Culture

Culture · Rabaul & Matupit

Confront Our Culture

Immersive music, food & island life

Join local Tolai hosts for hands-on workshops, vibrant singsings, and intimate community experiences — from mumu lunches to the National Mask Festival.

Tours to your taste
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Song, dance & ceremony

Confront Our Culture

Rabaul is renowned for its rich traditions of song, dance and ceremonies. These range from deeply rooted cultural rituals to songs telling recent events, and even entertaining performances filled with humour and local flavour.

In more recent times, string bands featuring guitars and ukuleles became popular, followed by Paus Bens — groups using electric instruments. You’ll hear this music in shops, buses and public spaces across Rabaul and Kokopo. Choral singing, especially undirected four-part harmony in church groups, remains a cornerstone of Tolai life.

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String bands

Guitars and ukuleles that became popular in more recent times.

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Paus Bens

Groups using electric instruments, heard in shops, buses and public spaces across Rabaul and Kokopo.

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Choral singing

Undirected four-part harmony in church groups — a cornerstone of Tolai life.

Mid-July

National Mask Festival & Warwagira

Held every mid-July, the National Mask Festival showcases singsings, string bands, Paus Bens, and choirs. Designed for visitors, the festival offers an up-close look at a wide variety of performances. We can arrange custom visits combining festival highlights with island excursions to Matupit and the Duke of York Islands.

See the festival package
Harbour and volcanic landscape of Rabaul, seen from the Matupit peninsula

Island life

Island life on Matupit

Matupit — once an island, now a peninsula between Tavurvur and Rabaul town — offers volcano views, community restoration projects and unique local experiences such as hot springs where megapode eggs are boiled by locals.

  • Volcanological Observatory (Haus Guria) & old Rabaul ruins
  • Community gardens, United Church and restoration efforts
  • Hot springs & local culinary traditions

An interactive experience

This isn’t just sightseeing — it’s participatory

Prepare a traditional mumu or aigir lunch, learn pandanus weaving and basketry, try your hand at tambu shell strings and join a singing group to learn Tolai songs and dances.

  • Mumu & aigir

    Prepare a traditional lunch with local hosts.

  • Pandanus weaving

    Learn weaving and basketry by hand.

  • Tambu strings

    Try your hand at tambu shell strings.

  • Song & dance

    Join a singing group to learn Tolai songs and dances.

Tours to your taste

Private experiences, shaped around you

We offer tailored itineraries for individuals and small groups. Tell us your interests — cultural performances, island exploration, festival packages or culinary workshops — and we’ll create a private experience.

Small-group focus · Local Tolai hosts · Custom itineraries

Make & learn

Cultural workshops

Enhance your visit with immersive workshops led by skilled Tolai artisans. Learn the art of tapa cloth making, traditional drumming rhythms, or local dance choreography.

  • Tapa cloth painting & design
  • Drumming and rhythm workshops
  • Traditional dance lessons

Taste

Gastronomic delights

Experience the diverse flavours of Rabaul’s culinary heritage. From freshly caught seafood grilled over coconut husks to rich desserts infused with tropical fruits, every meal tells a story.

  • Seafood feasts with the locals
  • Coconut and taro-based desserts
  • Tropical fruit tasting sessions

Book your experience

Sit with song, food and island life

Please contact us at rabaulscenictours@gmail.com to arrange your customized tour.

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