Festival to preserve Pacific culture
Naomi Fail Simet; 13/4/08
Each year the United Nations selects themes to address pressing global issues as a means to draw attention for local and international actions. The United Nations through UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) have declared 2008 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Indigenous languages contribute to Papua New Guinea’s diverse intangible cultural heritage. Currently there are over 850 languages found in PNG belonging to different cultural groups. Language is the essence for cultural identity and expression. It is a vehicle for transmitting traditional knowledge. When a particular language is lost there is no way of retrieving it unless the language is learnt and passed on through generations. Language is an element of its own but is also a property of a cultural performance and other related ceremonial activities. Many traditional songs and dances performed in PNG consist of lyrics which are sung in local vernacular.
See: http://www.thenational.com.pg/041408/wkender3.htm
Tags: Indigenous Languages, PNG, UN