SnapShots of Bougainville's Reeds Festival in 2009

The man behind this 'cultural revival' was late William Takaku, a film and theatre actor and director from Kieta's Pidia village in Bougainville with the backing from The CHRISTENSEN FUND from California, USA. Late Takuka passed away on the 3 of January, 2011.

William Takaku (trakt.tv)

The Reeds Festival was 'a bio-cultural diversity celebration of our island's unique 'kaur' culture. 'Kaur' or panpipes [kovii, in the Nasioi language of central Bougainville], with a inclusion of chanting dances is widely practiced on Bougainville and its sister island of the Western Province of Solomon Islands.

Kaur dance (top and below)

Kaur culture signifies the outward display of happiness in reconciliation; in friendships and in mending souring relationships and in other ceremonial and ritual occassions.

Kaur entering the stage

Kaur in action

At this time when the world is facing great changes and uncertainties, many indigenous people of the world are challenged whether to keep our cultures or allow it to die as we follow our developmental efforts that are based on powerful western orientation and influences that sooner or later, surely see the demise of our Melanesian languages and cultures.

Marriage ritual from Pokpok

Atamo kaur

Our culture is the one thing that identifies us as a unique group of people on this planet.

kaur from Wakunai

kaur from Kieta

We thus, have that responsibility to uphold our cultures for that is what that made us, who we are today and that that 'sweet western' culture that is imperialistic and harmful. So, late William Takuka says: 'The old leaves must fall to allow the young leaves to grow, living their wisdom of the trunk to the young leaves to carry on the culture of the tree'.

Young kaur dancers

kaur group from Pomaua

This performances and film were done on the 8-9 of December, 2009 at Tubiana in Kieta. Almost 13 kaur groups from as far as Raubira in Wakunai and Unei in the Wisai of Buin came to show to each other their styles of 'kaur dancing and chantings'.

• This writing and snapshots are not mind, but extracted from the film narration and pictures produced with above said event 

...Saving our culture is saving our island of Bougainville and our peoples' future and betterment...