Telling the Kastom Stori of Papua New Guinea

A book showcasing the unique culture of Papua New Guinea has been released with support 

from ExxonMobil PNG Limited, operator of the PNG LNG Project. The book was launched at the 

Buk bilong Pikinini library at the University of Papua New Guinea. 

The book, titled Kastom Stori-Sene Gori, features a collection of traditional tales penned and 

illustrations submitted by school children from grades three to 12 from schools across the PNG 

LNG Project area. 

The book came about after a competition run by the PNG LNG Project in 2011, which 

encouraged children to seek out their grandparents and other elders and learn about the 

important traditional stories that hold together their customs. The winning entries were collated 

into the 109-page, full-colour Kastom Stori-Sene Gori book. 

“We recognise and respect the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Papua New Guinea, and 

understand that the heritage and the history of the communities where we work are extremely 

important to our activities,” said Peter Graham, ExxonMobil PNG Limited Managing Director. 

“This competition helped the children not only with their reading and writing skills, but also helped 

them learn about their own cultural heritage and record it, as they put ink to paper. We received 

over 3,700 pictures and stories – an amazing result. The effort that the school children went to 

was very impressive and the stories really do highlight the unique and wonderful culture of this 

country. 

“It’s fantastic to now see their efforts in published form,” Mr Graham said. 

Education is a key focus of the Project’s community investment program, with more than K13 

million invested since 2010 in providing support to schools throughout the Project area.