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| A singsing group from 'wali country' celebrating PNG's 50th Independence history at Riwo. |
Riwo village in Ward 6, of North Ambenob Local Level Government (LLG) in Madang Province celebrated the 50th Independence celebrations in style on September 16, 2025.
The traditional and contemporary
dancers and singers mainly youths and young children, literally fulfilled this
year’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations’ theme; ‘Celebrate
history to inspire the future generations’.
The celebrations began with a
morning Mass celebrated by Fr. Patrick Gesch, SVD, at the Immaculate Conception
Catholic Church in Riwo village.
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| Madu Rockers Band from Kananam village performing at the Independence celebration. |
Fr. Gesch who celebrated PNG’s first independence celebrations in 1975 with his parishioners in Yangoru, East Sepik Province (ESP), emphasized the importance of reviving and sustaining sacred traditional cultures, creative arts, songs, and dances through inculturation.
He recalled seeing six elderly
men shedding tears when they saw a singsing group perform one of their
traditional singsing at the independence celebrations back then.
The singsing according to these
elderly men was performed only once whilst they were still young.
Hence, they were deeply touched
when it was performed in 1975 once again.
Fr. Gesch further shared the
history of Divine Word University from its early years to where it is today.
The plan to establish the
university took time as there were only six national high schools in the
1980’s.
The SVD’s had to wait until Papua
New Guinea (PNG) had sufficient number of secondary schools producing grade
12’s to finally establish the Divine Word University (DWU).
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| Isabela Nawon and a relative displaying their painted faces during the celebrations. |
The SVD’s had to wait until PNG had sufficient number of secondary schools producing grade 12’s to finally establish the DWU.
He further highlighted the many successful
services the corporate entities, the Churches and the government had provided
in partnership with local communities, NGOs, and other stakeholders both pre
and post-independence to build this nation.
He encouraged the parishioners to
embrace positive change and to cling to Christian values in a Christian country
with optimism for a bigger, brighter, healthier, wealthier, prosperous,
friendlier, safer, and successful PNG in the years ahead using a figurative
story of a child.
His views sync well with that
captured in PNG’s Vision 2050, Medium Term Development Plans 3 and 4.
In December this year, Fr. Gesch
will resign from his active duties as priest, professor, and lecturer at the
DWU.
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| Former acting judge, Cosmas Bidar's family join the celebrations with the display of PNG's flag on the wall of their house in Riwo. |
We were very fortunate and privileged to attend Fr. Gesch’s last Independence Mass on PNG’s soil at Riwo before his retirement.
Fr. Gesch will return to Australia after doing pastoral work most of his entire active life in PNG, especially in Yangoru in ESP, and at the DWU.
He comes from Townsville, in Queensland, Australia.
The celebrations continued with other activities including
the PNG flag raising, before the Madu Rockers band from Kananam village in Ward
10 of North Ambenob LLG took the center stage and sung a few of their numbers.
It reminded many of the old folks of the Madu Rockers band’s songs recorded and played on Radio Madang.
Many other indigenous traditional singsings, contemporary songs and dancers, and a bamboo band from ‘wali country’ entertained the crowd.
A few tourists attended the event later in the day.
Although late to capture some of the more interesting and exciting traditional singsings from Manus,
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| Riwo villagers recognise their former local MP Sir Angmai Bilas and MP Paul Kamod |
East New Britain, East Sepik provinces, Good Shepherd High School students, and the singsings from Riwo and North Ambenob LLGs, they joined the happy dancers and danced along with the beat of a bamboo band.
To spice up the evening, local life bands performed late into the evening to the delight of the local enthusiasts who danced to their hearts desires to the sounds of the melodious local and western songs.
The roadsides and the field where the celebration was held were packed with village vendors who took this opportunity to their advantage and sold their produce.
Even the face painters did face paintings of different designs and arts including that of the PNG flag and the 50th Independence Anniversary.
It was a jubilant golden day for these vendors who made money to look after their families whilst joining the rest of the villagers and visitors in this joyful and trouble free celebration.
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| Riwo Wog Abau or Balangut was presented to the Madang Provincial Events Committee as part of the 50th Independence Celebration |
Pictures by Patrick Kalom and Isabela Nawon.
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