Amazing Games Opening Draws Criticism
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Tania Nugent is credited with starting popular Papua New Guinean children’s television program Kids Kona. She was a television presenter of Australian TV program ‘Nexus’ for many years before becoming the Managing Director of Makoda Productions Ltd, a PNG registered company incorporated on the 4th of July 2014 which has a total of 2 shareholders - one of whom is listed as Australian, and has 5 directors – two of whom are listed as Australian.
Over the last one week, Tania Nugent has personally received a lot of praise and credit for the production of the Opening Ceremony at the Fifteenth South Pacific Games. However, the Opening Ceremony which Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, personally described as the “most amazing spectacular opening ceremony” also received wide spread criticism - primarily due to the alteration of the National Anthem which Pastor Joseph Walters and also Hon. Tobias Kulang member of parliament for Kundiawa-Gembogl criticised in an article published by the Post Courier on Tuesday this week. It is an issue which more than 900 people are following on PNG NEWS and hundreds of people have commented about on PNG NEWS.
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| Original dress designed by Anna Amos – picture published in April this year by Legacy Talent Management |
During the Opening Ceremony, as witnessed possibly by millions of viewers around the world, a group of children sang an altered “version” of the National Anthem with the inclusion of the word “daughters” at the beginning of the National Anthem and the omission of important wording at the ending of the National Anthem. Instead of singing the words “O arise all you sons of this land” the children sang “Oh arise sons and daughters of this land”.
The ending of the National Anthem, which arguably is the most fundamentally important part of the National Anthem, was excluded during the recitation on the night of the Opening Ceremony. The lyrics excluded being:
‘Now give thanks to the good Lord above for His kindness, His wisdom and love for this land of our fathers so free, Papua New Guinea. Shout again for the whole world to hear, Papua New Guinea. We're independent and we're free, Papua New Guinea’.
Tania Nugent was contacted on Tuesday and asked to respond to questions put to her as soon as possible about two separate but related issues. Firstly, Tania Nugent was asked “Is it true that Makoda Productions is responsible for altering the National Anthem and having the National Anthem incorrectly sung during the opening ceremony of the Pacific Games??”
Her response: “Regarding your question about the National Anthem lyrics, yes, Makoda Productions is responsible for all the components of the creative in the Opening Ceremony including that version of the National Anthem.”
As pointed out by a member of PNG NEWS, under the National Identity Act 1971 improper use of a National Anthem is an offence. However the Penalty which it seems has not been changed for more than 40 years is ‘A fine not exceeding K1,000.00’. Perhaps Hon. Tobias Kulang can address this issue on the floor of parliament on behalf of concerned citizens during the next sitting of parliament and move to have the penalty greatly increased as soon as possible.
The recitation of the Preamble to the Constitution during the Opening Ceremony also caused a lot of confusion. Its alteration made many people mistakenly believe that the National Pledge had also been altered. Most of the official Preamble (which includes the National Goals and Directive Principles) in the Constitution was excluded during the recitation of the Preamble during the Opening Ceremony. Instead selected wording derived under only two National Goals: ‘2. Equality and participation, and 4. Natural resources and environment’ were included at the end of the recitation. However both parts were also altered by the inclusion and exclusion of different words and therefore also incorrectly recited.
On the second issue, Tania Nugent was asked the following questions:
“Is it true that a fashion designer called Anna Amos approached you to buy a fashion design (described by Anna Amos as her 'red signature dress') which Anna Amos claimed you refused to buy?”
“Are you or any person employed by your company Makoda Productions in any way responsible for having any design by Anna Amos reproduced without the permission of Anna Amos for a model to wear during the opening ceremony of the Pacific Games?”
Anna Amos, a well-known PNG fashion designer who many people would agree produces unique, stunning, eye-catching pieces, had publicly alleged that Tania Nugent “stole” her red signature dress – a very striking design that captures and displays the very essence of modern PNG fashion in true PNG colours.
