BY RODRICK DESURI
Auki
Aligegeo Provincial Secondary School celebrated its annual cultural day event over the weekend.
With the theme, “Embracing Our Culture, Diversity, Identity, and Pride,” students from different ethnic groups showcased their identities through traditional dances, dramas, and traditional outfits representing their ethnic backgrounds.
Principal of Aligegeo Provincial Secondary School, Alick Bebesia, in his keynote address, said this year’s celebration is not just about celebration, but about togetherness, sharing ideas, and creating meaningful memories about the significance of cultural values.
He said the profound traditional customs observed in the province’s culture is not only about what they do, but also about where they originally came from.
“As the theme rightly stated, it is a privilege to indeed celebrate the vibrant, resilient, and diverse cultures of our beloved Solomon Islands.
“The Solomon Islands has more than 70 unique languages and over 900 islands, inclusive of Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian cultures. This vast diversity is not a barrier; it is our decoration and our strength.
“It is the sound from the beat of panpipes, the weaving of our mats, and the vision shared by our elders in our Kastom Stories,” he said.
He said in the current world, culture is the identity and pride of the people, and engaging young people to fully understand where they can come from.
“As our leaders and elders have often reminded us, our traditional cultures awaken us to our past, and we must adopt and keep them for the next generation.
“Embracing our identity means taking pride in our diversity and our heritage,” he said.
Guest of honour of the event, the Provincial Education Officer, Timmy Afia said celebrating the cultural day this year was about recognition, respect, and every day practice.
He also acknowledged the elders in the past, present, the future for embracing such an environment that was celebrated.
He encourages young generations to learn and preserve traditions while adopting to modern life, to listen to others experiences, challenge stereotypes when encountered, and create spaces for different voices to be heard and valued.
“Through genuinely embracing of diversity, identity and pride, it will build a stronger relationship and more inclusive communities,” he said.
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