Tumbuna

Ocean play has been part of the coastal culture in Madang, PNG for thousands of years. Traditional PNG surfing is a form of body surfing, using pieces of broken canoe, the bark of a coconut tree or even the base of a sago palm branch to slide along the waves that come during the abundance of Taro season.
Over the past thirty years PNG has been a growing destination for the western surf tourist.
The international surfers arrive with modern fibreglass surfboards that are very easy to paddle, ride and are ridden standing up.
The dynamic approach that these boards bring to PNG is clearly very seductive and the locals began to desire and acquire this equipment.
The key issue is that this equipment is expensive, fragile, made out of toxic materials which created a disposal issue and culture of dependence.
Tumbuna is a form of resistance that helps decolonize this impact and helps continue the traditional foundations, so to build positive change into the future.

Haus Tumbuna is a working model to illustrate a mode of practice, one that reduces cultural dependance. This happens through the nurturing and celebration of the deeply connected spirit and long established traditions of the Papua New Guinean people.

Short term:
Haus Tumbuna creates an awareness of environmentally friendly and culturally appropriate surfboards.
The production quality and surfing performance is world class, this visual sample will deeply humble all that witness. Once the audience can see how holistic the Haus Tumbuna project is there will be a desire to support the cause, by visiting the surf camp, buying a board or by donating to the project.

Mid term:
Haus Tumbuna will expose a refined working model by and for the community. This process is built out of a deep connection to ones’ environment and will help act as a catalyst for the audience to reimagine a more conscious version of themselves.

Long term:
Haus Tumbuna has a balsa tree plantation ready to mill in two years. With this timber we will provide the world’s first surfboard specific grown and milled timber to market. All Haus Tumbuna profits go to the local health, education, culture and empowerment of women projects

The Surfers Journal is working on an article as part of the films build up and for TSJ to be the media platform of distribution following the festival circuit period.
World Surfaris is already a sponsor of Tumbuna, through this connection we gain a major network.
Haus Tumbuna has already collaborated with Patagonia team surfers and one snow snowboarder (we made a timber board that was ridden in the surf and snow and it was published in a japanese magazine) Haus Tumbuna is currently in conversation with Patagonia Japan for them to host a series of regional screenings.
Tumbuna Co-Director Matthew Hannon writes for Swellnet.com and will create an article that profiles the project prior to the regional tour
There will be regional tours in Australia, America & Europe,
Independent filmmaker Andrew Kidman will mentor us on the Australian tour, Tumbuna shaper Josh Martin will arrange the events in the USA and Tumbuna Surfer Justine Mauvine will arrange the events in Europe.

Tumbuna is a film about the longstanding project that is Haus Tumbuna which is in itself a direct stand of decolonisation. Tumbuna will show Haus Tumbuna as the leading edge of independent cultural survivalist activity.
The international surfers and shapers in Tumbuna are visiting a special place, treading lightly, arriving with limited baggage, an open mind and an open heart. This mode of travel or way of being is a powerful take away.
The simplicity and value in looking at the history, local heritage is of great importance here. Tumbuna is a clear example of how we can build sustainable processes by maintaining traditional methods with a little modern adaptation in design, tools and resources.
The audience can acquire a fresh way of traveling and be reminded of the value in rethinking old ideas so to not just accept the status-quo, so we can build a future that works best for our cultures and our communities.