*You can have cordial 4 breakfast.
* You have Buai for Lunch.
* You still live with your parents even though you're 30.
*U bring your boyfriend/girlfriend to the house and everyone's concluded that you are married!
* You wear board shorts to cruz in town even though u r not going 4 a swim (KBS 2 the max!).
* You share one cigarette with five other people.
* Your Mother gives your father Black eyes.
* You have about 3 families living in one house.
* Still keep drinking even though you can barely talk and walk.
* At any major function, instead of a plate, your food comes in a plastic container.
* You run into a mountain of Slippers blocking the front door.
* Your staple diet is rice and tin fish or Ox & palm.
* You have a huge gap between your first two toes, (excessive thong wear...).
* Swimming pool is filled with people wearing t-shirts, (Females).
* You can sprint barefoot on sharp stones and rocks.
* You wake up and go straight to work or classes.
* At crossings, u r supposed 2 wait 4 the car to stop b4 crossing, not the other way around.
* Your first and last names are the same. (John John).
* You have a perpetually drunk Uncle who starts fights at every family gathering.
* You call a friend - (squad).
* Every time you greet someone he says "YOU"?.
* You have sat in a 4-seater car with up to 8 other people.
* You can speak with your face - eg. Twitch like a rabbit to ask, Where you going?"
* Your Grandmother thinks Vicks Vapor-Rub is the miracle cure for everything> (including broken bones ....).
* You're getting a hiding and your parents yell at you as to ,"Why you are crying for?" ("you karai lo wanem ah ......").
* You've been shamed and belted up by your Mother in front of schoolmates at the Supermarket.
* You're a Tycoon on your payday by shouting everyone and scab money off people till the next fortnight.
* You invite people over for dinner and your family all of a sudden says the grace.
* You've had an afro at some stage in your life (boys AND girls) and thought you looked cool.
* You're at your Aunties and see your 6 year old cousin doing household chores.
* Your Aunty visits and she's talking to you at the same time as looking in your pots for food...
* You go to your village rich and come back poor.
* You have lap laps for curtains in your house.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The write stuff now and into the future
It is while doing my annual end-of-year clean-up over the Christmas/New Year (2006/2007) period that I find a couple of old Kovave magazines from the early 1970s buried under a mountain of paper, novels and assorted paraphernalia.
I flick through the old Kovave magazines, hand-me-downs from my late father, and the memories of another day come to mind.
It is like being transported back to the halcyon days of Papua New Guinea literature in pre-1975.
For those who came in late, Kovave was arguably the best-ever literary publication of the young University of PNG, featuring some of our greatest talent such Vincent Eri, Albert Maori Kiki, Kumulau Tawali, John Kasaipwalova, Leo Hannett, Rabbie Namaliu, Russell Soaba, John Kadiba, John Kaniku, and many others.
Apart from Kovave, their work was also featured on the National Broadcasting Commission’s popular not-to-be missed Sunday night dramas and other literary programmes.
I lie on my mountain of paper and let my mind wander back to those days when such powerful writings so influence my young mind.
My wife wakes me up from my reverie and I fast-forward back to the future just like I am in a time machine.
Coincidentally, I happen to meet senior UPNG literature lecturer and established writer Dr Steven Winduo - who is a good friend of mine and part of the campus literary crowd in the 1980s – at the market that afternoon and we make it a point to meet some time.
Dr Winduo now wears many hats including being director of the Melanesian and Pacific Studies (MAPS) Centre at UPNG, and chairman of the National Literature Board, to name a few.
He believes that PNG literature is undergoing a renaissance after a literary lull between the ‘80s and ‘90s.
“I can see that there is a wave of new voices of PNG literature since last year when we started the National Literature Board,” Dr Winduo says.
“National Literature Board is under the auspices of the National Cultural Commission, so, we began to run the national literature competition
“When it started we had more than 300 entries.
“We had about six novels, a lot of short stories, poems and plays.
“That indicates to me that people are writing.
“But what they need is the support of the government as well as people in places such as UPNG to help them.
“This is very important because over the years, between the ‘70s and ‘90s, there was a literary gap.
“Commentators were saying that literature was dead in PNG, that the ‘80s and ‘90s was almost like ‘death’.
“I came through from that generation of a literary lull.
“People believed Papua New Guineans didn’t have the creative power anymore.
“But 2000 and beyond, individual writers began to publish.
“I think 2000 and onwards, we began to see new writers coming out.
“Some of them are very good.”
Dr Winduo’s MAPS Centre has a publishing programme in place; however, this has been limited because of funding constraints.
This is something that he feels strongly about.
“If we don’t give writers that opportunity (to publish), the work of a lot of people with literary talent will not see the light of day.”
Dr Winduo is also mindful that critical reading of quality works by Papua New Guineans is not done.
“This concerns me as a scholar.
“Otherwise, creativity is there.”
He also acknowledges the work of the Divine Word University in Madang in supporting literature.
“Balanced with scholarly work, fiction and non-fiction, I believe the university should play a central role in fostering and in developing cultural consciousness in PNG,” he adds.
“In some ways, my centre plays a major role and I’m very confident of seeing a lot more writing coming out.
“UPNG still runs Savannah Flames literary journal.
“It’s supposed to come out once a year.
“This is one avenue for writers to submit their works for publication.
“That’s the only journal that encourages creative writing.
“That’s now supported by MAPS Centre.
“Apart from that, I see the future as plentiful, but how do we cultivate it is the question?
“If you think about it, writing is now powerful.
“There are so many things happening in our country, so get the pen and write.”
Dr Winduo also feels that PNG writers are not given ample recognition, as well as financial endowment.
“One of my views is that I really want to see the government recognise our writers.
“Give them a medal or something.
“Maybe have totem poles named after them.
“Look at Russell Soaba, who was given a 30th anniversary independence medal (in 2006).
“It took the government so many years to recognise this writer.
“Albert Maori Kiki, Vincent Eri and others are recognised all over the world but they are not recognised in their own country.
“The other issue is that the government should look at creating an endowment fund for the arts, which is really a kind of funding mechanism to support all arts, including the literary art.
“The endowment fund can be used to support publishing houses.
“Without the endowment, it’s a bottleneck situation.
“For example, we at MAPS, are working with very limited funding.
“Literature and the arts have been very poor recipients of private sector support.”
Papua New Guinea literature took a giant step forward in May 2006 when the first-ever writers’ workshop was held at the Holiday Inn, Port Moresby, organised by the National Literature Board and the National Cultural Commission.
More than 80 aspiring and established writers rubbed shoulders in a long-overdue event.
Dr Winduo was away in New Zealand at that time, however, gave his full support to the event.
“That (workshop) should have been in the ‘80s,” he says.
“The feedback I got is that writing is there.
“It’s the support that the government gives as well as UPNG that is needed.
“I see the future of literature opening up.
“This is a concerted effort by like-minded people and institutions who are saying ‘let’s work together’.
“Literature goes into other activities and feeds its consciousness.
“The ability of Papua New Guineans is there”
I flick through the old Kovave magazines, hand-me-downs from my late father, and the memories of another day come to mind.
It is like being transported back to the halcyon days of Papua New Guinea literature in pre-1975.
For those who came in late, Kovave was arguably the best-ever literary publication of the young University of PNG, featuring some of our greatest talent such Vincent Eri, Albert Maori Kiki, Kumulau Tawali, John Kasaipwalova, Leo Hannett, Rabbie Namaliu, Russell Soaba, John Kadiba, John Kaniku, and many others.
Apart from Kovave, their work was also featured on the National Broadcasting Commission’s popular not-to-be missed Sunday night dramas and other literary programmes.
I lie on my mountain of paper and let my mind wander back to those days when such powerful writings so influence my young mind.
My wife wakes me up from my reverie and I fast-forward back to the future just like I am in a time machine.
Coincidentally, I happen to meet senior UPNG literature lecturer and established writer Dr Steven Winduo - who is a good friend of mine and part of the campus literary crowd in the 1980s – at the market that afternoon and we make it a point to meet some time.
Dr Winduo now wears many hats including being director of the Melanesian and Pacific Studies (MAPS) Centre at UPNG, and chairman of the National Literature Board, to name a few.
He believes that PNG literature is undergoing a renaissance after a literary lull between the ‘80s and ‘90s.
“I can see that there is a wave of new voices of PNG literature since last year when we started the National Literature Board,” Dr Winduo says.
“National Literature Board is under the auspices of the National Cultural Commission, so, we began to run the national literature competition
“When it started we had more than 300 entries.
“We had about six novels, a lot of short stories, poems and plays.
“That indicates to me that people are writing.
