Papua New Guinea – Cultural Shows and Festivals for August and September

 Sepik River Crocodile Festival –

5^th August – 7^th August

Momase Region: East Sepik Province

The Sepik River Crocodile festival is a three-day cultural celebration that takes place annually in Ambunti, celebrating the ancient animal and its significance to the Sepik people. The river is one of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region and home to one of the largest populations of fresh and saltwater crocodile, and because of this the cultural and environmental celebration is supported by WWF.

Here, man and the crocodile share a special bond, with the crocodile seen as a symbol of manhood, strength and power. The festival includes live crocodile encounters, traditional dancing and colourful costumes. There are also visits to the sacred spirit houses where men undergo intensive initiation rituals where skin cutting is performed as a rite of passage, where men adorn scars resembling the skin of a crocodile proudly from shoulder to hip.

Bougainville Chocolate Festival –

7^th August – 8^th August

Islands Region: Autonomous Region of Bougainville

The annual Bougainville Chocolate Festival is a celebration of all things chocolate and will be taking place for its fourth year at Arawa, central Bougainville

Chocolatiers, cocoa farmers, industry representatives, and government officials will all be brought together for the event to sample the delicious chocolate made from Bougainville’s finest beans. The festival has been very successful in both increasing international exposure to Bougainville’s fine quality cocoa, and has also led to improvements in farming and processing techniques, and the quality and yield of beans by local farmers.

Enga Cultural Show –

9^th – 11^th August

Wabag: Enga Province

The Enga Cultural Show is staged annually over three days from Friday to Sunday on the second weekend in August, andis hosted in the provincial capital town of Wabag. Surrounded by majestic escarpments, breathtaking scenery and pristine Highlands, the Enga Cultural Show is one of the most authentic displays of ancient indigenous traditional cultures that you will find in PNG, and consists of traditional demonstrations of significant ancient rituals and displays of authentic arts and crafts.

Although thousands of people attend the event each year, only a handful of these are tourists and the show is still very “undiscovered”, meaning that visitors to the Enga Show can gain a special sense of intimacy from their experience and will be immersed in the proceedings whilst wandering and exploring the cultural event.

Paiya Mini Show –

Friday 16 August

Paiya Village: Western Highlands Province.

The Paiya Mini Show is one-day cultural event staged annually in Paiya Village, Western Highlands Province. The cultural groups participating include the Sili Muli of Enga, Asaro Mudmen of Eastern Highlands, the Huli from Hela, Skeleton Spirit Dancers from Simbu and various groups from the Western Highlands.

Visitors will also be invited to join in a traditional Highlands ‘mumu’ feast. Here guests can meet some of the wonderful locals who warmly welcome them into their celebrations.

Mt. Hagen Cultural Show –

17^th August – 18^th August

Highlands Region: Western Highlands Province

The Hagen show will be staged at the Kagamuga showground Mount Hagen Town in the Western Highlands Province, and is the most famous cultural show in Papua New guinea amongst locals and attracts performers from nearly 80 Highlands tribes.

The show’s purpose is to bring together sing-sing groups from all over the country to share cultural experiences with each other, calming the present tribal animosities by bringing all the tribes together in one cultural event to expose the positive side of life and celebrate diversity amongst the natives. The tribes dance, sing and perform wearing some of the world’s most beautiful, colourful and fascinating tribal ware. They also feast together over local music and display their unique arts and crafts throughout the showgrounds.   

Frangipani festival –

13^th – 16 September

Rabaul Town

The Frangipani Festival celebrates the rebirth of Rabaul after the 1994 twin volcanic eruptions that almost completely destroyed the Rabaul township. Named after the frangipani flower, the town’s signature bloom and the first plant to blossom in the midst of the ash, the festival brings together locals and former residents in the spirit of renewal and to strengthen the partnerships in rebuilding one of Papua New Guinea’s most beloved historical towns.

The streets of Rabaul come alive with noise and colour for an annual float parade, canoe races in the spectacular harbour, performances of the famous Baining fire dance, rock bands, and fireworks displays.

Goroka Show –

 13^th September – 15^th September

Highlands Region: Eastern Highlands Province

The Goroka Show is a significant cultural two-day event in the Highlands region of Papua New Guinea. It is the longest running annual cultural festival in PNG and draws thousands of tourists every year to join in the nation’s Independence Day celebrations. Over 100 tribes from all over PNG will participate in the event performing extraordinary ‘sing sings’ in a riotous display of movement, colour and sound.

The town comes alive for the event and the enthusiasm of the performers and spectators is truly electric, as local participants are decked out in unique costumes, glorious colours and stunning face paintings, and show off their distinct cultures with an undeniable passion.