Introducing the PNG Events Calendar

Whilst others have been deeply entrenched in a heated debate over the “Obama Huli” debacle, I have been busy putting together an online PNG Events Calendar here, at the one and only Trupela Tok work desk.

The image of Obama dressed up as a Huli Wigman slapped together by the opponents of his government’s Health Care reform package has certainly not not gone down well with Papua New Guineans and especially those that hale in from the Tari District in the Southern Highlands. Personally, I don’t see what all the fuss is all about but then again I’m not from Tari.

It does however, demonstrate the insensitivity and ignorance that America (and Americans) have been known to display towards “others”, funny how the term “xenophobia” somehow comes to mind.

The Huli Wigmen from Tari are one of my favourite PNG male singsing. The distinctive yellow face paint, the eyes as they look at you, the oiled masculine bodies, the jumping up and down combined with that high pitched vocal tone, puts the Wigmen up their with the best.

Remember Simon the Gardener – back from the UNITECH days? Dear old Simon – gardening away with that wooden leg of his – I shed a tear the day he died. Dear old Simon haledin from Tari.

One last thought – any publicity is good publicity and I bet you (I’m not a betting man by the way) that the next Cultural Show held at Tari will end up attracting a greater number of visitors than previous years. Potentially an added bonus for the Tari locals.

Enough on the subject.

Behold the PNG Events Calendar! My latest “creation”. Plenty of websites on the map that have a directory of local Cultural Events but few (if any) bring it all together. It is envisaged that this facility will cater for Cultural, Music, Sporting and other Community related events.  Here’s a summary of what you will find followed by a screenshot of the page itself:

• Provincial Flag of where the event is to be held.
• Website and email address of the organisers (if available).
• Description of the Event.
• A collection of useful links for the would be traveller.
• A map of where the event is located (courtesy Google Maps)
• A facility to self register your event for inclusion in the Calendar.

As of right now – the Calendar just has the one event listed (Morobe Show). I am planning on adding several more to make up the numbers but am counting on input from the visiting public to provide me the details of additional gatherings. Large/small, who cares? Just get the information to me and I will “push it up” faster than what you can say “kakruk“. It’s essentially an opportunity for some of the smaller or lesser known gatherings (eg: local sporting events, cultural displays, regional/district competitions, school boys/girls etc…) to establish a web presence and market their very own event.

Finally, here’s that screen shot I mentioned with details of the upcoming Morobe Show later next month:

(If you want to check out the PNG Events Calendarright now just click on the image)