“But what they need is the support of the government as well as people in places such as UPNG to help them.
“This is very important because over the years, between the ‘70s and ‘90s, there was a literary gap.
“Commentators were saying that literature was dead in PNG, that the ‘80s and ‘90s was almost like ‘death’.
“I came through from that generation of a literary lull.
“People believed Papua New Guineans didn’t have the creative power anymore.
“But 2000 and beyond, individual writers began to publish.
“I think 2000 and onwards, we began to see new writers coming out.
“Some of them are very good.”
Dr Winduo’s MAPS Centre has a publishing programme in place; however, this has been limited because of funding constraints.
This is something that he feels strongly about.
“If we don’t give writers that opportunity (to publish), the work of a lot of people with literary talent will not see the light of day.”
Dr Winduo is also mindful that critical reading of quality works by Papua New Guineans is not done.
“This concerns me as a scholar.
“Otherwise, creativity is there.”
He also acknowledges the work of the Divine Word University in Madang in supporting literature.
“Balanced with scholarly work, fiction and non-fiction, I believe the university should play a central role in fostering and in developing cultural consciousness in PNG,” he adds.
“In some ways, my centre plays a major role and I’m very confident of seeing a lot more writing coming out.
“UPNG still runs Savannah Flames literary journal.
“It’s supposed to come out once a year.
“This is one avenue for writers to submit their works for publication.
“That’s the only journal that encourages creative writing.
“That’s now supported by MAPS Centre.
“Apart from that, I see the future as plentiful, but how do we cultivate it is the question?
“If you think about it, writing is now powerful.
“There are so many things happening in our country, so get the pen and write.”
Dr Winduo also feels that PNG writers are not given ample recognition, as well as financial endowment.
“One of my views is that I really want to see the government recognise our writers.
“Give them a medal or something.
“Maybe have totem poles named after them.
“Look at Russell Soaba, who was given a 30th anniversary independence medal (in 2006).
“It took the government so many years to recognise this writer.
“Albert Maori Kiki, Vincent Eri and others are recognised all over the world but they are not recognised in their own country.
“The other issue is that the government should look at creating an endowment fund for the arts, which is really a kind of funding mechanism to support all arts, including the literary art.
“The endowment fund can be used to support publishing houses.
“Without the endowment, it’s a bottleneck situation.
“For example, we at MAPS, are working with very limited funding.
“Literature and the arts have been very poor recipients of private sector support.”
Papua New Guinea literature took a giant step forward in May 2006 when the first-ever writers’ workshop was held at the Holiday Inn, Port Moresby, organised by the National Literature Board and the National Cultural Commission.
More than 80 aspiring and established writers rubbed shoulders in a long-overdue event.
Dr Winduo was away in New Zealand at that time, however, gave his full support to the event.
“That (workshop) should have been in the ‘80s,” he says.
“The feedback I got is that writing is there.
“It’s the support that the government gives as well as UPNG that is needed.
“I see the future of literature opening up.
“This is a concerted effort by like-minded people and institutions who are saying ‘let’s work together’.
“Literature goes into other activities and feeds its consciousness.
“The ability of Papua New Guineans is there”
Monday, July 21, 2008
Wednesday July 23 is Remembrance day in Papua New Guinea
Wednesday 23rd July is a public holiday in Papua New Guinea and marks the 66th anniversary of the first engagement by PNG and Australian forces against the invading Japanese in WWII.
Out of the chaos and death that followed came the enduring heroism of the Kokoda Trail, and the special relationship that has bound PNG and Australia ever since.
One of the bloodiest campaigns of the Second World War began 66 years ago on Wednesday this week, July 23.
And it has forever sealed the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
It was on this day, in 1942, that Japanese troops landed on the northern coast of New Guinea and unexpectedly began to march over the Owen Stanley Ranges with the intent of capturing Port Moresby.
Had they succeeded, the mainland of Australia would have come under dire threat.
July 23 - Remembrance Day - marks the 60th anniversary of the first engagement between the opposing troops on July 23, 1942, and from that engagement, as the Australian force was progressively outnumbered, began the long fighting withdrawal over the Owen Stanley Range.
The 21st Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Potts DSO MC, was rushed to New Guinea and within days, its 1500 men were closing in on the precarious Owen Stanley Ranges in an attempt to position themselves to stop the advance of the Japanese forces - now building up to over 10, 000 men.
The brigade also engaged the ill-trained but gallant militia 39th Battalion at Isurava in the foothills on the far side of the range.
Kokoda was arguably Australia's most significant campaign of the Second World War.
More Australians died in the seven months of fighting in Papua, and the Japanese came closer to Australia, than in any other campaign.
Many of those young Australians, whose average age was between 18 and 19, now lie buried at the Bomana War Cemetery outside Port Moresby.
The famous photograph of "fuzzy wuzzy angel" Raphael Oimbari leading a blindfolded wounded Australian epitomizes the close relationship between Australians and Papua New Guineans which has come about because of the battle of Kokoda.
To read between the lines of "Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels", the celebrated poem by Australian digger Bert Beros, will bring you to tears.
The poem, while sentimental, touches a chord that has endured to this day in the hearts of both Australians and Papua New Guineans.
It tells of the prayers of worried Australian mothers, whose young sons are fighting the Japanese on that rugged trail, and how their prayers are answered in the form of "fuzzy wuzzy angels".
Many a mother in Australia when the busy day is done
Sends a prayer to the Almighty for the keeping of her son
Asking that an angel guide him and bring him safely back
Now we see those prayers are answered on the Owen Stanley Track.
For they haven't any halos, only holes slashed in their ears
And their faces worked by tattoos with scratch pins in their hair
Bringing back the badly wounded just as steady as a horse
Using leaves to keep the rain off and as gentle as a nurse
Slow and careful in the bad places on the awful mountain track
The look upon their faces would make you think Christ was black
Not a move to hurt the wounded as they treat him like a saint
It's a picture worth recording that an artist's yet to paint
Many a lad will see his mother and husbands see their wives
Just because the fuzzy wuzzy carried them to save their lives
From mortar bombs and machine gun fire or chance surprise attacks
To the safety and the care of doctors at the bottom of the track
May the mothers of Australia when they offer up a prayer
Mention those impromptu angels with their fuzzy wuzzy hair.
- Bert Beros
In 1942, a seldom-used track climbed from the small village of Buna on the north coast of Papua, over the Owen Stanley Ranges and on to Port Moresby.
The track was fairly easy up the slopes through Gorari and Oivi to the village of Kokoda, which stood on a small plateau 400 metres above sea level, flanked by mountains rising to over 2000 metres.
It then climbed over steep ridges and through deep valleys to Deniki, Isurava, Kagi, Ioribaiwa, Ilolo and, at Ower's Corner, linked with a vehicle road leading from plantations in the hills above Port Moresby down to the coastal plains.
Between Kokoda and Ilolo, the track often climbed up gradients so steep that it was heartbreaking labor for burdened men to climb even a few hundred yards.
Much of the track was through dense rainforest, which enclosed the narrow passage between walls of thick bush.
At higher levels the terrain became moss and stunted trees, which were often covered in mist.
From July to November 1942 this was the setting for a bitter campaign to prevent the fall of Port Moresby.
On January 23, 1942, the Japanese landed at Kavieng on New Ireland and at Rabaul on New Britain where they quickly overcame the Australian defenders.
On March 8, the Japanese established themselves firmly at Lae and Salamaua in Morobe.
But the famous Battle of the Coral Sea from May 5 to 8 averted a Japanese sea-borne invasion of Port Moresby.
The American success at the Battle of Midway in June not only destroyed Japan's capacity for undertaking long range offensives but also provided the Americans with the opportunity to move from the defensive to the offensive.
The Japanese, who were regularly bombing Port Moresby with 20 to 30 bombers with fighter escort, decided on the overland attack across the Owen Stanley Ranges.
On the Kododa Trail the Australian 7th Division resisted the Japanese General Horii's overland attempt to capture Port Moresby, and the advance was halted within 30 miles of the city.
A small force of Australians known as "Maroubra Force" arrived at Buna on July 21st, 1942, as the first Japanese force of 1500 men landed at Gona, eight miles to the west.
What followed will forever go down as one of the most heroic defensive actions in the annals of military history.
The first engagement between the opposing troops was on July 23, 1942, and from that engagement, as the Australian force was progressively outnumbered, began the long fighting withdrawal over the Owen Stanley Range.
Kokoda is a small plateau on the north-east slopes of the Owen Stanley Range and possessed a small airstrip the retention of which, for at least as long as it would take Australia to fly in supplies and reinforcements, was of great importance.
