Villagers from the remote Malamata area in Enga Province have rebuilt a cultural center to store their artefacts and other wares of cultural significance.

Head teacher of Malamata Community School, Joshua Norman, said the center will be used as a display hub during the Malamata Yapo Cultural Festival which is held annually in August. The cultural center was opened by Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas and National Cultural Commission executive director, Steven Enomb Kilanda on August 13, 2023.

Mr. Norman said the villagers took several years to rebuild the Malamata Yapo Cultural Center which was initially built by the locals 30 years ago. He thanked NCC for supporting the reconstruction of the cultural center, and added that the facility will be maintained looked after at all times.

Mr. Norman said the Malamata Cultural Center will be maintained and is now rebuilt and revived and they will continue to maintain and keep it alive. “The entire community has put hands together to build it the center, and it is now our responsibility to look after it,” he said.

Mr. Kilanda said establishing cultural centers is fundamental to building a stronger community and society based on culture.

“It is important to build cultural centres because this is where you keep stock of your traditional history and knowledge for the next generation to continue to maintain and uphold on these cultures or our way of life,” he said, and urged them to take ownership of the facility.

“We live in a time where our cultures are slowly dying out. That is why we must make it our business to uphold our cultures by storing them at our own cultural centres.
Enga Province has one of the best cultural centres in the country known as “Take Anda,” which means “house of wisdom” in the local Engan dialect.