When we were planning this trip, we asked our accommodation in Kavieng if there were any celebrations coming up. We were told that it was New Ireland Day on the 27th of July. It sounded interesting so we juggled our bookings around and came here in time for the special day. We're so glad we did! An added bonus is that the festival ran for two days, not one. Because we had cancelled our bike trip, we now had extra time so this was perfect.
Typical of a third-world country, it wasn't easy to get information about what was happening. We heard that the festival would be opening with a special traditional dance down at the foreshore. We got told a number of different times that this might be happening and we got there just as it finished! We returned to our accommodation and found that someone had got a copy of a programme. Noxie copied this for us and then we were set. Together with the English girls, we set off for the showgrounds.
We were greeted by the sight of hundreds of blue and yellow New Ireland flags fluttering over the grounds. Stalls made from palm leaves lined the area and a huge stand was set up where the dignitaries sat. The current Governor, Sir Julius Chan, was there and the speeches went on and on. John and I left the locals to listen and we wandered around. It was very hot and we took shelter under the roof of a stand. Inside a mother was getting her kids ready for the under 8 Miss and Mr New Ireland competition. Kids dressed up the local costumes of their area. These kids looked amazing!
Some people wore dresses made in the colours of the New Ireland flag. Mining influences so many things around here. This lady wore her matching Newcrest Mining bag with her New Ireland dress.
A succession of songs and dances occurred in front of the dignitaries' stand, but it was too crowded to see anything there. We got much closer when we watched groups get ready to perform. Some of them started their performance as they approached the stand anyway. Groups dressed in traditional clothing performed a variety of songs and dances. This group performed the shark dance. (Note the plastic sharks on the grass skirts!)
I'm trying to only post short videos here as this chews up our limited data!
Another group was from a particular small island near here. First they demonstrated their drumming. The drumming is used as a form of messaging. One certain rythym means that visitors are coming. Another one means "get the pig ready to eat". The drum was a hollowed out tree trunk with a slot along the top and they used a very unusual action to beat the drum. It looked like hard work in the hot sun!
Check out how expressive the drummer on the right of the screen is.
Seeking some shade, we hung out in the local phone company stand for a while. We figured we had spent enough money with them on my sim card to justify it! We got talking to the owner and his family. His little boy looked gorgeous with his face painted like the New Ireland flag.
We were right beside where the Miss and Mr New Ireland competitors were waiting. We never saw them being judged but it was great just to see the variety of costumes from different parts of New Ireland.
This boy was supposed to be something scary. He had long fingernails made out of bamboo.....
...and a scary mask.
We had a break from the heat then went back later to watch the string bands. Unfortunately, they only had one microphone and we couldn't really hear the songs. We went home for dinner (which was an amazing buffet every night of a huge array of dishes including lobsters, crabs and whole fish) then headed out to watch the fireworks which were supposed to start at 7pm.
Many local people stayed at our lodge and we met Albert there. He was a magistrate. He was incredibly polite - he'd say thank-you on the end of almost every sentence! We decided to go down to the foreshore to watch the fireworks together. Nicky, the driver, took us and Joyce, one of the cooks, came too. We hung out on the foreshore for half an hour or so. We could see the fireworks being set up but it was obvious they weren't ready so we headed to a nearby bar on the beach. Nicky was working so he headed back while Joyce and Albert sipped soft drinks with us. I think liquor is frowned upon here.
Anyway, a bit over an hour late, the fireworks started. It was all good fun and it was nice to have a night out with locals.
The next day we headed back to the showgrounds again for day two of the festival. John loved this group the best - they had a yellow sash just like his beloved Richmond football team who would be playing that afternoon.
The English girls have been here for two weeks and are getting to know people. This was one of their friends.
Later in the day, Bethany and Aruni had their faces painted.
The highlight of the two days has to be the greasy pole competition. Overnight, a tall pole had been erected. We watched as they brought out two new tins of grease and slathered it over the pole.
Prizes were tied to the top and cash was stuck to the grease below the prizes.
Then the fun began. From what we could gather, the rules were that a number of fit, strong, athletic young men fought each other to get to the top first. If you got high enough to get the cash stuck to the pole, you kept it. If you could pull a prize or two from the top, you kept them. But once someone actually made it all the way to the top, that person got the lot. The results were hysterically funny, a bit dangerous and highly entertaining.
The men tried using ropes, jumpers, sacks, anything that might help them grip. It wasn't until I saw this video that I realised one of them even tried barbed wire!
Whenever someone got a bit further up the pole, they would wipe the grease off, flicking it all over the crowd below!
Ocassionally, a couple of people seemed to work together. I suspect that there was more working together than we could see because someone had to be boosting people up from the ground. We couldn't see this past the crowd. A boy appeared at one stage. He was helped up and he finally reached the lowest cash.
Finally, after about 4 hours, a man finally made it. With his t-shirt ripped and greasy, he waved a New Ireland flag proudly from the top. He won everything that was up there. What a great spectacle!
The transportation of pigs was the only cruel thing we have seen so far in PNG. The pigs are tied by their feet to a pole. There was a big processon of dancers at one stage and they were led by a huge pig being carried on a pole. I decided not to put this photo in here.
We never quite understood what this guy was about. He was on his own and dressed very differently to other performers.
These ladies did a more vigorous dance than most, which was challenging seeing most of them wore no bra!
All in all it was the most amazing two days. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I only saw a few non-locals there. Later, we will be visiting the Highlands where shows like this are big business. I think they'll be visually more exciting but we'll see more tourists than locals there I suspect. The New Ireland Day celebrations were genuine and were really something special. We are very lucky to have witnessed them.
Bae-bae,
Heather and John
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