However, the remnants of "Maroubra Force", exhausted by a month's constant fighting, were unable to achieve this. Valiant though their effort was, even recapturing the plateau after being driven out, the Japanese need was of equal importance.
They needed a forward base at Kokoda for their drive over the ranges along the "Kokoda Trail" to Port Moresby and they struck before the Australians were able to muster sufficient strength.
The initiative now remained with the Japanese and Australian withdrawal began again - through Isurava, Alola, Templeton's Crossing, Myola, Efogi, Menari and Nauro until at Ioribaiwa Ridge, beyond which the Japanese could not be permitted to penetrate, a final stand was made.
From August 26 to September 16 in 1942 Brigadier Potts's Maroubra Force, consisting of the 2/16th Battalion, together with the 2/14th, the 2/27th and the militia 39th and scattered elements of the ill-trained 53rd Battalion - outnumbered and outgunned by an estimated 5 to 1 - fought the Japanese to an eventual standstill on the ridges overlooking Port Moresby.
Two main battles were fought during that period (Isurava, August 26 to 29 and Brigade 'Butchers' Hill, from September 6 to 8).
In general, the desperately-tired but determined force kept themselves between the Japanese Major General Horri's South Sea Force and Port Moresby -- defending, retreating and then counter-attacking in a masterly display of strategic defence.
Conditions were almost indescribable.
It rained for most of the time, the weary men endured some of the most difficult terrain in the world and they were racked by malaria and dysentery.
But they kept on fighting, making the enemy pay dearly for every yard of ground. They bought time for those being prepared to come up from Port Moresby to relieve them.
The Australians, however, had a surprise in store for the enemy.
This was in the form of 25-pounder guns brought from Moresby to the road head at Ower's Corner and then laboriously dragged into position at Imita Ridge, opening up on the enemy's barricades.
It was now the turn of the Japanese to suffer what the Australians had suffered in the preceding two months.
Australian shelling smashed Japanese defences and aggressive patrols inflicted severe losses.
On the morning of September 28th, the Australians were closing in and it became evident then the Japanese were withdrawing.
The chase, with the Australians the pursuers, was now on.
The Japanese, despite sickness and hunger, were still formidable and tenaciously defended all the places in their withdrawal as the Australians had in their retreat some weeks earlier.
Kokoda was entered on November 2 and this was the beginning of the end of Japanese hopes in Papua.
The campaign now entered a phase known as "The Battle of the Beaches".
The Japanese were bottled up in the area from where they had begun their drive against Port Moresby some months previously -- Buna and Gona.
This final campaign began on November 19, 1942, and ended on January 22, 1943, when all organised resistance by the Japanese in Papua ended.
Lt Col Honner DSO MC, who commanded the gallant 39th in the campaign, later wrote of these men in the foreword to Peter Brune's book 'Those Rugged Bloody Heroes': "They have joined the immortals." Of those that did not survive, he wrote: "Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free."
Out of the chaos and death that followed came the enduring heroism of the Kokoda Trail, and the special relationship that has bound PNG and Australia ever since.
One of the bloodiest campaigns of the Second World War began 66 years ago on Wednesday this week, July 23.
And it has forever sealed the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
It was on this day, in 1942, that Japanese troops landed on the northern coast of New Guinea and unexpectedly began to march over the Owen Stanley Ranges with the intent of capturing Port Moresby.
Had they succeeded, the mainland of Australia would have come under dire threat.
July 23 - Remembrance Day - marks the 60th anniversary of the first engagement between the opposing troops on July 23, 1942, and from that engagement, as the Australian force was progressively outnumbered, began the long fighting withdrawal over the Owen Stanley Range.
The 21st Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Potts DSO MC, was rushed to New Guinea and within days, its 1500 men were closing in on the precarious Owen Stanley Ranges in an attempt to position themselves to stop the advance of the Japanese forces - now building up to over 10, 000 men.
The brigade also engaged the ill-trained but gallant militia 39th Battalion at Isurava in the foothills on the far side of the range.
Kokoda was arguably Australia's most significant campaign of the Second World War.
More Australians died in the seven months of fighting in Papua, and the Japanese came closer to Australia, than in any other campaign.
Many of those young Australians, whose average age was between 18 and 19, now lie buried at the Bomana War Cemetery outside Port Moresby.
The famous photograph of "fuzzy wuzzy angel" Raphael Oimbari leading a blindfolded wounded Australian epitomizes the close relationship between Australians and Papua New Guineans which has come about because of the battle of Kokoda.
To read between the lines of "Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels", the celebrated poem by Australian digger Bert Beros, will bring you to tears.
The poem, while sentimental, touches a chord that has endured to this day in the hearts of both Australians and Papua New Guineans.
It tells of the prayers of worried Australian mothers, whose young sons are fighting the Japanese on that rugged trail, and how their prayers are answered in the form of "fuzzy wuzzy angels".
Many a mother in Australia when the busy day is done
Sends a prayer to the Almighty for the keeping of her son
Asking that an angel guide him and bring him safely back
Now we see those prayers are answered on the Owen Stanley Track.
For they haven't any halos, only holes slashed in their ears
And their faces worked by tattoos with scratch pins in their hair
Bringing back the badly wounded just as steady as a horse
Using leaves to keep the rain off and as gentle as a nurse
Slow and careful in the bad places on the awful mountain track
The look upon their faces would make you think Christ was black
Not a move to hurt the wounded as they treat him like a saint
It's a picture worth recording that an artist's yet to paint
Many a lad will see his mother and husbands see their wives
Just because the fuzzy wuzzy carried them to save their lives
From mortar bombs and machine gun fire or chance surprise attacks
To the safety and the care of doctors at the bottom of the track
May the mothers of Australia when they offer up a prayer
Mention those impromptu angels with their fuzzy wuzzy hair.
- Bert Beros
In 1942, a seldom-used track climbed from the small village of Buna on the north coast of Papua, over the Owen Stanley Ranges and on to Port Moresby.
The track was fairly easy up the slopes through Gorari and Oivi to the village of Kokoda, which stood on a small plateau 400 metres above sea level, flanked by mountains rising to over 2000 metres.
It then climbed over steep ridges and through deep valleys to Deniki, Isurava, Kagi, Ioribaiwa, Ilolo and, at Ower's Corner, linked with a vehicle road leading from plantations in the hills above Port Moresby down to the coastal plains.
Between Kokoda and Ilolo, the track often climbed up gradients so steep that it was heartbreaking labor for burdened men to climb even a few hundred yards.
Much of the track was through dense rainforest, which enclosed the narrow passage between walls of thick bush.
At higher levels the terrain became moss and stunted trees, which were often covered in mist.
From July to November 1942 this was the setting for a bitter campaign to prevent the fall of Port Moresby.
On January 23, 1942, the Japanese landed at Kavieng on New Ireland and at Rabaul on New Britain where they quickly overcame the Australian defenders.
On March 8, the Japanese established themselves firmly at Lae and Salamaua in Morobe.
But the famous Battle of the Coral Sea from May 5 to 8 averted a Japanese sea-borne invasion of Port Moresby.
The American success at the Battle of Midway in June not only destroyed Japan's capacity for undertaking long range offensives but also provided the Americans with the opportunity to move from the defensive to the offensive.
The Japanese, who were regularly bombing Port Moresby with 20 to 30 bombers with fighter escort, decided on the overland attack across the Owen Stanley Ranges.
On the Kododa Trail the Australian 7th Division resisted the Japanese General Horii's overland attempt to capture Port Moresby, and the advance was halted within 30 miles of the city.
A small force of Australians known as "Maroubra Force" arrived at Buna on July 21st, 1942, as the first Japanese force of 1500 men landed at Gona, eight miles to the west.
What followed will forever go down as one of the most heroic defensive actions in the annals of military history.
The first engagement between the opposing troops was on July 23, 1942, and from that engagement, as the Australian force was progressively outnumbered, began the long fighting withdrawal over the Owen Stanley Range.
Kokoda is a small plateau on the north-east slopes of the Owen Stanley Range and possessed a small airstrip the retention of which, for at least as long as it would take Australia to fly in supplies and reinforcements, was of great importance.
However, the remnants of "Maroubra Force", exhausted by a month's constant fighting, were unable to achieve this. Valiant though their effort was, even recapturing the plateau after being driven out, the Japanese need was of equal importance.
They needed a forward base at Kokoda for their drive over the ranges along the "Kokoda Trail" to Port Moresby and they struck before the Australians were able to muster sufficient strength.
