6th MELANESIAN ARTS AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL PREPARATIONS PROGRESS.
The Solomon Islands Melanesian Arts Festival National
Organizing Committee (MAFNOC) has resumed its pre-festival planning process for
2018 in March this year.
MAFNOC Chair and Permanent Secretary for the Ministry
of Culture and Tourism Andrew Nihopara said the Committee is working hard to
ensure that all tasks are completed a month before the event. The main Committee will be supported by a number of technical sub-committees in various areas including Events, Accommodation, Catering, Health, Security, Quarantine & Customs, Protocol, Finance, Logistics, and Media & Promotion.
The Solomon Islands Government has approved a total of SBD10 million to host the festival, with SBD 7 million coming from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the remaining SBD $3 million collected from other Ministries under a cost-sharing arrangements.
This is a cut in the budget and has resulted in the scaling down of festival activities and the number of overseas participants from Melanesia.
But MAFNOC Chair and Permanent Secretary for the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Andrew Nihopara said they are confident to
host the festival in July despite significant cuts to the budget. He said they
are seeking partnership with other groups to assist where ever possible.
MAFNOC will ensure the limited funds provided by the
Government are strategically spent to host a better and successful festival this
year.MAFNOC has briefed the Diplomatic Missions in Solomon Islands on the current preparations to host the festival.
The briefing took place at Mendana Hotel on April 5 in which the Committee updated the diplomatic community on preparations and possible areas that they could assist the Solomon Islands.
This is another approach the organising committee is taking to seek support from other sources including the donor community and the private sector.
The MACFest National Organising Committee (NOC) has been holding talks and arrangements with the Solomon Islands National University in recent weeks to provide accommodation and other facilities to host the festival.
The Melanesian Festival Village will be built at the
Panatina Grounds to host the majority of festival activities, similar to the
2012 Festival of Pacific Arts.
SINU’s Kukum, Panatina, and Marine School Campus will
be used for accommodation and catering for both visiting and local contingents.
A major upgrade of SINU facilities will take place when the 2018 budget is
passed this month.
Tentatively, the grand opening ceremony will be staged
a Lawson Tama on Sunday 1st July while all other major activities including
performing arts, exhibitions and musical entertainment including the closing
ceremony will be staged at the Panatina Oval.
Other minor activities will be staged at other
locations around Central Honiara, including the Art Gallery Crafts Center, the
National Museum, the Panatina Pavilion, the Ranadi Marine School Lecture
Theaters and the Multi-Purpose Hall.
MACFest NOC SENDS INVITATION
NOTES TO MEMBER COUNTRIES 11th APRIL
The Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival (MACFest)
National Organising Committee has begun the process of formally inviting member
countries and other guest participants attending the upcoming 6th Melanesian
Arts and Culture Festival in Solomon Islands.
As the host country, the Government of Solomon Islands
through its relevant Ministries is required to formally invite member countries
and its guests to participate in the sub-regional event.The five Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) member countries are Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, New Caledonia and Solomon Islands. This year’s guest participants are invited from the West Papua Province of Indonesia, East Timor and the Torres Strait Islands of Australia.
The MACFestNOC representatives from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Tony Kabasi (Pacific Desk) and Chief of
Protocol, Kereta Sanga has confirmed to Committee Members last month that
formal notes have been dispatched to respective countries.
Mr Kabasi said his Office will be receiving overseas
responses and correspondence from each respective country for onward
transmission to the National Organising Committee for confirmation and planning
purposes.
The MACFestNOC has resumed its planning process early this
year and is now ready to begin its physical preparations following the passage
of the 2018 budget by Parliament this week.
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Dennis Meone, CEO of SICCI speaking at the meeting. Photo supplied.
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The Solomon Islands business community has been
briefed on the progress to host the 6th Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival
(MACFest) in Honiara in July this year.
The briefing at Mendana Hotel on Friday 20 April was
jointly organized by the MACFest National Organizing Committee and the Solomon
Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SICCI) to update the business
community and to explore possible areas that they could assist the Solomon
Islands Government with.
Significant reductions to the 2018 budget across many
Ministries has affected festival preparations and the National Organizing
Committee is taking other approaches to seek support from other sources
including the donor community and the private sector.
A similar meeting was held two weeks ago with the
diplomatic community in Honiara.
National Organizing Committee Vice Chair and Under
Secretary for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Moses Tepai said the
Committee wishes to provide an opportunity for the private sector to partner
with the Government in hosting the festival.
“We are confident to host the festival in July despite
significant cuts to our budget. We will seek partnership with other groups to
assist us where ever possible,” Mr Tepai said.
A comprehensive presentation to the business community
by the Director of Culture, Dennis Marita has highlighted the need for
additional funding support of around SB$4 million from other sources.
The Government has approved a total of SB$10 million
to host the festival, with SB$7 million coming from the Ministry of Culture and
Tourism and the remaining SB$3 million collected from other Ministries under a
cost-sharing arrangement.
Cuts in the budget has resulted in the scaling down of
festival activities and the number of overseas participants from Melanesia.
Actual preparations on the festival venues has begun
following the passing of the 2018 budget.
Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce and
Industries, Dennis Meone said the event provides revenue generating
opportunities for both Government and the business community.
