Oil Search Pacific Games Relay in North Coast, Madang Province

The Oil Search Pacific Games Relay had an early start this morning, taking off up the north coast of Madang province through cocoa and coconut plantations keeping parallel to the coast.
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The baton was taken over the Mangrove Lodge water bridge before being taken to sea by outrigger canoe.
The village christened a new park named Pacific Games Park, a plaque was unveiled by Oil Search representative, Ruth Waram.
The Principal of Malala Secondary discussed how this was first time such a thing as the baton had come to Malala, Bogia province, which was welcomed by cheers from the crowd.
At Medebur village the villagers lined the road to pass the baton along. The Relay team stopped at the Tufina Surf Club and were shown the young surfers on the waves and their homemade surfboards.
The ‘depe; dancers from Murukanam also appeared out of the bushes to grab the baton, with their unusual face decorations covering their eyes and mouths as they represent their ancestors.
This was followed by a quick stop at Rembu village to hear the song they had written for the relay and before finishing off at the Cocoa Institute where the team were treated to a display of their industry activities, the baton took a quick trip up a coconut palm and then the cowboys on horseback took the baton on a cattle drive.
The Oil Search Pacific Games relay travels to the Highlands for the first time as the team prepare to fly to Goroka Monday morning.

Photo credit: madNESS photography