Oceania

[Visited: August 2023]

On my first visit, I had stumbled upon a singsing in Madang - a true surprise, and one of the absolute highlights of my entire visit to Papua New Guinea. The country is, after all, famous for its incredible variety of tribes (there are hundreds), and a singsing gives you the opportunity to see many of those at once. Among the many singsings in the country, two have risen to fame: in Goroka and Mount Hagen, both in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. For my second visit, I therefore decided to time it with the Mount Hagen festival. I knew it would be much more touristy, but at the same time, I also knew it would be worth spending two days seeing all those amazing tribes of the country. The drive from Tari to Mount Hagen took us through fantastic mountain scenery, and I could have stopped very often to enjoy the views. We did not have time, and the driver didn't think it was safe to stop. We arrive the day before the start of the festival, in anticipation of what would be one of the highlights of our visit.
We are up before dawn the next day as we stay an hour east of Mount Hagen. When we approach the town, we see trucks with tribes in the back, some already dressed up in their traditional clothes. We wave at them, and they wave at us. The venue for the Mount Hagen Festival is Queen's Park, and an adjacent open space is used by tribes to prepare. This is where we head first, as the festival still has to start. We see various tribes already in the grass. Some need to get ready and are painting their faces, or the face of someone else. Others have started performing, just to get in the mood. The audience surely gets into the mood and cheers them on, or joins them in dancing. The show has not started yet, but we have already seen so much and taken so many pictures! We make sure to be at the grounds of the festival, which is close by, before the festival will officially start. Indeed, it is still pretty quiet when we enter - there are probably even more tourists than tribes. But very soon, the tribes trickle in one by one. Some have boards with their name, and a few professional ones have a board with a website and even offer places to sleep. One is even more amazing than the other, and at the beginning, the festival feels overwhelming. The best approach is to take it step by step. It is also a good idea to head for tribes without tourists.
Tribes find their own spot, and have regular performances: dancing and singing, making music, and showing off their stunning appearances. People here are very used to visitors with big cameras, and often even beg to be photographed. It is a true paradise for taking pictures. I also find myself consciously put my camera away and soak in what I am seeing, because it is so colourful and fantastic. Time flies, and gradually, the tourists are being replaced by locals. This is one of the great parts: these festivals are just celebrations of the tribal diversity of the country. Locals are as interested as we are, and they also take photos and selfies with the many performers. The mood is positive and vibrant throughout. The performers are open for a chat, and have that sense of humour that makes Papuans such great people. We are back the next day, and find out that probably better than the official grounds, is the area where tribes arrive through the gate, the buffer of the festival. While the speaker gives continuous comments on what is happening and what is going on, we walk to the area where tribes do their last grooming, and where they wait until it is their turn to march in. Behind the fence, we see many more tribes still waiting to enter, but they are only allowed to do so by a gatekeeper who has a list of tribes. Again, we stay until most tourists have gone and the locals take over the grounds, giving it a different feel. Our heads are still spinning after two days of overexposure to an abundance of colours and sounds. Truly exceptional!

Around the World in 80 Clicks

inspiring you to travel

Mount Hagen Festival (Papua New Guinea)

Mount Hagen Festival > Papua New Guinea > Oceania

[Visited: August 2023]

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Book your hotel in Mount Hagen