The sailing spirit of Nigoherm is slowly catching the wind as locals in Ninhohrem group of Islands in Manus province plea for support to keep the culture alive.
Long before modern boats and engines were introduced in the coastal parts of the country, lives skillful boat builders and sailors who took pride in their way of life by the ocean.
This tradition is slowly being replaced and the locals in Ninhohrem group of Islands are fighting to keep it alive by turning it into the sporting event.
The event is named the Issac David Shield in honour of a 76-year-old master canoe builder of Nigoherm whose lifelong skill is the living heritage of our islands.
A local and events adviser, Richie Sindol said they have been putting in effort in running the competition for sometime now with little to no support and they want to go big at the end of this year.
“Our fathers and grandfathers of Nigoherm built traditional sailing canoes with no engine and no compass, navigating only by the stars and the wind,” Sindol said.
“This story has been passed from generation to generation and is the one event that still unites all the Ninigo Group of Islands – Luff, Pateku, Lau, Mal, Amik and Liot Islands.”
The group of Islands in Nigoherm Rural LLG lies approximately 160 miles towards the West of Lorengau and is one of remote areas in the costal PNG.
“We are one of the most remote communities in PNG where government services, shipping and economic opportunities rarely reach us,” Sindol said.
“Because of this isolation, traditional sailing canoes remain essential for daily life and cultural continuity, but our culture is under pressure as every year youths drift to the town and the increase uses of motorboats in the area.”
The event is now going to be an annual event where ytradition is passed down to the young people in an attempt to keep the sailing spirit alive.
“Our village committee has been organising our own annual canoe sailing race. This race is not just a sport. It is our identity, our living classroom and survival training where the whole village takes part – men, women, children and elders.”
Sindol said they continue to face challenges to keep their tradition sails up in the open sea where financial support is lacking.
“We have kept this race alive ourselves with our only sponsor to date being our own local SME, FlyWest Ocean Trading,” Sindol said.
“FlyWest Ocean Trading,” is a small logistics company has carried this responsibility.
“One small enterprise cannot carry a living culture forever, so we are now inviting any interested business houses to support our event.”
This year’s event is scheduled to take place in December as tentative plans are in place to have the event as an annual event in the area.
“We have been forgotten by distance but we have never forgotten who we are. Help us turn our survival skill into pride and local economy and show PNG and the world that Nigoherm still sails,” Sindol concludes.
