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| 6th Riwo wogabau launched for the Provincial Events Committee |
More than 1000 Riwo villagers and onlookers jubilantly celebrated the launching of their 6th balangut or wogabau at Riwo village on Saturday, September 06, 2025.
The balangut or wogabau was
officially launched by Mr. Siegfried Beschel, chairman of the Madang provincial
government’s Events Committee.
The occasion marks the official
presentation of the 15.5 meters in length Riwo wogabau or balangut to the
Provincial Events Committee to be used for the purpose of celebrating the 50th
Independence Anniversary.
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| The 15.5 meters long wogabau being launched. |
Mr. Beschel informed Riwo villagers that the theme for Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) golden jubilee or the 50th Independence Anniversary is to celebrate history and inspire the future generations.
He added that the amount of money
spent to construct the wogabau or balangut is no way near the actual cost for the
sailing canoe.
He further thanked the carvers,
and the villagers and urged the younger generations of Riwo to uphold,
maintain, restore, and sustain their traditions and customary practices.
He stressed that by keeping the
traditional cultures Riwo villagers will continue to preserve and promote with
pride their identity, integrity, and dignity amongst the more than 1000 unique
and diverse tribes of people in PNG.
Mr. Beshel said the Riwo traders will
meet the Bilbil traders on their balangut respectively in a mock traditional
barter system to be staged at Tusbab seafront during the 50th
Independence Anniversary’s celebrations on Saturday, September 12. The other independence activities will
continue until September 17.
The wogabau or balangut was named
‘Dibor Pain’, or ‘Dibor Meri’, Dibor Lady in respect for the Kimadi clan at Dibor
for using a tree and other materials from their tropical virgin forest to build
the sailing canoe.
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| Ngas Gubab leading traditional songs at the launching of the wogabau |
It symbolizes a mutual respect and strengthens ties between the wogabau builders for and on behalf of the Riwo villagers and these two indigenous tribal communities.
Dibor is situated about 100 km
northwest from Madang town, in Murukanam village of Ward 3 in the Sumgilbar
Local Level Government area of Sumkar District.
According to common knowledge,
the first balangut or wogabau was left at Bilbil village after the Riwo
villagers couldn’t sail it from Rai Coast all the way to Riwo. The sailors then walked home from Bilbil
village.
This story is disputed by certain
key village elders. They said, the
wogabau or balangut was actually presented to Bilbil villagers by the sailors
before they walked back to Riwo.
The second wogabau or balangut
was built by late Philip Bilas (Bilahai) Slubak or Zubak, the father of late
Sir Angmai Bilas from Malapau clan. He
named his wogabau ‘Silalai’.
The third wogabau or balangut
according to Mrs. Minai Kenas, the daughter of late Philip Bilas Slubak, was
owned by late Paul Kubulan and family.
It was built by her dad, for Wosmai Kubulan, a cousin sister of the
builder and was named AnnieRose after a daughter of late Mr. Kubulan.
Both Silalai and AnnieRose were used by the Catholic faithfuls in Riwo for their Korpus Kristi’s processions.
The fourth balangut or wogabau
was built by late Philip Bos Tamen, a nephew of late Slubak. It was purchased by Mrs. Dianne Christensen
and Little John, former owners of Jais Aben.
This balangut or wogabau was shipped to Darwin. Late Mr. Bos was flown to Darwin to fit the
rest of the parts for the wogabau or balangut.
It is now kept at the Darwin museum in Australia.
The fifth balangut or wogabau was
sponsored by Mr. Udd Kassas, from Riwo.
Mr. Kassas is a successful local businessman. It was used by the Madang Archdiocese during
the procession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the lagoon and for transporting
Archbishop Anton Bal to Saidor Parish in Rai Coast District and back to Riwo
after dropping off the Archbishop.
The Catholic parishioners in Riwo
recall with fond memories of late Br. Vinantius SVD, and of his brass band
performing on Silalai and AnnieRose during their Korpus Kristi’s processions.
The launching of the 6th
wogabau or balangut will be used by the Provincial Events Committee in the 50th
Independence Anniversary.
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| (R-L)Delilah, Cathy, a friend and Maria witnessing the launching of the wogabau. |
According to Mr. Bonny Duad, the lead wogabau or balangut builder, certain rituals are performed in the construction phases of the sailing canoe. To strictly adhere to this sacred rituals and processes and protocol takes time.
“Once the wogabau or balangut is completed a pig or
more are cooked with vegetables and garden food and distributed equitably and
equally to those responsible for the construction of the canoe. After the feast, the wogabau or balangut is
launched and ready for its maiden trading voyages. This feast is accompanied with kava or ‘gigek’,”
said Mr. Duad.
Mr. Bonny Duad is the grandson of late Mr. Bilas’s
younger brother, late Peter Duad.
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| Jacinta Obou joining the traditional singing at the launching of the wogabau. |
Wogabau or balangut in Riwo remains the intellectual property of Malapau clan.
The process of building a canoe or wogabau is a
lengthy process. Once the trees are cut
in the forest, the logs are stored under a shelter or house to dry before being
carved into a canoe.
Unfortunately, this step and other steps and sacred
rituals were not followed to build this recent wogabau or balangut as the
timeframe given by the Provincial Events Council was too short to meet the
deadline.
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| Mothers and children witnessing the launching of the wogabau. |
On the occasion of the launching of this wogabau or balangut, the Madang town mayor arrived late. Both the Madang Governor Hon. Ramsey Pariwa, and the Acting Madang Administrator, Mr. Daniel Aloi were excused as they had attended an urgent special meeting for the provincial government.
Story and pictures by Wenceslaus Magun
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