Mt Hagen, Western Highlands — More than 60 cultural leaders in Western Highlands Province have received the National Cultural Commission’s (NCC) first-ever training on authentic and original cultural content.
The one-day workshop, held on Friday, August 8 in Mt Hagen, was delivered by NCC’s Cultural Services Development Branch and aimed at helping custodians, practitioners, event organizers, and cultural center executives differentiate authentic traditional culture from modern and contemporary influences.
Western Highlands Provincial Commerce, Culture and Tourism Executive Manager Richard Lazarus, speaking on behalf of Governor Wai Rapa and Provincial Administrator Joseph Mangbil, officially opened the training. He urged participants to embrace the program, calling it timely as the Mt Hagen Cultural Show kicks off this week.
Cultural Service Development Manager Bola Noho, representing NCC Executive Director Steven Kilanda, led the training and highlighted the importance of preserving authenticity in traditional culture. He noted that modern substitutes, such as PVC pipes for kundu drums or nylon and rice bags for costumes are overshadowing genuine practices.
“This training will help owners, custodians, and performers identify and preserve authentic and original traditions, rather than mixing them with modern materials and influences,” Mr. Noho said.
He added that Western Highlands was chosen as the pilot province because of its strong cultural heritage and the staging of the annual Mt Hagen Cultural Show. NCC plans to roll out similar programs across other provinces and major national festivals in the coming months.
Mr. Noho also appealed to provincial administrations nationwide to partner with NCC in supporting the preservation of Papua New Guinea’s authentic cultural identity.