PNG culture shown in Pacific Games opening

Papua New Guinea put on a dazzling opening show to officially start the two-week long XV Pacific Games that is being held in Port Moresby for the third time.

The newly refurbished 18,000-seater Sir John Guise Sports Complex at the capital’s Wards strip erupted in a spectacular display of color and pageantry. Hundreds of dancers moved to the beat of traditional drums and other instruments used in various festivities in the culturally diverse island-nation.

Artistic director Airleke Ingram, a traditional drummer and music producer, said the theme of the opening ceremonies was a celebration of their rich cultural history and tied to the region’s hiri trade, which is an important part of PNG’s Motu people.

“It’s a really key part of our culture. There are a lot of songs, dances, and tattoos. These things set our culture up, where we really got our spirit of generosity and the fair distribution of wealth,” Ingram was quoted as saying at the Pacific Games website after an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The opening number also showcased PNG’s direction toward the future as it enjoys more than a decade of positive economic growth.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, officially declared he 15th edition of the Pacific Oceania region’s quadrennial sporting event open.

“I would first like to congratulate everybody involved on a truly spectacular opening ceremony,” Prince Andrew, who delivered the opening message in behalf of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was quoted as saying at the Games’ opening ceremony report.

“I wish everyone two successful weeks of sport. Good luck to all the competitors. Congratulations Port Moresby,” Prince Andrew added.

Three-time Olympian Dika Loa Toua, who won the gold medal in last year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games in Scotland, lit the Games’ cauldron, signaling the start of festivities and showing the life of the Motuans, PNG’s native inhabitants that lived in the southern coastal area.

Competition began last Friday with pool plays in basketball, football, and touch rugby, and round-robin in table tennis. Triathlon, which has 12 medals in three events at stake, was held yesterday.

Triathletes Peter Prestley, Brad Ruszala, and Tony Stearns are part of the CNMI’s 32-member delegation composed of 25 athletes and seven officials . Chef de Mission and Northern Marianas Sports Association president Michael A. White led Team Marianas’ delegation.

Besides the triathlon event, the Commonwealth will compete in seven other sports in the Pacific Games: athletics, beach volleyball, bodybuilding, golf, sailing, swimming, and and va’a (outrigger canoe).

American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Samoa, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau, and Wallis and Futuna are the other competing countries aside from the CNMI and host Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea first hosted the Games, then known as South Pacific Games, in 1969 and again in 1991.

This year, the Pacific Games Council, for the first time, allowed Australia and New Zealand to join the competition on a trial basis and in only four sports: rugby sevens, sailing, taekwondo, and weightlifting.