Anna Amos tagged Tania Nugent in a Facebook post on July 4 at 8:43pm and told her: “Oh my gosh Tania Nugent..you stole my red signature dress for the placard bearer at the pacific games opening...after you refused to pay for my original design.. do you understand that you stole my talent and intellectual property rights? AA tribal is a registered company so I’ll see you and your team on Monday..”
Tania Nugent expressed disappointment at the post by Ms Amos and has denied that any copyright laws were broken. “Suffice to say we have nothing to hide and did not break any copyright laws” she said in response to questions put to her.
“She has my number and could have spoken directly with me” she also said.
However, according to Section 4 of the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2000, it appears that the ‘red signature dress’ design which was easily recognizable to many people as a design created by Anna Amos would be legally considered “protected works” and eligible for copyright. Subject to Section 17 of the Act, ‘the economic and moral rights in respect of a copyright work shall be protected during the life of the author and for a period of 50 years of the date of his death’. The Act further stipulates under Section 17, “In the case of a work of applied art, the economic and moral rights shall be protected for a period of 25 years from the making of the work.”
In a prepared statement received by PNG NEWS on Thursday about the ‘Placard Bearer costumes’, Tania Nugent said “Makoda Productions approached fashion designer Anna Amos to see if she could make 24 red, black and gold costumes based on one of her AA Tribal dresses.”
“The obstacle That prevented us from using the AA Tribal original design was the fee that Anna Amos quoted of K1000 per garment, a total of K24,000.”
“To spend K1000 on one costume would be an extremely irresponsible use of the funding we had for this ceremony.”
“The costume is inspired by, but not stolen from AA Tribal. It is also inspired by our nation flag and traditional block printing techniques” Tania Nugent also claimed.
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*A statement by Anna Amos, the sole shareholder and director of AA’s Tribal Fashions Limited, in response to the statement by Makoda Productions Limited (as reproduced below) is expected to be made later after Anna Amos speaks with her team.
MAKODA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED
Public statement in response to the social media conversations and questions regarding the placard bearer costumes in the PNG 2015 Pacific Games Opening Ceremony.
Opening Ceremony Producer, Makoda Productions has never attributed the design of the placard bearer costume to anyone or denied any connection with the costume to the AA Tribal dress.
Makoda Productions approached fashion designer Anna Amos to see if she could make 24 red, black and gold costumes based on one of her AA Tribal dresses.
The obstacle That prevented us from using the AA Tribal original design was the fee that Anna Amos quoted of K1000 per garment, a total of K24,000.
To spend K1000 on one costume would be an extremely irresponsible use of the funding we had for this ceremony.
There was a cast of thousands to transport and feed every day for a month of rehearsals, hundreds of people who came from the Provinces to accommodate and look after, more than a thousand costumes to put together, the hundreds of props and set pieces to create and a crew working on round the clock shifts.
We understand that Anna Amos is a leading influence on the PNG fashion scene but we could not engage her services at that price.
With only 10 days until the ceremony and 24 tailor made costumes to produce we elected To proceed with our red, black and gold PNG theme. Appropriate changes were made for the costume pattern, alternative prints were sourced and the costume pattern and the print design do not breach any copyright. The costume is inspired by, but not stolen from AA Tribal. It is also inspired by our nation flag and traditional block printing techniques.
Makoda Productions is not selling the costumes or competing in AA Tribal’s marketplace.
In spite of it not being an original AA Tribal design, this costume was still an opportunity to make reference to PNG and Pacific fashion through the influence of one the regions emerging fashion designers.
We are disappointed that the exposure given to Anna Amos through her influence on this costume in The Opening Ceremony has been negative and not positive.
Makoda Production would like to thank the many numbers of other Leading Papua New Guinean artists, designers and musicians who so willingly embraced the opportunity to come On board and contribute in the true spirit of patriotism, in the biggest collaboration by our creative artists this country has ever seen.
