Hiri Moale Festival set to return in September

Hiri Moale Festival set to highlight Hiri Trade and cultural ties. ( Image: Supplied)

The Motu Koita Assembly [MKA] has announced the dates for the 2026 Hiri Moale Festival, with the iconic cultural event set to return in September.

Speaking at a media launch at City Hall this morning, MKA Chairman and NCD Deputy Governor Russell Simon Wavik confirmed the festival will run from September 8 to 13.

The new dates mark a shift from recent years, when the festival was held earlier in the year. This year’s event will conclude one week before Papua New Guinea’s 51st Independence anniversary.

Wavik also announced the creation of a new cultural division within the Assembly, aimed at preserving and documenting the history of the Hiri Trade and the traditions of the Motu and Koitabu people.

The 2026 festival will also see expanded participation from Gulf Province, with several cultural groups expressing interest in taking part.

NCD Deputy Governor, Russell Wavik (Image: Supplied)

Mr Wavik said the move recognises the historical ties between the Gulf and Central Province, where Motu-Koita ancestors traded clay pots for sago.

“This inclusion ensures the people of Gulf Province are recognised as part of this shared history,” he said.

The launch was hosted by reigning Hiri Hanenamo and Cultural Ambassador, Miss Luisa Margaret Udia.

The festival is expected to feature key highlights including the Hiri Hanenamo (Hiri Queen) pageant, the arrival of the Lakatoi, and traditional canoe races.