6th MELANESIAN ARTS AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL UPDATES

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.

 

MELANESIA ARTS AND CULTURE FESTIVAL VENUES SECURED 09th APRIL

 

Venues for hosting the 6th Melanesia Arts and Culture Festival (MACFest) in Honiara in July this year have been secured as of last month, April.


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.

 

PRIVATE SECTOR BRIEFED ON MACFEST PROGRESS

Dennis Meone, CEO of SICCI speaking at the meeting. Photo supplied.

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

(L to R) Director Culture Dennis Marita, Sol Jay, Davu and Moses Tepai at the launch of the Theme Song. Photo supplied

Local Artist and producer, Solomon Maesala, also known in the music fraternity as SOLJAY has won the 6th Melanesian Arts Festival Theme Song competition after a tough competitive selection process.
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

http://macfest2018.com/

 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.


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