By JOE GURINA Â
THE Hiri Moale Festival held two weekends ago in Port Moresby was like another weekend event that looked plain amidst the well sponsored event.
Despite receiving a record breaking of K1.2 million from 16 different sponsors, what transpired during the three-day celebration did not reflect the amount that was fetched to host the rich Papuan cultural event.
Former Deputy Chairman of Motu Koita Assembly (MKA) and ward councilor for Kirakira village, Arutu Bake on behalf of other aggrieved MKA members, said the event did not reflect the money fetched from sponsors.
He said the lesser number of villagers that took part in the festival reflected the lack of coordination and unity amongst the MKA and the Motu Koita villagers.
He revealed that in the lead up to the festival, there wasn’t any coordination amongst the MKA members and the chairman’s (Dadi Toka Junior) office.
He said the crowning of the Hiri Hanenamo came after a handful of cultural performances at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium and did not carry that much glamour and fireworks for the pinnacle of an event hosted with K1.2miilion.
He added that taking the festive away from its popular placements in September was a huge gamble for the organizers that sadly did not live up to expectation.
With the NCD Governor Powes Parkop pledging K800,000 for the festival’s 50 years golden Jubilee next year, he challenged the organizers for next year’s festival that taxpayers and sponsors have all the right to know where and how their funds are spent which is why the organizers have to do much, better than what had transpired.
The Hiri Moale Festival is one of a long list of cultural celebrations that showcases the unique traditions, cultures and way of life passed on from generations; in this case that one of the motu and koita people, alongside their Gulf trading partners.
The festival itself holds a special place in history being established in 1974 and has been celebrated every year to honor the great seafaring traditions of the two peoples.
