Sepik River Crocodile & Arts Festival

The Sepik River Crocodile and Arts Festival is a three-day cultural celebration staged annually in Ambunti, East Sepik Province.

The festival highlights the crocodile and its cultural significance to the communities living along the Sepik River.


In Sepik culture man and crocodile share a special bond. The Crocodile symbolizes strength, power and manhood.  Skin-cutting initiations continue in Sepik River communities where men proudly wear scars cut into their skin during the rite of passage. These scars, resembling the back of a crocodile, run from shoulder to hip.

Crocodiles are significant to the Sepik culture where they have cultural traditions, beliefs and legends based on this ancient animal.

The festival is usually held every first weekend of August.  For 2019 'save the date' for August 5th - 7th to experience the culture and beauty of one of Papua New Guinea's fascinating tribal heartlands.