are black, but you are not the same because your culture gives you your identity.”
She stressed that without proper documentation, many customs could be lost in the next 20 to 30 years as the elderly who hold this knowledge pass on.
As part of the program, chiefs and local leaders from Goilala and Hiri-Koiari were brought into Port Moresby to witness the opening of Central Province Custom Recording Program.
They have provided oral accounts of various customs, including marriage traditions, trade practices, compensation rituals, initiation ceremonies, and other socio-cultural practices unique to their communities.
Dr. Mange Matui outlined CLRC’s 10-year Strategic Plan (2021-2031), which includes recording customary laws in every province.
“Custom recording is part of the underlying law that we are working on right now,” Dr. Matui stated.
“Our plan is to visit each province every year and record their customs, with the support of the government, which funds us annually.”
He added that once recorded, these customs will be made accessible online, allowing Papua New Guineans to learn about their traditional laws and practices through the CLRC’s official website.
“With Central Province now part of the program, Jiwaka Province is next in line for custom recording,” he said.
The initiative is in line with Section 9 of the Papua New Guinea Constitution, which recognizes custom as part of the underlying law of the country. The Underlying Law Act 2000 mandates the development of indigenous jurisprudence, ensuring customary laws are documented, preserved, and incorporated into the legal framework where applicable.
With modernization rapidly influencing traditional ways of life, CLRC’s mission is crucial in preserving Papua New Guinea’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.
Governor Peter commended the efforts of CLRC and urged the people of Central Province to take pride in their cultural identity, ensuring it remains intact for generations to come.
