BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The theme for the 2026 Solomon Islands National Panpipe Festival (NATPAN), “Echoes of the Past, Sounds of the Hapi Isles,” will highlight the importance of preserving the country’s traditional panpipe music and cultural identity.
Director of Culture and Tourism, Dennis Marita, spoke about the significance of the theme during a press conference.
He said the theme reflects the enduring cultural heritage, identity and uniqueness of panpipe music within the Solomon Islands and recognises its place as one of the country’s most valued forms of intangible cultural heritage.
He said panpipe music continues to connect communities with their ancestors, traditions and customary practices, while also promoting national identity and cultural pride.
“The festival is not only about music but also about preserving wider cultural knowledge and practices linked to traditional lifestyles. NATPAN 2026 will provide a platform for communities across the country to share stories of ancestry, cultural identity and indigenous knowledge connected to bamboo culture and panpipe traditions,” he said.
He adds that the festival will also showcase other forms of cultural heritage, including shell money making, carving, weaving, dance, oral traditions, canoe heritage and traditional food systems.
Mr Marita said these practices are closely connected to traditional music and represent broader systems of community life, spirituality, craftsmanship and customary exchange in the Solomon Islands.
He said that the National Panpipe Festival was first established in 2017 as part of the Ministry’s long-term efforts to safeguard and revitalise traditional cultural practices.
The 2026 organising committee includes representatives from all divisions of the ministry together with Tourism Solomons.
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