The initiative now remained with the Japanese and Australian withdrawal began again - through Isurava, Alola, Templeton's Crossing, Myola, Efogi, Menari and Nauro until at Ioribaiwa Ridge, beyond which the Japanese could not be permitted to penetrate, a final stand was made.
From August 26 to September 16 in 1942 Brigadier Potts's Maroubra Force, consisting of the 2/16th Battalion, together with the 2/14th, the 2/27th and the militia 39th and scattered elements of the ill-trained 53rd Battalion - outnumbered and outgunned by an estimated 5 to 1 - fought the Japanese to an eventual standstill on the ridges overlooking Port Moresby.
Two main battles were fought during that period (Isurava, August 26 to 29 and Brigade 'Butchers' Hill, from September 6 to 8).
In general, the desperately-tired but determined force kept themselves between the Japanese Major General Horri's South Sea Force and Port Moresby -- defending, retreating and then counter-attacking in a masterly display of strategic defence.
Conditions were almost indescribable.
It rained for most of the time, the weary men endured some of the most difficult terrain in the world and they were racked by malaria and dysentery.
But they kept on fighting, making the enemy pay dearly for every yard of ground. They bought time for those being prepared to come up from Port Moresby to relieve them.
The Australians, however, had a surprise in store for the enemy.
This was in the form of 25-pounder guns brought from Moresby to the road head at Ower's Corner and then laboriously dragged into position at Imita Ridge, opening up on the enemy's barricades.
It was now the turn of the Japanese to suffer what the Australians had suffered in the preceding two months.
Australian shelling smashed Japanese defences and aggressive patrols inflicted severe losses.
On the morning of September 28th, the Australians were closing in and it became evident then the Japanese were withdrawing.
The chase, with the Australians the pursuers, was now on.
The Japanese, despite sickness and hunger, were still formidable and tenaciously defended all the places in their withdrawal as the Australians had in their retreat some weeks earlier.
Kokoda was entered on November 2 and this was the beginning of the end of Japanese hopes in Papua.
The campaign now entered a phase known as "The Battle of the Beaches".
The Japanese were bottled up in the area from where they had begun their drive against Port Moresby some months previously -- Buna and Gona.
This final campaign began on November 19, 1942, and ended on January 22, 1943, when all organised resistance by the Japanese in Papua ended.
Lt Col Honner DSO MC, who commanded the gallant 39th in the campaign, later wrote of these men in the foreword to Peter Brune's book 'Those Rugged Bloody Heroes': "They have joined the immortals." Of those that did not survive, he wrote: "Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free."
Plans to build hotel in famous Lae Botanical Garden kick up a stink
(Note: If you wish to make a comment on this burning issue, click comments at the bottom of this posting)
Talks going on between the Forest Ministry and a private company to build a hotel in the middle of the famous Lae Botanical Garden have kicked up a stink.
Forestry Minister Belden Namah revealed in Parliament last week that his Ministry was making K7 million available to rehabilitate the Lae BotanicalGarden.
He said the plan to build the hotel was purposely to make the Lae Botanical Garden, which is one of the Papua New Guinea's biggest of its type, to sustain itself because for many years the Government had neglected this most-beautiful botanical gardens in the country.
Mr Namah said his ministry was in the process of signing the agreement between the company, the Morobe Provincial Government and the Forest Ministry for the proposed hotel development.
"The Government will now be making available K7 million to rehabilitate the botanical gardens and on top of that, there is a plan to give more than K100 million towards the proposed hotel project in the middle of the Lae Botanical Garden," he said.
B. Javanese wrote: “The proposal put forward by the PNG Gardener to have a five-star
hotel right in the heart of the botanical garden as part of rejuvenating the gardens as a tourist attraction is seen as a blatant blow to the purpose this garden exists for.
“ I am sure if he puts up a hotel, all the grass roots will be stopped outright from going in and out for family reunions, meetings, sightseeing and other picnics and activities.
“I propose the garden be left as it is and just work on putting up facilities and upgrading the beautification of the gardens.
“Income from the hotel will not at all sustain it.
“It is a public facility for the people of PNG and should be maintained at the expense of the taxpayers of this country and not be given to private companies.
“ If that happens the primary reason why the garden exists will be defeated.”
Max Kuduk wrote: “While on the face of it, the idea might be a good one, there seems be something that does not add.
“The Government putting up K7 million for garden re-development and K100 million for hotel development?
“ Does not seem like a kosher deal to me.”
Former PNG Forest Authority staffer Dr Osia Gideon wrote: “This is the most outrageous proposal I have ever seen.
“We never seem to learn!
“ Who will own the hotel when constructed?
“How many government business ventures have been running profitably over the
years?
“Almost none.
“ Like Max I sense a very fishy deal, tailored for someone's benefit.
“Every Papua New Guinea must oppose this proposal.
“The National Botanical Garden belongs to the people of Papua New Guinea, and must remain that way.
“ Too much public land and property has gone to individuals with political connections.
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”
Dr Simon Saulei of the University of PNG: “Like Dr Gideon, I am very concern about this outrageous proposal.
“Why not spend that K10 or so millions on upgrading the gradens than building a hotel?
“ I have more to say but let us see this proposal and make our comments on it or better still front up with the Minister and tell him and his Morobe counterpart about the purpose of the garden and what really needs to be done and be sustained over a longer period of time.”
Laden wrote: “There are few facts that minister Nama and his forestry advisors need to know about Botanical Garden.
“Lae National Botanic garden is about 0.00002 % of the PNG’s current forested land area (29473000 ha).
“This is a very tiny piece of forest area by comparison yet it houses an estimated; 5-10% of all the plant species occurring on the island of New Guinea.
“About 2% of these plant are endemic to the island of New Guinea (found nowhere else in the world).
“The garden also holds remnant flora from one of the world’s oldest land mass, namely; Madagascar.
“The garden is very unique in many facets.
“For example, it is the only piece of land in Lae that remains to this day to tell of the kind of native flora of the LAHI tribal land, it is the only botanical garden in the entire PNG that has both the montane and lowland forest species coexisting, it is the only place in PNG that our children and their children can get to see one of the giant tree species Shoraea sp (Dipterocarpaceae), it is the only botanic garden in PNG which our children can see world’s most primitive flora.
“The botanic garden also provides a refuge for a rich resident bird fauna in the middle of all the noisy streets and ugly buildings.
“The Lae Botanical garden is certainly a great natural emporia of the New Guinea flora which primary schools, high schools, secondary high schools, colleges, and universities utilise in their curriculum.
“It is a Natural Heritage and warrants a designation equivalent to all our protected areas.
“Its biological, ecological, and esthetic values are clearly of national and global significance.
“ Lae Botanic garden indeed is perhaps the only significant piece of forest which has the capacity to effectively sequestrate all the toxic fumes generated in Lae city.
“The native plant species in the Botanic garden can be used as wild plant parent genetic material (PGR) that can produce new and improved tree crops that may be more resilient.
“The conversion of botanic garden to hotel will result in loss of the endemic species which would mean not only a loss to PNG, but a loss to the world as well.
“Minister should also know about the rate of deforestation in PNG.
“ PNG’s current rate of deforestation is 0.44 %, according to FAO report of the United Nations (1995-2005).
“ Deforestation rate in Japan, Australia, and USA; is 0.17%, 0.17%, and -0.10% respectively.
“It would seem that in our blindness in rushing to catch-up with their development, such as the crazy proposed hotel in the middle of botanic garden; we have neglected to see the greater care they have put into guarding their natural heritage and resources.”
“A case in point; the Didipa clan of Kau wildlife area in Madang, they did not have the necessary formal education in biodiversity and conservation that ministers advisors have, but what they were able to achieve in conserving and saving their forest is something that would make any conservationist proud.
“They have with limited resources, no formal education and little capital of their own, been able to set aside their small area of forested land all because they had the belief that what they were doing was right.
“Some of the plant species in the Lae Botanical Garden have little scientific data on their biology.
“Hence PNG has a country needs to preserve and conserve these species for future research to fulfill its global responsibility to protect and maintain all species within its borders.
“This knowledge is also critical for the development of effective conservation measures and for the preservation of biodiversity.
“What Lae Botanic Garden needs now to restore its former glory is a stand alone funding and not a squeezed-up funding from PNGFRI as is the case now.
“The Botanic garden has been in the past able to attract hundreds and thousands of tourists in a year without a hotel.
“ Records should show that not a single one of the tourists ask to see a five-star hotel in the botanic garden, so where is this crazy idea coming from?
“Come on! Wake up Minister and Advisors from this callous!”
Thomas Warr wrote: "I would suggest someone or a group in Lae to organise a meeting for us to talk about this.
