Caritas Technical Secondary School 23rd cutural show

By Ms Wilma Patenge, Acting Principal
Photos: Karl David Valmonte and Fr Ambrose Pereira sdb

Port Moresby, PNG, 28 June 2018: - Caritas Technical Secondary School hosted its 23rd Cultural Show on the school grounds. It had as its theme: “True Identity through Culture”.

The students went through a month of intensive training and practices to get 22 cultural groups to perform on the day of the event.

The day began with an invocation and a colorful parade of provincial flags. There was a crowd of approximately 4,000 people-inclusive of teachers, sisters, students, media personnel and invited guests who were present to witness the show.

In her opening remarks, Sr Mazarello Choi, Directress of the school said that each student had the privilege to know who she was and what kind of values she is committed to live by. “Through promoting culture, we can identify and get our true identity,” she said.

The guest speaker was the Governor for National Capital District, Hon. Powes Pakop. In his keynote speech, he said that culture needs to be celebrated, as it was this that defined Papua New Guineans, as clans and tribes.

He encouraged all present to create cultural values, norms and behavior that define us as a nation, seeking a prosperous future. Highlighting the role of women, he said that we must give up the treatment of women as second-class citizens. “The fact that Parliament is dominated by males, shows that we have not progressed much in this respect”, he said. He also stressed the need of promoting them as leaders of the country.

He urged all parents and students, to help make the city a better, safe and peaceful place to live in. He said that chewing of betelnuts was rooted in most Papua New Guinean cultures but it should be done responsibly, avoiding irresponsible acts like graffiti and plastic littering in the city are avoided.

The students performed a beautiful array of elegant traditional dance routines, together with each Miss Tumbuna Bilas of each province describing her traditional attire.

There was also the competition of winning the titles of Miss Charity, 2018, Miss Directress Choice, 2018 and Miss Tumbuna Bilas, 2018.

With the help from the panel of judges: Ms. Nadia Mimi-Deputy Principal Academic of Caritas Technical Secondary School, Miss Vivian Nesen-Head of Academics of Don Bosco Technological Institute and Ms. Arlene Abital-Senior English Teacher of Don Bosco Technological Institute, awards were given accordingly for the three titles stated above.

Miss Charity, 2018

• Miss Charity: Miss Goilala - Janjanwelly Poke (11 St. Matthew)
• 1st Runner-Up: Miss Oro - Taita Roselyn Labi (9 St. Agnes)
• 2nd Runner-up: Miss West New Britain - Michelle Avel (11 St. Matthew)

Directress Choice, 2018

• Winner: Miss East Sepik - Dahlrose Tilae (11 St, Mark)

Miss Tumbuna Bilas, 2018

• Miss Tumbuna Bilas: Miss Manus - Shania Johnstone (11 St. John)
• 1st Runner-up: Miss Abau/Aroma - Boio Vanua Waru (9 St. Agnes)

There was also a competition for the ‘Best Built Traditional Shelter’ and awards were given to three cultural groups:

Best Built Traditional Shelter

• Winner: Goilala Cultural Group
• 1st Runner-up: West New Britain Cultural Group
• 2nd Runner-up: Oro Cultural Group

The Cultural Show began at 9:00 a.m. and ended at 2:30 p.m. with a general clean-up (done by the teachers & students) followed by an assembly and dismissal.

The event was a peaceful and successful one, with the help of the Caritas Sisters, Teaching & Ancillary Staff, Parents, Guardians and the well behaved students.

Through this event, the students were able to embrace and value their culture, knowing their norms and customs which are the pillars of their respective societies. If these pillars are not properly followed in our society, our culture will resemble a perfume with no fragrance.

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