Michael Mel

Michael Mel is a Papua New Guinean academic in visual arts at the University of Goroka, curator, philosopher, musician and playwright. Mel was born in 1959 in Wila near Vulcano Hagan in the Western Highlands.^[1][2]

Michael Mel
Born	1959 Wila, near Mount Hagen, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
Education	Educated by the Sisters of Mercy
Occupation(s)	Academic, curator, philosopher, musician, playwright
Employer	University of Goroka
Known for	Visual and performance art, body painting, preservation of Chanted Tales
Awards	Prince Claus Award (2006)

Early life

Michael Mel born in 1959, was from Wila village, Mount Hagen. His father had great memory remembering family history up to 5 generations. His parents never tasted rice and bread, and Michael revealed he grew up on kaukau (sweet potatoes). He went to school with Sisters of Mercy.^[3]

Career

As an artist Mel principally specialized in performance and installation art and body painting. Furthermore, he is known for his Chanted Tales, traditional historic stories of local people that serve for passing social responsibility and morality. Mel exerted himself to it that people obtained access to them again, since they had fallen into oblivion since English language had become the principal language in the country.^[1][2]

Awards

In 2006 Mel was honored with a Prince Claus Award for his key role in the cultural development of the communities of the highlands of Papua New Guinea.^[4][5]