Mt Hagen Cultural Show

Mt Hagen Cultural Show, or widely known as "Hagen Show" was held over the last weekend.

Colourful tribes got together and competed each other to be the best cultural groups.

There were lots of Tourists from around the world came to see the annual festival.

Photo - A male dancer is busy painting his face before the performance.

Between the Tradition and Development

The city of Port Moresby is changing very fast. Lots of New Hotels, Apartment Houses, Shopping Centres and Office Buildings are being built under the name of Development.
Here you can see the new Harbor City Development site, with new ANZ bank headquarter, New Executive Apartment and land reclamation site for further construction.
Right at back of it is Hanuabada village of Motuan people; life not much changed for hundreds of years since they have built the village on the water after migrating from other pacific islands.
It is a clear contrast of tradition and Development facing each other.
Everybody wishes for a comfortable modern life but if you believe in development and chase for it, you will lose your identity forever. Papua New Guinea is one of the last countries in the world which still keeps its own identity but it may have gone very soon....
Nobody knows where this country is heading for.

Miss PNG Contest

Miss PNG Crowning Night was held over the last weekend in Port Moresby.

The Event is organized by the Red-Cross Society and thus the charity side of the event is more emphasized than ordinary beauty contests.

The traditional part is unique for Papua New Guinea; each contestant dressed up in their tribal costume and being asked about the knowledge of their indigenous culture.

The Title of 2010 Miss PNG went to Ms James from New Ireland Province.

Unlike some other developed country, Miss PNG contest is still one of the biggest annual events of the country in Papua New Guinea.

National Mask Fetival 2010

16th National Mask Festival was held in Kokopo, East New Britain Province from 14-17JUL 2010. As usual, the event was opened up by the beat of Kundu Drum from the shore in the dawn by Tolai's Kinavai ceremony.

Lots of tourists visited the festival, including USA, Germany, French, Japan, Australia etc.. and enjoyed the indigenous mask culture of Papua New Guinea.

Body Paint

Body Paint is important for Traditional Dance in Papua New Guinea.
Different color is used in different cultures/tribes, such as Red, Brown, Yellow, Black, White etc....
Here in Madang, Body is painted with Red color before being decorated by leaves and feathers.

This is the secret of the red color. The fruit is smashed and red juice inside is used to paint the body, then rub the oil to make the body shiny.

Baby boy was looking at how elders are being painted and he started painting himself.
Yes, I am also a boy and need to dress up !!

German vs England

World Cup match between German and England on Sunday ended with historical win for Germans and left a question about introducing the Video Referee. Video ref does not deny the human referee but helps to make a fair decision in a crucial moment, and it has proven very helpful in Rugby. FIFA should seriously consider it.
However, even the goal was admitted, the score would have been 2-4, so Capello should accept the defeat. - Simply Germany was too good for England this time.

Papua New Guinea was colonized by UK & Germans in November 1884 and for us, the game was between former colonial masters. Although Germans officially withdrew after World War 1 defeat, we have lots of German remains, including names like Bismark Sea, Mt Wilhelm, New Hanover, Alexishafen, Finschhafen, to name a few.

Congratulations for Germany and keep going for the World Cup !!

Reef & Rainforest

Papua New Guinea is where Tropical Reforests meet with Coral Reefs.
Coral Reef is mother for all kinds of fish & marine life, while Reforest provides food & shelter for insects, birds, reptiles and mammals alike.

Local people are fishing on a dugout canoe, just enough for their family to eat for the day.
Very peaceful....
Due to the western influence, life is changing dramatically here but many people still live on the gift of "mother nature".