Isabel’s Kodili Festival set for June

THE unique arts and culture of Isabel Province will again be displayed in June when the Kodili Festival opens in provincial township of Buala.

A member of the Local Organising Committee Eddie Kopala confirmed that the dates for the festival would be from June 25 to 29, 2018.

“Details are being finalised where representatives from all 16 wards in Isabel Province would be participating,” Mr Kopala said.

He added that his committee is targeting the participation of youths and is expecting 40 youths per ward to perform and display their arts and culture during the weeklong festival.

This is the second time the Kodili Festival is being organised by the Isabel provincial government after its inaugural launching in September 2016.

A young girl dancing the ‘sale olo’

The festival derives its name from a musical instrument made from a thin reed with a fishing line string attached to both end. A ‘kodili’ player attaches one end of the instrument to his or her lips and strums the strings with the fingers where melodious tunes are created from the movement in opening and closing of the mouth.

Playing the ‘kodili’, custom dancing, singing, traditional sports and entertainment, showcasing the unique Isabel arts and crafts and scores of other local and modern activities will be on show day and night from June 25-29 in Buala.

During the inaugural Kodili Festival in 2016, Isabel Premier Mr James Habu has said the festival was a provincial platform for tourism, encouraging business development and partnership with the government and the private sector.

Meanwhile the Maringe Highlands of Isabel Province is hosting its first ever ‘Phoga Festival’ at Tirotonna Village in July.

Festival Coordinator Norman Advent said the festival would be held from July 3-8 which was initiated by the youth leaders following a meeting at Tirotonna Village in July 2016.

He said the objective of the Phoga Festival is to promote heritage, culture and spiritual values, allow creativity and innovation for youths, encourage leadership and integrity and access to relevant information on issues affecting youth.

Mr Advent said the Phoga Festival also aims at encouraging healthy lifestyle for the youths, helping to appreciate our sovereignty and unite youths in sports and recreational activities.

A range of activities demonstration of traditional food preparation, local arts and crafts, cultural dancing, awareness talks and sporting activities are being planned for the festival.

From July 1-10 is also the Sixth Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture to be held in Honiara.

A member of the Local Organising Committee Mr George Herming said the Festival was conceived in 1995 by the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) to promote and preserve Melanesian culture, tradition, values and contemporary arts in the region.

The festival has been held every four years on rotational basis in the five Melanesian countries with Solomon Islands hosting the first one in 1998, Vanuatu in 2002, Fiji in 2006, New Caledonia in 2010 and Papua New Guinea in 2014.

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