Brian and Jan Thorpe, David Scott and Lee-Anne Burnett have just returned from their latest visit to the Papuan provinces. As usual, it was wonderful to catch up with all the old friends scattered across the provinces.
David and his clean water team set up new partnerships with three Papuan universities to work on the first flush clean water collection system in local communities. Highlights of the visit included an impromptu performance by Otto Soor’s Ukelele Ensemble in the foyer of our hotel in Sorong. Then there was the inaugural Sorong Cultural Festival organised by Rita Kemesfle of the Malamoi BPEC centre.
This amazing event illustrated the new commitment by BPEC teachers to use their English classes as a tool to promote indigenous culture, language, story telling and song. It was a marvellously energetic and colourful event celebrating the indigenous cultures of the Sorong region whilst using English as a tool to showcase it to visitors and the local community.
BPEC classes travelled up to five hours from Teminabuan, Klabra, Maybrat and Malamoi to present their wonderful performances featuring the colourful culture of their homeland. We are looking forward to a repeat performance next year.