Authentic Singsing

Are they thing of the past?

Like many, png is in the bucket list. I would consider attending an authentic singsing a highlight. Can anyone advise when and where I can do it?

In case the timing is wrong (that is I can't mstch the BIG singsing dates with mine), are there good alternatives?

Many thanks

The big singsings are authentic in the sense that they aren't just put on for the benefit of tourists. They appear to exist for the purpose of celebrating local culture, fostering harmony across the region, that sort of thing. Tourism increasingly is seen as an additional benefit from the festivals but its certainly not like some countries where shows exist just for tourists (except perhaps if you go and see the Asaro Mudmen but I don't know as I didn't do that). Also the dancing and costumes seems to be pretty authentic and performed by the tribe from which they originated. They are modern in the sense that they are properly organized events in towns rather than villages (although some individual events might take place in villages like the fire dancing for the mask festival) that were deliberately set up in the past decade or so.

I went to the mask festival which, along with the Highland show, is probably one of the best known to tourists as there are more flights to Kokopo and tourist facilities. I immediately after got invited to a graduation day dance for a local nursing college. No tourists. I was there by meeting people (word of mouth is everything for visiting PNG). Very authentic in the sense that it was literally just a bunch of happy young people wanting to have some fun. They all showed off full costumed dances from their region (as a university it had students from around PNG) and then things got a bit more informal with traditional dance with more modern influence and music. Strange mixture! Fascinating! And definitely authentic PNG but more modern town PNG culture than centuries old village culture (or a hybrid rather). Again - stuff like that is from luck. In 6 weeks there, 3 weeks on the Sepik brief stop in highlands and rest of time in Kokopo/Rabaul area or moving between regions (takes a long time in PNG), I didn't see any true village dances. They do happen though for sure. People talked about them all the time. It's just luck. Still had a great trip. It's the meeting people that was the highlight and that happens every village and every PMV journey constantly!

Here's the official list of the big ones although if you've been researching I imagine you've seen this. - http://www.papuanewguinea.travel/events

If you do want to just stumble on the village having a wedding celebrating or something then, well, that's just a matter of luck! Your best bets are if you are in PNG for a long time. Some people in this forum have reported that a village laid on a singsing just because they were the first tourists in a village and they just wanted to show off and make a big welcome! Obviously you'd need a guide to get to such places and to give the village warning that you're coming. But again, its still down to luck. The Trobriand Yam festival seems to be very traditional but it just happens whenever the Yams are ready, I can't even remember the estimated time of year but its in LP.

So yeah the big singsings are definitely worth it. You may if you're lucky and have a flexible schedule see a small singsing but generally PNG is not made for tourists so if that's what you mean by authentic you'll be in luck and you'll have a great time whether or not you see a festival.

authentic singsings are definitely not in the past but they are not that easy to find out about

the organised singsings (goroka hagen etc) are authentic in that the performers are from the villages and have chosen their costumes, songs and dances form those taught them by their parents and grandparents - they are not actors performing a role but genuine people performing their traditions - the staging is of course not so authentic and there is a focus on the most eye-catching and elaborate costumes and dances

if you wish to see a singsing in a village then you need a good guide and agent to arrange this ahead of time - in the highlands or on the sepik or some of the smaller islands are best - the setting will be more authentic but again it will be an organised performance meant to impress

to find something truly authentic (ie organised by a village for themselves for traditional purposes) is not easy - you need to spend time in PNG and get to know an area to hear about when such events are taking place - we have been working for several years with a group on the sepik and last year were observers and participants in the traditional ceremonies and celebrations for the inauguration and naming of a spirit house - really an amazing privilege!

I visited the Sepik recently. In the village of Palembi elders were very keen to tell us they will hold a boys initiation ceremony in 2018 on July 26th and Nov 13th – they said tourists are welcome to just turn up and watch for K50 each. I wrote down the phone number 73615850 but the 8 might be a 3 or a 6 . See my post about other sing sing options on the Sepik.

Arranging for sing sings at a local village is a great way to encourage the local culture to survive and continue. In some places it is just a question of asking - usually with a days notice. From what I gather spontaneous "genuine" sing sings are very unusual nowadays (unlike in 1982 when I visited when there were lots.) in June 2018 0ur Sepik guide arranged one for us at his village with 20 performers for 45 minutes(agree on this before you agree on the price) and whilst it was not "genuine' it was fantastic and about 50 of the local villagers came to watch saying that they had not seen one themselves for a long time and how great it was to see the dancing again. The chief even gave a speech afterwards to the villagers saying how important it was that they do more sing sings.

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