The Cultural Orientation Course remains the Melanesian Institute’s foundational and heritage program. Since its establishment that initiated by SVD in 1969, MI has offered the COC as a key formation program, playing a vital role in preparing missionaries and expatriates to serve with deeper understanding, cultural sensitivity, and respect for the rich diversity of Papua New Guinea.

This year’s course was guided by the theme: “PNG Mission: …Land of the UNEXPECTED…Cultures to be RESPECTED…Faith to be UPLIFTED.” The program aimed to equip participants with practical knowledge, cultural awareness, and pastoral attitudes necessary for effective and respectful mission engagement in the Papua New Guinea context.

In his opening address, Br. Martin Tnines, SVD, as the Director of the Melanesian Institute explained that the theme invites participants to understand Papua New Guinea as a “Land of the Unexpected,” shaped by complex historical, social, cultural, and political realities. He emphasized the importance of respecting Melanesian cultures through dialogue and genuine appreciation, while also acknowledging challenges related to power dynamics, misunderstanding, and rapid social change. The dimension of “Faith to be Uplifted,” he noted, encourages reflection on how Christian faith can be authentically rooted and meaningfully expressed within local cultures and lived experiences.

Throughout the two-week program, participants took part in lectures by expert persons, group discussions, guided reflections, documentary screenings, and practical learning activities. The course highlighted the importance of contextualizing the Gospel, recognizing the goodness present in every culture, and discerning how faith and culture can mutually enrich one another in mission life.

The curriculum was structured around three thematic clusters that together deepened participants’ understanding of mission, society, and development in Papua New Guinea. The first cluster, Mission and Contextualization, traced missionary engagement across time—from pre-colonial contexts to contemporary challenges—while exploring the “4Ms” of mission: manpower, multiculturalism, mercy, and money. The second cluster, Social Institutions and Integration, examined traditional and introduced social systems across the life course, highlighting kinship, gender, family, politics, and law, as well as issues of social cohesion, marginalization, and lateral violence. And the third cluster, Social Mobility and Sustainability, addressed patterns of social mobility and development, focusing on education, health, employment, and land tenure, alongside the complex impacts of extractive industries, global economic forces, and the pursuit of sustainable, grassroots development.

As part of the experiential learning component, participants visited several institutions and communities, including a coffee factory, the National Museum of Goroka, the Liturgical Catechetical Institute, the University of Goroka, and the Asaro Mudmen community. These exposure visits provided valuable insights into local history, culture, and contemporary social life in Papua New Guinea.
One participant, Sr. Antonette Rebello, FMA, of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, shared that the course highlighted the beauty of diversity and the unique contributions of each culture to society. She expressed gratitude to God and to the Melanesian Institute for what she described as a memorable, enriching, and life-changing experience.

And in his samap na sanap (summing up and stand up), Fr. John Timo, SVD, the program organizer, expressed appreciation for the active participation, openness, and commitment demonstrated by the participants throughout the course. He reaffirmed that the Cultural Orientation Course remains an important ministry of the Melanesian Institute, continuing to assist missionaries and lay workers in serving the people of Papua New Guinea with humility, cultural respect, and a deeper commitment to the cultural and Gospel values.