Its a day-to-day lifestyle of the Islanders especially those that people that living on small Islands on the Coastline. For the people of Sohano Island in Buka, Bougainville, Mona is their daily mode of transport to and from different places that they would do trade. It has hold a special place in their daily livelihoods for generations.
Mona is a Bougainville traditional canoe which carries the pride of Buka people as it was used by their ancestors as a traditional mode of transportation. Its a special type of canoe which was used in the past for trading and was very useful for Buka Islanders. The tradition is carried on from generations that depicts their livelihood and its also used for fishing, transportation and trade between villages.
The Mona traditional canoe is from the people of Hahalis, Gogohe, Malasang and Leta villages in the Gogohe Contingency located along the East Coast of Buka Island, in Autonomous Region of Bougainville. To celebrate this unique lifelong tradition, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Government through the Bougainville Arts, Culture and Tourism Authority (BACTA) took the initiative to partner with the National Cultural Commission to establish a cultural festival in the region since its inception in 2022. In doing so, NCC as the agency responsible for all the cultural affairs which includes cultural festivals and shows stepped in to support the cultural festival in a way to help protect, preserve, promote and safeguard this unique culture.
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