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Artist’s death clouds South Pacific arts festival
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Posted on Oct 25 2000
Noumea (PINA Nius Online) - Tragedy struck hours before the South Pacific Festival of Arts was due to open here when a Samoan participant collapsed and died.
The man, an artist aged about 55, collapsed while rehearsing for the official opening ceremony which was scheduled for last night, but postponed because of bad weather in this French territory.
Attempts by colleagues and paramedics, who arrived shortly after he collapsed at the nearby field, failed to revive him.
Scores of artists and delegates from New Zealand, Niue and Papua New Guinea looked on in shock as his body was taken to a nearby hospital.
Among the first at the scene, and forming a line of honor were members of PNG’s 96-member team. PNG is represented by dancers, performing artists and craftsmen from New Ireland, Morobe and West New Britain provinces.
The group arrived late Friday night aboard a chartered Air Niugini Airbus, to an unexpected but a pleasant welcome from the Kanak people of South New Caledonia at Noumea’s Tontouta International Airport.
Kanak Chief Clement Paita, in his welcoming speech, offered his people’s warm welcome to the PNG delegation, saying Papua New Guineans are at home in New Caledonia as they shared many common ties including that of being Melanesians.
The PNG delegation headed by National Cultural Commission chairman, Dr. Jacob Simet, is among the most popular and noisiest group in town, with Kundu beats, songs and dance, reverberating against the backdrop of the Noumea Harbor and hills.
The PNG group comprises of dancers, weavers, carvers, craftsmen and performing artists from Toukai in New Ireland, the Kitten group from Morobe and the Mugger group from West New Britain.
Twenty Seven nations will bring New Caledonia alive with displays of their culture and craftsmanship for the next two weeks beginning today, weather permitting.
