Oil Search Pacific Games Relay in Abau District, Central Province
First stop at the Abau district border was at Upalima where the community carried the Baton in on a people carrier between the students of Upalima Primary and Elementary schools.
Then on to the stilt village of Wanigela where the team loaded into colourfully decorated banana boats to pole the way through the village at low tide, as a brief rain shower hit the Relay.
The Baton runner jumped down into mud up to his thighs and ran out to the water and from there the Baton was then run along the village walkways.
The Baton was then transferred to a traditional double hulled canoe and toured the Marshall lagoon.
A stop at Kelerakwa Village to a sing sing welcome and Relay around the village before being handed over to a former Team Papua New Guinea judo medallist on the racing canoes from Gavuone Village.
Next, a very quick paddle, by the racing teams, across the lagoon entrance and another singsing welcome on the white beach of Gavuone, after the Relay team got carried in over the mud flats.
From here the Relay wound its way through the village with kids piling onto trucks behind the runners until there were more bodies than truck left to see.
The Relay made its way into Kupiano town and was run by community leaders, sports stars from now and yesteryear and school representatives, ending with Sir Puka Temu and Lady Temu at the town oval.
Sir Puka Temu formally thanked the Relay for taking the time to get to Abau, “home of the best mud runners in PNG”. Sir Temu wished all of Team PNG the best of luck, on behalf of all the people of Abau.
On Saturday the Oil Search Pacific Games Relay woke up in Rigo district and spent its final day in Central Province.
Officially welcomed into Rigo District at Magautou where villagers dressed in bilas witnessed the handover to District CEO.
The Baton was then driven through the villages of Lebugoro and Gomore and a number of schools on its way to Kwikila.
At Kwikila a Relay was run around the town before the Relay headed off to Hood Lagoon where the three villages of Keapara, Alukune and Karawa, known locally as KAK all came to touch the Baton at the Keapara oval.
The community of KAK proudly included all previous South Pacific Games participants in the events of the day, including gold medallist cricketers Guma Ravu, Leka Leka, Tuku Raka, Kota Ila and Mari Leka from the 1991 and 1987 games, silver medallist netballers Numa David and Rawa Kali from the 1985 mini games and soccer stars from 1969, Tala Hobart and Wala Walo.
The community sing sing included the Karawa Womens Fellowship Group marching band resplendent in their spotless green and white uniforms.
After boating back over to the mainland the team raced away to the villages of Gaire and Tubusereia, on the way back into Port Moresby.
Gaire village ran a Relay from the highway and through the village where madness reigned as kids and youth scrambled to get a touch of the Baton.
At Tubusereia the Relay into the village ended with formalities, prayer, and dance and song to celebrate the arrival of the Baton. The villagers passed the Baton around amongst themselves, taking family photos, whilst the entertainment played.
This marked the end of the relay outside of Port Moresby, host city for the 15th Pacific Games.
The Oil Search Pacific Games Relay arrives into NCD by lagatoi canoe to Ela beach, on Monday morning to spend the week in the capital before it takes its place as part of the Opening Ceremony.
Photo credit: madNESS Photography
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