By Simon Keslep

The 14th National Kenu & Kundu Festival will get underway today in Alotau, Milne Bay Province.
It is one of the annual cultural events and is known to highlight some of the diverse and unique cultures of Milne Bay province. It is a three day (November 3-5) event.
The festival attracts both local and international tourists who come together at the festival’s main arena located right at the heart of Alotau town opposite the busy Alotau market.
Today’s program will begin with the Tohimila cultural groups entertaining and welcoming political and private sector dignitaries including the festival’s chairman and the working committee.
This will be followed by traditional dances from different cultural groups within the respective rural local level governments, districts of Milne Bay including a performance by the Mailu Island cultural group from Abau in the Central province.
The Post-Courier team was on the ground to visit the festival’s main arena yesterday and found out that preparations like stalls for corporate stakeholders, arts and crafts, traditional groups including the main arena were all completed on time.
Major business houses including local arts and crafts producers will also have their products up for sale giving locals and visiting tourists a chance to bring home something as souvenirs in remembrance of the festival.
The evening program will also provide a highlight with locally well-known musical band Holimaea from Gulf province including Milne Bay’s own string bands providing entertainments on stage.
Tomorrow’s program will also see the continuation of cultural groups performing and then later in the afternoon will be another highlight-Waluma/Buluagalagala culture group presenting a re-enactment of the Kula Trade.
The sailing of canoe race will be the main highlight on Sunday (day three) with also performances from cultural groups. Later in the afternoon will feature a speech and video presentation by Danish film maker Thor Jensen on the World’s first circumnavigation of the island of New Guinea in a traditional sailing canoe.
Jensen’s presentation will be held at the Massim Museum Wanigili Centre.