"In saying that I think we should organise the Lae communities/groups to protest against this proposal."
Talks going on between the Forest Ministry and a private company to build a hotel in the middle of the famous Lae Botanical Garden have kicked up a stink.
Forestry Minister Belden Namah revealed in Parliament last week that his Ministry was making K7 million available to rehabilitate the Lae BotanicalGarden.
He said the plan to build the hotel was purposely to make the Lae Botanical Garden, which is one of the Papua New Guinea's biggest of its type, to sustain itself because for many years the Government had neglected this most-beautiful botanical gardens in the country.
Mr Namah said his ministry was in the process of signing the agreement between the company, the Morobe Provincial Government and the Forest Ministry for the proposed hotel development.
"The Government will now be making available K7 million to rehabilitate the botanical gardens and on top of that, there is a plan to give more than K100 million towards the proposed hotel project in the middle of the Lae Botanical Garden," he said.
B. Javanese wrote: “The proposal put forward by the PNG Gardener to have a five-star
hotel right in the heart of the botanical garden as part of rejuvenating the gardens as a tourist attraction is seen as a blatant blow to the purpose this garden exists for.
“ I am sure if he puts up a hotel, all the grass roots will be stopped outright from going in and out for family reunions, meetings, sightseeing and other picnics and activities.
“I propose the garden be left as it is and just work on putting up facilities and upgrading the beautification of the gardens.
“Income from the hotel will not at all sustain it.
“It is a public facility for the people of PNG and should be maintained at the expense of the taxpayers of this country and not be given to private companies.
“ If that happens the primary reason why the garden exists will be defeated.”
Max Kuduk wrote: “While on the face of it, the idea might be a good one, there seems be something that does not add.
“The Government putting up K7 million for garden re-development and K100 million for hotel development?
“ Does not seem like a kosher deal to me.”
Former PNG Forest Authority staffer Dr Osia Gideon wrote: “This is the most outrageous proposal I have ever seen.
“We never seem to learn!
“ Who will own the hotel when constructed?
“How many government business ventures have been running profitably over the
years?
“Almost none.
“ Like Max I sense a very fishy deal, tailored for someone's benefit.
“Every Papua New Guinea must oppose this proposal.
“The National Botanical Garden belongs to the people of Papua New Guinea, and must remain that way.
“ Too much public land and property has gone to individuals with political connections.
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”
Dr Simon Saulei of the University of PNG: “Like Dr Gideon, I am very concern about this outrageous proposal.
“Why not spend that K10 or so millions on upgrading the gradens than building a hotel?
“ I have more to say but let us see this proposal and make our comments on it or better still front up with the Minister and tell him and his Morobe counterpart about the purpose of the garden and what really needs to be done and be sustained over a longer period of time.”
Laden wrote: “There are few facts that minister Nama and his forestry advisors need to know about Botanical Garden.
“Lae National Botanic garden is about 0.00002 % of the PNG’s current forested land area (29473000 ha).
“This is a very tiny piece of forest area by comparison yet it houses an estimated; 5-10% of all the plant species occurring on the island of New Guinea.
“About 2% of these plant are endemic to the island of New Guinea (found nowhere else in the world).
“The garden also holds remnant flora from one of the world’s oldest land mass, namely; Madagascar.
“The garden is very unique in many facets.
“For example, it is the only piece of land in Lae that remains to this day to tell of the kind of native flora of the LAHI tribal land, it is the only botanical garden in the entire PNG that has both the montane and lowland forest species coexisting, it is the only place in PNG that our children and their children can get to see one of the giant tree species Shoraea sp (Dipterocarpaceae), it is the only botanic garden in PNG which our children can see world’s most primitive flora.
“The botanic garden also provides a refuge for a rich resident bird fauna in the middle of all the noisy streets and ugly buildings.
“The Lae Botanical garden is certainly a great natural emporia of the New Guinea flora which primary schools, high schools, secondary high schools, colleges, and universities utilise in their curriculum.
“It is a Natural Heritage and warrants a designation equivalent to all our protected areas.
“Its biological, ecological, and esthetic values are clearly of national and global significance.
“ Lae Botanic garden indeed is perhaps the only significant piece of forest which has the capacity to effectively sequestrate all the toxic fumes generated in Lae city.
“The native plant species in the Botanic garden can be used as wild plant parent genetic material (PGR) that can produce new and improved tree crops that may be more resilient.
“The conversion of botanic garden to hotel will result in loss of the endemic species which would mean not only a loss to PNG, but a loss to the world as well.
“Minister should also know about the rate of deforestation in PNG.
“ PNG’s current rate of deforestation is 0.44 %, according to FAO report of the United Nations (1995-2005).
“ Deforestation rate in Japan, Australia, and USA; is 0.17%, 0.17%, and -0.10% respectively.
“It would seem that in our blindness in rushing to catch-up with their development, such as the crazy proposed hotel in the middle of botanic garden; we have neglected to see the greater care they have put into guarding their natural heritage and resources.”
“A case in point; the Didipa clan of Kau wildlife area in Madang, they did not have the necessary formal education in biodiversity and conservation that ministers advisors have, but what they were able to achieve in conserving and saving their forest is something that would make any conservationist proud.
“They have with limited resources, no formal education and little capital of their own, been able to set aside their small area of forested land all because they had the belief that what they were doing was right.
“Some of the plant species in the Lae Botanical Garden have little scientific data on their biology.
“Hence PNG has a country needs to preserve and conserve these species for future research to fulfill its global responsibility to protect and maintain all species within its borders.
“This knowledge is also critical for the development of effective conservation measures and for the preservation of biodiversity.
“What Lae Botanic Garden needs now to restore its former glory is a stand alone funding and not a squeezed-up funding from PNGFRI as is the case now.
“The Botanic garden has been in the past able to attract hundreds and thousands of tourists in a year without a hotel.
“ Records should show that not a single one of the tourists ask to see a five-star hotel in the botanic garden, so where is this crazy idea coming from?
“Come on! Wake up Minister and Advisors from this callous!”
Thomas Warr wrote: "I would suggest someone or a group in Lae to organise a meeting for us to talk about this.
"In saying that I think we should organise the Lae communities/groups to protest against this proposal."
Russell Soaba’s world
Welcome to Russell Soaba’s world.
He is the portrait of the odd man out, an individual, and a great thinker.
Russell Soaba is also one of the greatest, if not the greatest, writer in Papua New Guinea.
His works, particularly novels Maiba and Wanpis, are studied in universities around the world by students of literature and philosophy.
Followers of the existentialism philosophy around the world dote on the writings of Russell Soaba.
It is, however, a paradox that Russell Soaba is not even recognised in his own country Papua New Guinea for his great contribution to the country’s literature.
In 2006, he was awarded a Papua New Guinea independence medal, something that was supposed to have been given in 2000 but deferred because of the troubles on the University of PNG campus.
For this he is grateful, and adds that it is something for all the writers of Papua New Guinea, both young and old.
The 58-year-old, who speaks in parables, was born the “day after the 4th of July in 1950”.
“I think it’s about time,” he tells me in a rare interview.
“The only writer we have honoured, but in that matter for some other reason, is Sir Paulias Matane, with Michael Somare, Rabbie Namaliu, these people.
“But they are being honoured for some other reason than writing, and that’s the saddest thing.
“What these men must realise is that we deserve the same type of recognition as they do, even though they may think that the work they do differs from us.
“If you look at it closely, it all boils down to one important aspect of our society, and that is ‘communal service’.
“Every other journalist or scribe does exactly the same thing.
“So we must all be recognised on an equal footing.
“Ultimately, there is no denying that we all serve our community with the same amount of determination, commitment and dedication.
“What’s the difference between a good accountant who gets all his figures correct at the end of the day, and a writer who records the same sort of events in our lives, but in a different form?”
“It always comes back to what I always complain about.
“A writer is an unofficial ombudsman of the country.
“That means duties more in the area of human relationship.
“By that, I mean that as an ombudsman, or as an unofficial ombudsman, he does not set out to correct his neighbour, rather, what he is doing as that type of ombudsman, is lightly tapping a colleague on the shoulder and saying ‘listen brother, let’s no overdo this. It might have some negative results for both of us’.
“A writer is an ombudsman in that sense.
“He’s likely to correct a brother, who is likely to make a serious mistake.
“He’s acting more as a friend than a colleague or neighbour.”
Soaba then speaks three parables to me - that of the girl who does not serve him at Big Rooster, Asian efficiency as compared to his owned beloved country, and Alotau laziness – to point out the very serious attitude problem Papua New Guinea has.
“We as Papua New Guineans have this very bad attitude,” he says.
