THE Kia community of Isabel province demonstrated traditional turtle hunting during the ceremony of declaring Arnavon Island as a marine park.

Men and women of Kia community dramatised the lack of emotions towards the plight of captured Hawksbill turtles when slaughtered, something which spooked and captivated onlookers.

The demonstration depicted men on war canoes while women sing and dance when men returned with hundreds of turtles for feasts.

Explaining the ritual, Mrs Christian Maezama said, “This is the ceremony women do when men return from turtle hunting, and from far we will listen to con-shell as it gives as messages of five sounds, it means fifty turtle were killed.

“When men arrive, women will prepare ceremony because this turtle feasting is important event for community in Kia.

“Now this turtle hunting done before, since Arnavon become conservation we no longer do traditional hunting to catch turtle.”

Mrs Maezama highlights The Nature Conservancy’s concept of conservation and recommends communities to uphold them.

“Conservation help us to sustain our resources, and I am supporting the notion that comes to exist in declaring The Arnavon Community Marine Park, and regarding my tribe we are initiator to registered the place.”

Chief of Kia and Pioneer, Mr William Lesley Miki said he is excited an Act is put in place and has teeth to bite to protect everything needed to be preserved on Arnavon Island.

“So it need your help, if you have no love, peace and unity, that spirit never work, and every community must work together before we can go forward, stewardship means you and I to look after God’s creation,” Mr Miki said.