ENGA-EAST SEPIK BORDER, Papua New Guinea – The Malamata community, located on the border of Enga and East Sepik provinces, hosted the second annual Malamata Yapo Cultural Festival on Wednesday, August 07th, 2024. The event featured prominent figures including Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas and National Cultural Commission (NCC) Executive Director Mr. Steven Enomb Kilanda.

Governor Sir Peter Ipatas opened the newly revived Malamata Yapo Cultural Centre and the cultural festival. In his address, he highlighted the importance of cultural festivals in identifying community needs and delivering services. “Through these cultural festivals, we can identify community needs and deliver services more effectively,” he said.

The governor praised National Cultural Commission for its efforts to reach remote areas where government services often lack. “National Cultural Commission is making significant strides by reaching rural areas, and we are dedicated to collaborating with them to deliver cultural services and programs,” said Sir Peter Ipatas.

Hon. Sir Peter Ipatas announced a commitment of K10,000.00 to support the festival and outlined plans to help children from Malamata and nearby communities attend teachers’ and nursing colleges in the province so that they would come back to serve their community. Governor Sir Peter Ipatas outlined plans that a partnership Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to initiate air services from Wapenamenda to Malamata once the airstrip fence is completed.

Sir Peter Ipatas also purchased walkabout saw mill to help maintain the School and help build the school students accomodation to house the children from far and wider villages in the area.

He pledged K200, 000 last year and will continue to fund the community school and other projects.
National Cultural Commission Executive Director Mr. Steven Enomb Kilanda emphasized the role of culture in driving development and attracting essential services to rural areas. He urged the Malamata community to take ownership of the ongoing projects and maintain the cultural center.
“Culture is a vital platform for driving other development agendas. It can reduce law and order issues and pave the way for essential services like health, education, and infrastructure,” said Mr. Kilanda.

He committed K10,000 to the Malamata Yapo Cultural Center for its maintenance and pledged continued support for preserving and promoting Papua New Guinea’s intangible cultural heritage.

He said, “Despite limited funding, we are committed to promoting and developing our cultural heritage with the support of provincial governments and local authorities.”

Enag Governor Sir Peter Ipatas and Executive Director of National Cultural Commission Mr. Steven Enomb Kilanda praised the efforts of NCC staff and the local community in organizing the festival. They underscored the significance of cultural events in promoting community development and delivering vital services to remote areas.