THE people of West New Britain are preparing to expose and display their true Pasin West Culture to the Nation and World their unique and sacred rituals when they converged for the West New Britain Provincial Tavur.
With the initiatives taken by the Division of Culture and Tourism supported by the West New Britain Provincial Government and Administration under the leadership of Governor Sasindran Muthuvel in consultation with the National Cultural Commission (NCC) and Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA), West New Britain Province is privileged to be given the opportunity to showcase their unique and diverse culture comes November 14th-18th, 2022, by hosting the festival.
The revival is spearheaded by Culture and Tourism Division of the West New Britain Provincial administration which will now be planning and staging lead up events and coordinating festival awareness at the local level government level in preparation for the West New Britain Provincial Tavur festival.
With the theme “take back West New Britain through Arts and Culture”, the West New Britain Provincial Tavur Show 2022, is set to be a biannual show which brings together all districts and local level governments (LLGs) cultural events to be displayed during the festival. All other respective 21 provinces will be given the opportunity to participate in the biannual festival.
This will now expose, develop and promote West New Britain cultures. It will also be recognized as a Provincial biannual event in the National Cultural Commission events calendar.
Officiating at the event will be the Minister for Tourism, Art and Culture, Isi Henry Leonard, National Cultural Commission Executive Director Steven Enomb Kilanda, West New Britain Provincial Governor Sasindran Muthuvel, Minister for Oil Palm, Nakanai MP Francis Galia Maneke and Acting deputy Provincial administrator Economic Services and Tavur Show Chairman Harold Rawei.
Tavur Festival is West New Britain’s Cultural event that was first held in 2004. It was sanctioned by the Provincial Cultural events however, it remained dormant since. Hence, the revival of West New Britain Provincial Tavur festival will see unique traditional singsings, cultural exhibits, initiation ceremonies, sacred dancers and many more of the indigenous people of West New Britain.
The event will also showcase arts and crafts, contemporary music and special appearance from interested groups around the country. The festival will include seven major indigenous tribes including settlers representing the 21 provinces of Papua New Guinea. It will be a five-day event fill with excitement and fun and for those that are new to attend the festival will be greeted and feel the thru pasin west culture.
The name “Tavur” refers to the cone shells which were used by the people of West New Britain as a medium to communicate with the different tribes. Tavur has become the icon or the insignia of West New Britain province because of its commonness, significance and value to the people.