“If we change these bad attitudes, how much more easier, better and happier it would be?
“Looking at the way a writer looks at the society he lives in, and how he feels about certain things, why are things suddenly so wrong?
“We can’t blame the politicians too much.
“He is merely behaving like why is he a politician.
“The real wrong lies within out attitudes.
“I could write a long, long book about these bad attitudes we have as Papua New Guineans.
“You’re seeing the writer passing over as an unofficial ombudsman; a friend who cares to give some good advice because he cares about you.
“I see all of our writers as unofficial ombudsman of the society we live in.
“It comes back to the age-old slogan that ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’.
“Its might is seen when there’s so much of small detail faithfully recorded without any grudges, put with a great amount of passionate zeal.
“Because of its sense of simplicity, it lasts forever.”
Soaba, Australian-educated high school student from Cape Vogel in the Milne Bay Province, talks fondly about his schooling days including the visit of Prince Charles to Martyrs Memorial High School in 1967.
“We were able to push him and given him a nudge.
“It was quite an experience.”
In 1968 and 1969, this precociously-talented Papua New Guinean was awarded an Anglican Church Scholarship to Australia to complete 11 and 12 at Baldwyn High School in Melbourne.
“Around that time I read in the Melbourne Age about 10,000 Years in a Lifetime (by Albert Maori Kiki) and I became excited about a Papua New Guinean writing a book,” Soaba tells me with emotion.
“And then I read I bit in Melbourne about Uli Bier (literature lecturer) influencing on (UPNG) campus.
“Even when I qualified to enter any Australian university then, I discovered that it would be far more exciting if I came back to UPNG.
“I was able to terminate the church scholarship, come back, and apply for government scholarship at the university.
“In 1970, I became so excited meeting Leo Hannett, Uli Bier, Arthur Jawodimbari, Rabbie Namaliu, a certain angry student politician called John Kasaipwalova, and a certain angry young man from outside called Michael Somare.
“These people I felt thrilled in meeting in person in the years 1970 and 1971.
“And of course, the personality who really thrilled me most was Vincent Eri, author of the first Papua New Guinean novel called The Crocodile.
“There was another quite personality I felt proud to meet: that was the poet Kumulau Tawali, and also another poet called Jack Lahui.
“In a way, I felt proud to be among this famous group of PNG writers.
“That was it.
“Since then I attended Uli Bier’s creative writing classes.
“He exercised that same sort of influence he had in Nigeria.
“His presence merely motivated PNG writers to emerge into worldwide recognition like Vincent Eri, Albert Maori Kiki, and the plays of Leo Hannett, Arthur Jawodimbari and John Kasaipwalova.
“Writing flourished at that time.
“Since then I have enjoyed the privilege of being among these famous people.
“Since then, of course, I consider myself as a writer.
“But whether or not a successful or great writer, that is highly questionable.”
Soaba’s greatest works are Wanpis (1977) and Maiba 1986 – around the world - and poem anthologies Naked Thoughts (1978 and Kwamra (2000), among various others.
“Since then, I sort of became lazy, not really lazy, but too much of teaching commitments,” he laughs.
“As such, much of the writing that I do has dwindled.
“It’s good to work and write at the same time.”
The government, Soaba feels, must give more support to writers.
“What the government of Papua New Guinea must do is institutionalise a writers’ and artists’ endowment fund, a grant programme,” he tells me.
“The government of PNG has no choice but do what is honourable by creating a grant programme for our writers and artists throughout the country.
“There is a place where this can be housed.
“This is the National Cultural Commission.
“The National Cultural Commission does have a Literature Board.
“What the government needs to do is use the literature board as the clearing house for this grant programme.
“The Somare government must recognise that, along with any government that comes along into power.
“It’s only honourable that they entertain it, support it in the best way possible.
“Consider the percentage of tax that government solicits out from business houses, companies, corporations.
“What I would ask for is 2 per cent tax money to go towards the writers’ grant scheme.
“The government can enjoy its 98 per cent.
“We have been ignored for too long.”
I ask Soaba about how he describes in writing, which I – personally – would describe as way beyond its time.
“My writing is highly personal, very intimate,” he replies,
“It addresses the individual man than the community as a whole.
“This is because I believe that this is where things start.
“Everything starts off with an individual and progresses to two people, on three, and then the community.
“Also, the characters that I create are these Papua New Guinean individuals.
“So really, if I concentrate on an individual, that doesn’t mean that I am working alone.
“In fact I’m speaking for the whole population.
“Each of these individuals gets born, cries to be heard, becomes an individual, and becomes a Papua New Guineans man or woman.
“Their fears, the hardships that they go through, their romantic experiences, tragedies, and all these things that is most human to us.”
So how this he feel about his books being studied around the world by students of literature and philosophy?
“The books themselves are studied not only in literature out there, but also in philosophy, social work and cultural studies.
“There are a great number of universities throughout the world who use the novel Maiba as a textbook.
“There is a women’s university in the USA who use the book Maiba every now and then as a textbook.
“I recall how pleased I felt with that school at one time.
“The principal wrote to me about the book, and that they were happy to teach the book at the school, they regarded me as an up-and-coming African woman writer.
“I replied and said ‘thank you’,” Soaba laughs wickedly.
His future?
“I am really anxious to publish one more novel before I call it quits
“I have had an offer from an Italian publisher who wants to translate Maiba and Wanpis into Italian.
“I also have recently selected a biographer to write my biographer.
“The other thing I would like to add is that I want to encourage our young writers of today to write seriously about us as Papua New Guineans.
“Give ourselves some kind of identity on the face of the world.”
He is the portrait of the odd man out, an individual, and a great thinker.
Russell Soaba is also one of the greatest, if not the greatest, writer in Papua New Guinea.
His works, particularly novels Maiba and Wanpis, are studied in universities around the world by students of literature and philosophy.
Followers of the existentialism philosophy around the world dote on the writings of Russell Soaba.
It is, however, a paradox that Russell Soaba is not even recognised in his own country Papua New Guinea for his great contribution to the country’s literature.
In 2006, he was awarded a Papua New Guinea independence medal, something that was supposed to have been given in 2000 but deferred because of the troubles on the University of PNG campus.
For this he is grateful, and adds that it is something for all the writers of Papua New Guinea, both young and old.
The 58-year-old, who speaks in parables, was born the “day after the 4th of July in 1950”.
“I think it’s about time,” he tells me in a rare interview.
“The only writer we have honoured, but in that matter for some other reason, is Sir Paulias Matane, with Michael Somare, Rabbie Namaliu, these people.
“But they are being honoured for some other reason than writing, and that’s the saddest thing.
“What these men must realise is that we deserve the same type of recognition as they do, even though they may think that the work they do differs from us.
“If you look at it closely, it all boils down to one important aspect of our society, and that is ‘communal service’.
“Every other journalist or scribe does exactly the same thing.
“So we must all be recognised on an equal footing.
“Ultimately, there is no denying that we all serve our community with the same amount of determination, commitment and dedication.
“What’s the difference between a good accountant who gets all his figures correct at the end of the day, and a writer who records the same sort of events in our lives, but in a different form?”
“It always comes back to what I always complain about.
“A writer is an unofficial ombudsman of the country.
“That means duties more in the area of human relationship.
“By that, I mean that as an ombudsman, or as an unofficial ombudsman, he does not set out to correct his neighbour, rather, what he is doing as that type of ombudsman, is lightly tapping a colleague on the shoulder and saying ‘listen brother, let’s no overdo this. It might have some negative results for both of us’.
“A writer is an ombudsman in that sense.
“He’s likely to correct a brother, who is likely to make a serious mistake.
“He’s acting more as a friend than a colleague or neighbour.”
Soaba then speaks three parables to me - that of the girl who does not serve him at Big Rooster, Asian efficiency as compared to his owned beloved country, and Alotau laziness – to point out the very serious attitude problem Papua New Guinea has.
“We as Papua New Guineans have this very bad attitude,” he says.
“If we change these bad attitudes, how much more easier, better and happier it would be?
“Looking at the way a writer looks at the society he lives in, and how he feels about certain things, why are things suddenly so wrong?
“We can’t blame the politicians too much.
“He is merely behaving like why is he a politician.
“The real wrong lies within out attitudes.
“I could write a long, long book about these bad attitudes we have as Papua New Guineans.
“You’re seeing the writer passing over as an unofficial ombudsman; a friend who cares to give some good advice because he cares about you.
“I see all of our writers as unofficial ombudsman of the society we live in.
“It comes back to the age-old slogan that ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’.
