goodmorningpapua.com – The Melanesian Arts Festival (MAF) will be held in Port Vila in July 2022.
“This festival will focus on culinary and processing of food,” said the Director of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre (VCC), Richard Shing.
Shing explained that although traditional dances are important, the different recipes of dish and of food processing will likely be the main focus of this MAF.
He emphasized this to encourage from an early the spirit of this celebration in the minds of the organizing committee in planning this festival for going forward.
“It’s not only for MAF, but after MAF all provinces can open their own Festival Houses here, at Port Vila, and this will also provide opportunities for people from every province to teach the customs and traditions of their respective communities,” he said.
“This should attract special attention to people from the provinces who generally live in Port Vila, away from the cultural environment of their hometowns,” he continued.
Currently the scope of work of the VCC includes teaching of the indigenous languages to all interested students from selected islands.
Although the target of the program is children, Shing added that they have long-term plans to expand the range of other skills for adults, including the weaving of mat and basket and artefacts.