Bogebada Lakatoi returns to Era Kone after historic voyage
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Traditional dancers from Manumanu Island and Hanuabada village welcomed the Bogebada, a traditional Hiri Lakatoi, as it arrived at Era Kone in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The Lakatoi is central to the annual Hiri Moale Festival, which commemorates the historic trade voyages of the Motu people. According to legend, Edai Siabo built the first Lakatoi after a sea spirit instructed him to construct a large vessel filled with cooking pots and sail westward.
The spirit appeared to Siabo while he was fishing, pulling him underwater before giving him instructions. Siabo’s wife played a vital role in ensuring the voyage’s success, adhering to strict rules including staying within her house, keeping a fire lit, and marking the passing days. Villagers initially believed Siabo and his crew had perished, even pressuring his wife to remarry, but the Bogebada eventually returned, bringing with it plentiful sago from the Gulf of Papua.
These Hiri voyages allowed the Motu people to trade their prized cooking pots for sago, sustaining their families and reinforcing their community bonds. For the Motu, the land and sea provided everything they needed, and food symbolized wealth and togetherness.