“Its might is seen when there’s so much of small detail faithfully recorded without any grudges, put with a great amount of passionate zeal.
“Because of its sense of simplicity, it lasts forever.”
Soaba, Australian-educated high school student from Cape Vogel in the Milne Bay Province, talks fondly about his schooling days including the visit of Prince Charles to Martyrs Memorial High School in 1967.
“We were able to push him and given him a nudge.
“It was quite an experience.”
In 1968 and 1969, this precociously-talented Papua New Guinean was awarded an Anglican Church Scholarship to Australia to complete 11 and 12 at Baldwyn High School in Melbourne.
“Around that time I read in the Melbourne Age about 10,000 Years in a Lifetime (by Albert Maori Kiki) and I became excited about a Papua New Guinean writing a book,” Soaba tells me with emotion.
“And then I read I bit in Melbourne about Uli Bier (literature lecturer) influencing on (UPNG) campus.
“Even when I qualified to enter any Australian university then, I discovered that it would be far more exciting if I came back to UPNG.
“I was able to terminate the church scholarship, come back, and apply for government scholarship at the university.
“In 1970, I became so excited meeting Leo Hannett, Uli Bier, Arthur Jawodimbari, Rabbie Namaliu, a certain angry student politician called John Kasaipwalova, and a certain angry young man from outside called Michael Somare.
“These people I felt thrilled in meeting in person in the years 1970 and 1971.
“And of course, the personality who really thrilled me most was Vincent Eri, author of the first Papua New Guinean novel called The Crocodile.
“There was another quite personality I felt proud to meet: that was the poet Kumulau Tawali, and also another poet called Jack Lahui.
“In a way, I felt proud to be among this famous group of PNG writers.
“That was it.
“Since then I attended Uli Bier’s creative writing classes.
“He exercised that same sort of influence he had in Nigeria.
“His presence merely motivated PNG writers to emerge into worldwide recognition like Vincent Eri, Albert Maori Kiki, and the plays of Leo Hannett, Arthur Jawodimbari and John Kasaipwalova.
“Writing flourished at that time.
“Since then I have enjoyed the privilege of being among these famous people.
“Since then, of course, I consider myself as a writer.
“But whether or not a successful or great writer, that is highly questionable.”
Soaba’s greatest works are Wanpis (1977) and Maiba 1986 – around the world - and poem anthologies Naked Thoughts (1978 and Kwamra (2000), among various others.
“Since then, I sort of became lazy, not really lazy, but too much of teaching commitments,” he laughs.
“As such, much of the writing that I do has dwindled.
“It’s good to work and write at the same time.”
The government, Soaba feels, must give more support to writers.
“What the government of Papua New Guinea must do is institutionalise a writers’ and artists’ endowment fund, a grant programme,” he tells me.
“The government of PNG has no choice but do what is honourable by creating a grant programme for our writers and artists throughout the country.
“There is a place where this can be housed.
“This is the National Cultural Commission.
“The National Cultural Commission does have a Literature Board.
“What the government needs to do is use the literature board as the clearing house for this grant programme.
“The Somare government must recognise that, along with any government that comes along into power.
“It’s only honourable that they entertain it, support it in the best way possible.
“Consider the percentage of tax that government solicits out from business houses, companies, corporations.
“What I would ask for is 2 per cent tax money to go towards the writers’ grant scheme.
“The government can enjoy its 98 per cent.
“We have been ignored for too long.”
I ask Soaba about how he describes in writing, which I – personally – would describe as way beyond its time.
“My writing is highly personal, very intimate,” he replies,
“It addresses the individual man than the community as a whole.
“This is because I believe that this is where things start.
“Everything starts off with an individual and progresses to two people, on three, and then the community.
“Also, the characters that I create are these Papua New Guinean individuals.
“So really, if I concentrate on an individual, that doesn’t mean that I am working alone.
“In fact I’m speaking for the whole population.
“Each of these individuals gets born, cries to be heard, becomes an individual, and becomes a Papua New Guineans man or woman.
“Their fears, the hardships that they go through, their romantic experiences, tragedies, and all these things that is most human to us.”
So how this he feel about his books being studied around the world by students of literature and philosophy?
“The books themselves are studied not only in literature out there, but also in philosophy, social work and cultural studies.
“There are a great number of universities throughout the world who use the novel Maiba as a textbook.
“There is a women’s university in the USA who use the book Maiba every now and then as a textbook.
“I recall how pleased I felt with that school at one time.
“The principal wrote to me about the book, and that they were happy to teach the book at the school, they regarded me as an up-and-coming African woman writer.
“I replied and said ‘thank you’,” Soaba laughs wickedly.
His future?
“I am really anxious to publish one more novel before I call it quits
“I have had an offer from an Italian publisher who wants to translate Maiba and Wanpis into Italian.
“I also have recently selected a biographer to write my biographer.
“The other thing I would like to add is that I want to encourage our young writers of today to write seriously about us as Papua New Guineans.
“Give ourselves some kind of identity on the face of the world.”
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Death of the Macdhui
A small, but significant, anniversary took place on Monday June 18, 2007.
That was the 65th anniversary of the sinking of the motor vessel Macdhui, sunk in the Port Moresby harbour by Japanese bombs in June 1942.
One of the best-known landmarks in Port Moresby is the wreck of the Macdhui in the waters just off the Port Moresby Technical College at Kanudi.
Many people just drive or walk past without knowing the significant role that the Macdhui played in the development of Papua New Guinea.
Recently, I was asked to be a tour guide for a retired US veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, and one of the World War 11 relics I showed him was the wreck of the Macdhui.
As we stood at Kanudi looking out to sea, I wondered what stories the deep blue sea, the rolling hills, and the wide sky could tell me about what they saw that fateful day in 1942.
It was then that I realised that June 18, 2007, would be the 65th anniversary of the sinking of the Macdhui and decided to put pen to paper.
The Macdhui, 4630 tonnes, built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1930, was owned and operated on the Australia-Papua New Guinea service by Burns Philp and Company Limited.
Macdhui’s maiden voyage took place in March 1931, sailing to Suva, Fiji, via the Azores, Jamaica, and the Panama Canal, with a load of coal.
Then the Sydney to Rabaul route for Burns Philip with 167 first-class passengers’ accomodation.
On June 20, 1931, a fire broke out on another voyage between Madang and Lae, but the passengers were safely taken ashore in lifeboats.
MacDhui was safely towed to Salamaua, New Guinea's then administrative capital, by Neptuna, another Burns Philp & Co vessel.
After patching at Salamaua, MacDhui was sailed to Sydney for six weeks of repairs.
With the onset of war the ship was commandeered by the Navy and used to evacuate civilians from New Guinea, then carrying Australian troops back to Port Moresby.
On June 17, 1942, the Macdhui was attacked by Japanese bombers as it was discharging to lighters in Port Moresby harbour.
It began zigzagging around the harbour but took one direct hit which caused considerable damage.
The vessel later went alongside the main wharf to unload dead and wounded.
The next day, at 10.45am, there was another air-raid warning and the Macdhui moved out into the harbour and began manoeuvring.
Soon after the raid began, it took a direct hit.
The captain headed towards shallow water where his ship finally keeled over onto a reef.
Ten of the crew of 77 were killed along with five Australian gunners from 39 Battalion.
Altogether, the Macdhui took four direct hits.
The dramatic sinking was captured on a black and white movie film shot by the famous Australian cameraman, Damien Parer from a nearby hilltop.
The loss of the Macdhui was a great blow to the morale of the Australian troops in Port Moresby. Until then it had been the only regular and reliable link between Australia and Port Moresby.
After the war, the Australian government compensated Burns Philp for its loss.
The wreck itself is now deeply pitted and corroded under the waterline.
It is gradually breaking up but even if it does slip completely under the surface part of the Macdhui will remain in Port Moresby.
In the late 1960’s the mast was removed and now stands outside the Royal Papua Yacht Club as a memorial to those who died.
One of the bells was erected in the tower of St John’s Anglican Church in Port Moresby and to this day still calls parishioners to worship.
Former vice-commodore of the Royal Papua Yacht Club, Trevor Kerr, tells of a supernatural experience in 1979 when the ashes of the late Captain J. Campbell, skipper of the Macdhui, were laid to rest with his ship.
The powered launch Tina, owned and skippered by yacht club committee member Russ Behan, approached the wreck with Captain Campbell’s two sons, a United Church minister, and Kerr on board.
“The weather in the harbour was unusually placid, not a zephyr stirred,” writes former Port Moresby diver Neil Whiting in Wreck and Reefs of Port Moresby.
“The sea was so clear that the superstructure of the Macdhui could be seen below the surface of the water.
