TRADITIONAL SALT FESTIVAL TO BE HOSTED IN LAGAIP

CAPTION: Traditional salt ponds at Mulisos village in the Pilikambi local level government area of Lagaip District.

BY MORTIMER YANGHARRY

THE second Lagaip Traditional Salt Festival will be hosted by the people of the Pilikambi LLG in Lagaip District from September 10 – 11 at Mulisos village.

Lagaip Traditional Salt Festival Organising Committee Chairman Mr Tony Sulupin highlighted that salt makers will demonstrate how traditional salt was made and traded with people from other parts of the district and province.

“There will be demonstration of some young women from different villages and cultural brideprice to be paid to the bride using the native salt,” Mr Sulupin said.

He added that the construction of a traditional rope bridge will also be demonstrated to signify trade relations following bride price payments where the bride act as a bridge connecting relationships between two different clans or tribes in traditional Engan society.

“Several cultural groups will showcase their diverse cultural heritages to add ingredients to the festival,” Mr Sulupin said.

He maintained that Mulisos village was specifically chosen to host this important traditional event as traditional salt trade was mostly dominated in this village where people from all across Enga Province and neighboring provinces came to trade traditional salt as the area is renowned for its traditional salt ponds.