Naomi Faik-Simet

Naomi Faik-Simet (b. 1977) is a Papua New Guinean dance researcher at the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies. She is the first PhD from Papua New Guinea to graduate from a dance studies program. Fail-Simet is also the first dance research her country's government ever employed. She works to preserve and create cultural traditions. Papua New Guinea is working to be modern. Sometimes people do not like traditional ideas. Faik-Simet wants people from Papua New Guinea to remember their culture and not just adopt other cultural traditions. She teaches people about traditional and contemporary dance and music. She shows people traditional and new arts can go together. She represents Papua New Guinea for UNESCO's Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre, the International Council for Traditional Music, World Dance Alliance, and World Alliance for Arts Education. 
Early Life.
Faik-Simet was born in Papua New Guinea. She grew up during the period after Papua New Guinea became independent from Australia. 
Career.
In 2001, Faik-Simet started working for the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies. In 2003 she returned to University of Papua New Guinea to complete her undergraduate college degree. She completed her degree in 2005. Soon, Faik-Simet realized she needed more education. First, she connected with experts who lived in New Zealand, Nicholas Rowe and Ralph Buck. In 2010 she got a scholarship from the University of Auckland to study a traditional dance called "gunge takwaku."
Faik-Simet graduated from University of Auckland in New Zealand with a PhD in dance studies in November, 2021. She studied in New Zealand from. April 28, 2017 until Dec 29, 2020. She studied the impact of colonialism on dance education in Papua New Guinea. Faik-Simet studied how to use dance to pass down culture and knowledge. She is now the assistant director at the Institute of Papua New Guinea. Faik-Simet is the only dance researcher in Papua New Guinea. 
Faik-Simet helps organize conferences, like the 8th Symposium of the ICTM Study Group on Music and Dance of Oceania.
She received the Mineral Resource Development Co (MRDC) award in 2011 for making an impact in decolonising dance in Papua New Guinea. The award is a Westpac Public Sector award. It is part of the Westpac Outstanding Women Award.
Personal Life.
Faik-Simet and her husband have two children.