Singsing for a remote building dedication

The new classroom (center) and dorm (right) in the morning sun

 

A few years ago, our ten-language Bible translation project in Papua New Guinea started to outgrow our current facilities. We needed more classroom space, more dorm rooms, more staff housing, and a new generator. Before we returned to the States for our home assignment last year, I had worked with teammates, architects, and funding partners to plan for the construction of four new buildings. Most of the build happened during the year that we were away.

Missy and Emil managed the whole building project while we were home in the States

 

When we returned to PNG, our local colleagues had decided that we needed to do the culturally appropriate thing and host a building dedication. Traditionally, people in this part of the country cannot use a new house or building until they have hosted various groups to come sing and dance on the buildings and officially open them up. Sometimes the dancing is so energetic that it seems to serve the purpose of testing the strength of the new building.

For this opening, our village partners decided that the real purpose of this event was to dedicate these buildings to God and to his continued work through this language development project. So they invited one local singsing group to sing and dance, and various local church and community leaders were also invited to join in dedicating the new buildings to God. It was a day full of decorating the buildings, singing, dancing, speeches, prayers, cutting the tape, cooking, eating, and enjoying sweet fellowship together.

The pictures that follow are just a glimpse at all the beautiful art and joyful activities of the day…

 

Fastening bilas (decorations)

 

Adding color – the new and the old

 

Hold still

 

Women folk of the local translation advisor

 

Children getting all decked out

 

Almost ready to begin the festivities

 

Many speeches

 

Cutting the tape

 

Exploring the new buildings

 

All dressed up and ready to dance

 

Singsing Tumleo – a song learned by grandparents from a neighboring language

 

Watching the singsing from the decorated new verandah

 

Taking a breather before the next verse

 

The next generation with PNG flag colors

 

A headdress to match her afro

 

Learning from the grandparents

 

The littlest dancer

 

Too much excitement for this little super man

 

Someday, he’ll join the fun

 

Keeping the fire going

 

Cooking fish

 

Waving the flies off

 

Distributing bread rolls

 

Waiting patiently to eat

 

Time to rest and story

 

Leading the singsing with a flare