University students preserve cultural identity on cultural dayBy Esther Haro

[aussie]

The rhythmic beating of the kundu (drum made of wood and lizard skin) and bamboos, the blowing of conch shells and the high singsong voices that accompanied these instruments could be heard miles away.

There was no one song that was sang in the same way. There was no one particular dance step that everyone performed.

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Instead the way the dancers were dressed, the different beats, rhythm and sounds of the traditional musical instruments all signified the various culture that make up Papua New Guinea.

Despite the heat of the sun, colourful grass skirts swayed hypnotically to the beat of the kundu (drum) and the bamboo.

Dancers adorned with shells, headdresses and leaves sang songs of old and performed various dance patterns that recalled a particular event or story of their ancestors. Their bodies glistening with oil and traditional body paint.

The Divine Word University Cultural day which was held recently featured singsing groups from Morobe, Madang, Sepik, New Ireland, East New Britain, West New Britain, Southern Highlands and Western Highlands provinces.

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On other days the students dressed in their normal clothes and attended lecturers but on that day, they set it aside for the celebration of culture.
Despite the fact that only nine groups out of 20 participated this year, show goers in Madang and tourists still got their money’s worth.

The Divine Word University in Madang holds a cultural day each year towards the end of August or during the first week of September.

This year the nine groups had one to two weeks to prepare their costumes; to learn traditional songs off by heart and to dance in time to the traditional musical instruments.

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President of Divine Word University, Fr Jan Czuba said the aim of staging a cultural day was to enable the students to preserve their culture.

He has on many occasions stated that in a changing world, it was now more important than ever that students did not forsake their culture and let it die out.

He said that in staging cultural days, students remember their roots and pay homage to their ancestors.

After the performance of all the dancing groups, basket exchange took place.

This was the first time where the university has done a basket exchange where the different cultural groups exchange gifts with one another.

Through the basket exchange, the groups paid respect to another group’s culture.

The university is now planing to stage a bigger and better Cultural Day next year.

Ends…..//

[rosewurster]

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[luuik29]

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