Maprik Haus Tambaran to promote Culture and Tourism

The people of Abilam Tribe of Maprik in the East Sepik Province (ESP) have built a new “Haus Tambaran” as part of building Tourism in the area as well as preserving the cultures of the people of Maprik.

Ward 3 Councillor of Maprik Mora LLG and foreman of the project Joxy Sangikra, said it was through the PNG Eco Tourism Consultancy Services’ workshops on Tourism in ESP that gave him the idea of building the Haus Tambaran.

He said the project also educates the younger generations of the Abilam Tribe and Maprik as a whole to know that the “Haus Tambaran” is a very important part of their culture that they must preserve.

“Our culture is slowly dying and involving many of the young in the project is educative of how to build this traditional structure in our tribe and place when they grow up and take leadership roles in the village, they would already know how to build it and pass it on to the next generation”, Mr Sangikra said.

Mr Sangikra will be traveling with the PNG Eco Tourism team to Australia to the Eco Tourism’s Sydney Office to market the project as a one of the successful projects in the area available for Tourist visit in ESP.

The “Haus Tambaran” was described by Mr Sangikra as similar to the National Parliament House in Waigani and in Maprik it is where people gather for meetings and other village organised activities, such as the counting of the “Ring Shell” (shell money) and feasts.

PNGFM