Alick Tipoti from the Torres Strait Islands has been performing with his wife and five sons at Macfest. Photo: Hilaire Bule
A family from the Torres Strait Islands says attending the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival is a way to 'keep the cultural fire burning'.
The festival, also known as Macfest, wraps up in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on August 1.
Cultural contingents from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and the host country have taken part, as have indigenous groups from various other Pacific nations.
It includes multiple activities and events, from food to carving and weaving, music and canoe making, and the famous Vanuatu sand drawings.
Alick Tipoti from Australia's Torres Strait Islands has been performing with his wife and five sons as the Dhamuw-Koedal Cultural Group.
Tipoti said they have festivals back at home, but not as large as Macfest.
"It's big for us as a family because we always teach our kids to keep the cultural fire burning," he said.
He said it is his job to make sure that he exposes his children to festivals like this, and to connect with other Melanesian families.
It is the family's first time at the festival and he said they are proud and excited to be representing their people.
"It's good to catch up with old friends," he said.
"We have similar language, Pidgin, so it connects us as Melanesian people and it's so good to always see familiar faces."
The Dhamuw-Koedal Cultural Group performed a tiger shark dance - saying the tiger shark is the most decorated shark in the ocean - and a star constellation dance.
"Those are our stars, so it's a formation of a shark, and it indicates the monsoon weather for us Torres Strait islanders.
"We pass that knowledge down through song and dance."
Keeping cultural traditions alive
The Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat, Leonard Louma, said Macfest and events like it allow people from the world over to witness and enjoy the full range and splendour of the Melanesian spectrum of customs, cultural and traditional colours.
The Secretariat is the organisation behind the event.
Louma said the bigger challenge is to ensure future generations can still enjoy the richness of the Melanesian customs, traditions and cultures - hence the need to make concerted efforts to mainstream the teaching of Melanesian ways in education systems.
"Culture and custom can be leveraged to address many of the political, economic and social challenges we are facing," he said.
"Solutions may also be found in them and it can also help inform Government policy options.
"There is much to learn from our cultures and traditions."