SOL JAY WINS FESTIVAL THEME
SONG COMPETITION
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(L to R) Director Culture Dennis Marita, Sol Jay, Davu and Moses Tepai at the launch of the Theme Song. Photo supplied
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Titled “One Melanesia”, the song was written by Soljay and co-produced with another local artist, David Auna also known as Davu at the Big Font Recording Studio in Honiara.
A total of 12 entries were received by the Festival
National Organising Committee, of which the top five entries were shortlisted
for the final round of selection by the responsible Technical Committee.
Out of the 5 top entries that made their way to the
National Organising Committee, “One Melanesia” by Soljay scored a total of 396
points, followed by Clerrie Bambu featuring Chelsea Saliga on 393 points,
Jonathan Auna on 384 points, Kenneth Laka on 348 Points and Tibon Oge on 346
Points.
The Theme Song competition was premised on a
competitive entry criteria which emphasis the Festival Theme of “Past
Recollections, Future Connections” summarized with a poetic lyric encompassed
with a grooving musical arrangement that has some elements of cultural melody
in the entire production.
The Theme song was formally launched last night
(Friday 20th April) at Mendana Hotel during a special corporate meeting between
the National Organising Committee and members of the Solomon Islands Chamber of
Commerce (SICCI).
Vice Chair of MACFest NOC, Moses Tepai congratulated
Soljay and his co-produce Davu for their efforts in putting the song together.
The song will be performed live and broadcasted
locally and regionally during the festival in July. It will also be used to
promote other programmes associated with the festival.
Soljay and Davu were invited to the launch at Mendana
Hotel to witness the event and the official announcement of their win.
“I am happy to be selected as the winner of this
competition and as a musician and producer, I feel proud to contribute through
music and especially this song to our country as host of the 6th MACFest,” he
said.
“I hope all Melanesian people and friends of Melanesia
will enjoy this song and will cherish the fact that we are one Melanesians,
living in one of the culturally vibrant regions of the world,” he added.
Co-producer, Davu said he was honored to work
alongside Soljay to come up with the song.
“It was an honor to contribute towards the winning
theme song and I hope it will be enjoyed by all Melanesians around the region
and abroad,” he said.
The winning entry including the copyright of the song
is valued at SB$10,000.00.
Following the launch, copyright of the song is now the
property of the Solomon Islands Government. Reproduction or Sales of the song
must be permitted by the Government, through the National Organising Committee.
MACFEST PROGRAMME AVAILABLE
ONLINE FOR PUBLIC
The 6th Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival (MACFest)
National Organizing Committee (NOC) is encouraging the public to view the main
festival programme online to get a glimpse of what the festival will involve.
The programme with information on participating
countries can be viewed on the Official Festival website at
http://macfest2018.com/.
According to the programme, Performing Arts dominates
the event which will engage the bulk of participation and audience
interest. This is the main component of
the festival featuring much of the festival highlights and engaging about 80%
of participants. Activities under this category range from dance to music and
theatre.
Sixty percent of activities under this category will
be traditional dances, showcasing the vast cultural diversity in Melanesia.
Thirty percent is in various music forms such as circular, contemporary and ethno
music. The remaining ten percent consist of drama performances including
creative and modern dance styles.There will also be an interactive space provided through Jam House where musicians from participating countries can interact and share with one another.
The second category is Traditional and Contemporary
Arts which contains the biggest number of activities relating to both
traditional and contemporary art respectively.
Eighty percent of what is going to be exhibited is in
traditional art form, whilst the remaining twenty percent in contemporary
forms.
Traditional and Contemporary Arts range from
Sculpturing & Carving, Body Ornaments & Jewelry, Weaving, Pottery,
Traditional Currencies, Tattooing, Fire-Walking, Canoeing & Navigational
Art, Culinary Arts, Traditional Healing and Traditional Games.
The third category is Visual Arts which include
paintings on canvas, graphics, children’s’ art, Architecture, Photography and Fashion.
Much of the visual arts exhibitions will be showcased
at the National Arts Gallery in Honiara and the Crafts Market Centre.
Photography will be located at the Solomon Islands
National University, whilst the Fashion shows at the Multi-Purpose Hall.The fourth category is Literary Arts will gather writers, publishers, Poets, story tellers (oratory), historians, theatre and film producers from Melanesia converging together in a week long festivity to exhibit, showcase and share their experiences with one another and their audiences.
Most of the Literary Activities will held at the
National Museum Auditorium, whilst Film and Oratory to be held at the Solomon
Islands National University, Kukum Campus Lecture Theatre.
The fifth category involves Workshops, Symposiums and
Forums. There will be a ‘Melanesian Symposium’ to be held during the festival.
The topic is “New Horizons – Exploring the Economics of Culture and the
Potentials of the Creative Industries in Melanesia”.
Other workshops and symposiums to be held during the
festival include Ethno-Music Workshop, Culture & Education, Cultural
Industries, ICHCAP-Pacific Young ICH Practitioners Meeting.
Chair of the Programmes and Events Sub-Committee,
Dennis Marita said the Melanesian Arts & Cultural Festival has always been
a show of strength and pride as a people with humongous wealth of cultural
diversity and resources.“The Festival will just be another extravaganza of cultural diversity at its best which will comprise of several categories and each of these with different genres,” Mr Marita said.
The event will run from July 1- 10 in Honiara and will coincide with the country’s 40th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
ENDS///