“There was not a ripple on the surface or current drift to break the calm.
“With heads bowed in prayer, the United Church minister upturned the urn containing Captain Campbell’s ashes and scattered the contents into the sea.
“Trevor, observing the ceremony in a more detached fashion than the others, observed the most amazing sequence of events.
“The ashes initially clouded the water as one would expect, but almost immediately condensed into a form similar to a teardrop.
“Then, the most amazing phenomenon occurred.
“The teardrop cloud quite rapidly crossed the six-metre intervening gap between the Tina and the Macdhui and disappeared into the hull.
“At a nudge from Trevor, Russ glanced up and also observed the incredible event.
“The engines of the launch were quickly started and in a state of chilled awe, the funeral party motored away.
“Captain Campbell had returned to his ship.”
That was the 65th anniversary of the sinking of the motor vessel Macdhui, sunk in the Port Moresby harbour by Japanese bombs in June 1942.
One of the best-known landmarks in Port Moresby is the wreck of the Macdhui in the waters just off the Port Moresby Technical College at Kanudi.
Many people just drive or walk past without knowing the significant role that the Macdhui played in the development of Papua New Guinea.
Recently, I was asked to be a tour guide for a retired US veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, and one of the World War 11 relics I showed him was the wreck of the Macdhui.
As we stood at Kanudi looking out to sea, I wondered what stories the deep blue sea, the rolling hills, and the wide sky could tell me about what they saw that fateful day in 1942.
It was then that I realised that June 18, 2007, would be the 65th anniversary of the sinking of the Macdhui and decided to put pen to paper.
The Macdhui, 4630 tonnes, built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1930, was owned and operated on the Australia-Papua New Guinea service by Burns Philp and Company Limited.
Macdhui’s maiden voyage took place in March 1931, sailing to Suva, Fiji, via the Azores, Jamaica, and the Panama Canal, with a load of coal.
Then the Sydney to Rabaul route for Burns Philip with 167 first-class passengers’ accomodation.
On June 20, 1931, a fire broke out on another voyage between Madang and Lae, but the passengers were safely taken ashore in lifeboats.
MacDhui was safely towed to Salamaua, New Guinea's then administrative capital, by Neptuna, another Burns Philp & Co vessel.
After patching at Salamaua, MacDhui was sailed to Sydney for six weeks of repairs.
With the onset of war the ship was commandeered by the Navy and used to evacuate civilians from New Guinea, then carrying Australian troops back to Port Moresby.
On June 17, 1942, the Macdhui was attacked by Japanese bombers as it was discharging to lighters in Port Moresby harbour.
It began zigzagging around the harbour but took one direct hit which caused considerable damage.
The vessel later went alongside the main wharf to unload dead and wounded.
The next day, at 10.45am, there was another air-raid warning and the Macdhui moved out into the harbour and began manoeuvring.
Soon after the raid began, it took a direct hit.
The captain headed towards shallow water where his ship finally keeled over onto a reef.
Ten of the crew of 77 were killed along with five Australian gunners from 39 Battalion.
Altogether, the Macdhui took four direct hits.
The dramatic sinking was captured on a black and white movie film shot by the famous Australian cameraman, Damien Parer from a nearby hilltop.
The loss of the Macdhui was a great blow to the morale of the Australian troops in Port Moresby. Until then it had been the only regular and reliable link between Australia and Port Moresby.
After the war, the Australian government compensated Burns Philp for its loss.
The wreck itself is now deeply pitted and corroded under the waterline.
It is gradually breaking up but even if it does slip completely under the surface part of the Macdhui will remain in Port Moresby.
In the late 1960’s the mast was removed and now stands outside the Royal Papua Yacht Club as a memorial to those who died.
One of the bells was erected in the tower of St John’s Anglican Church in Port Moresby and to this day still calls parishioners to worship.
Former vice-commodore of the Royal Papua Yacht Club, Trevor Kerr, tells of a supernatural experience in 1979 when the ashes of the late Captain J. Campbell, skipper of the Macdhui, were laid to rest with his ship.
The powered launch Tina, owned and skippered by yacht club committee member Russ Behan, approached the wreck with Captain Campbell’s two sons, a United Church minister, and Kerr on board.
“The weather in the harbour was unusually placid, not a zephyr stirred,” writes former Port Moresby diver Neil Whiting in Wreck and Reefs of Port Moresby.
“The sea was so clear that the superstructure of the Macdhui could be seen below the surface of the water.
“There was not a ripple on the surface or current drift to break the calm.
“With heads bowed in prayer, the United Church minister upturned the urn containing Captain Campbell’s ashes and scattered the contents into the sea.
“Trevor, observing the ceremony in a more detached fashion than the others, observed the most amazing sequence of events.
“The ashes initially clouded the water as one would expect, but almost immediately condensed into a form similar to a teardrop.
“Then, the most amazing phenomenon occurred.
“The teardrop cloud quite rapidly crossed the six-metre intervening gap between the Tina and the Macdhui and disappeared into the hull.
“At a nudge from Trevor, Russ glanced up and also observed the incredible event.
“The engines of the launch were quickly started and in a state of chilled awe, the funeral party motored away.
“Captain Campbell had returned to his ship.”
Grave robbers wreak havoc in Lae cemeteries
There are some things in life that are so hard to comprehend.
These things make you wonder why some people have the audacity to carry out such acts, which include desecrating the memory of loved ones that families and relatives have laid to rest. These people can stoop as low as stealing brass plaques from graveyards to sell to unscrupulous scrap metal dealers for a fast buck.
In my home town of Lae, this practice has been going on ever since these dealers - who prey on Papua New Guinea's massive unemployment problem - set foot.
Today, a visit to cemeteries in Lae, will show you many headstones on graves that are missing brass plaques.
A case in point is the old graveyard up the road from the famous old Lae airport.
This graveyard is the final resting place for many of the pioneers of Lae and Morobe province, mainly expatriates, and was a relic of a bygone era where visitors could learn so much just by reading the plaques and headstones.
Rest In Peace - RIP - those buried here are supposed to be.
However, this has not been the case over the last 10 years or so, as grave robbers without a care in the world have plundered basically all the brass plaques.
In my younger days, as a journalist in Lae, one of my hobbies used to be wandering old graveyards and reading the plaques and headstones as I could learn so much history. Sadly, I can no longer do this, as many of the plaques are gone.
And the irony is that people are not making any noise about this daylight robbery going on in front of their own faces.
The grave robbers are desecrating graveyards at the old Lae airport, Second Seven (Malahang), and even my Butibam village, to name a few.
Heaven knows what would happen to the Lae War Cemetery if there wasn't tight security around to prevent these intruders.
We never thought that this practice would come to Butibam until a few years ago when plaques started disappearing overnight.
In May 2006, while on a working trip to Lae, I visited my father's grave at Butibam and took pictures.
A short time later, I was surprised to receive a call from my mother, who was in tears as she told me that Dad's plaque had disappeared to these unprincipled grave leeches.
The entire family, just like me, was shocked as we wondered what exactly Dad or we had done to deserve this.
The plaque, to this day, has not been replaced as I somehow have to find the exact wording for a replacement.
My father, the late Mathias Nalu, died on September 17, 1993, after more than 35 years of service with the Education Department as a teacher and later a school inspector.
He had just retired and received his final entitlements, however, never got to enjoy the fruits of his labour as he suffered a severe stroke from which he never recovered until his untimely passing.
Dad was one of those old Dregerhafen and Finschhafen boys who was always proud to call Michael Somare, Paulias Matane, the late Alkan Tololo, and many more, "old school mates".
Dad's school mates went on to become great leaders of this country while he chose to take the backseat as a humble teacher and school inspector.
Hundreds of teachers and public servants packed the St Andrew's Lutheran Church at Ampo in Lae for his funeral service.
The Nalu family was humbled by this show of respect from so many people from all over Lae, Morobe province, and PNG.
I realise that times are hard, but to steal brass plaques from graves to sell to some dodgy scrap metal dealer for a quick buck is unforgivable.
The government should put in place tough legislation to combat those who steal plaques from graves and those who buy them.
These offenders, as part of their rehabilitation, could be sent to Salamaua where the villagers there will teach them how to look after and respect old graveyards.
The old Salamaua cemetery is a relic of a bygone era of the 1920s and 1930s when fevered gold miners from all over the world converged on this idyllic part of the world.
To visit the old Salamaua cemetery is to step back in time, to a rip-roaring period when gold fever struck men from around the globe.
Today the old Salamaua cemetery, or what remains of it, is well tended to by the local villagers.
The graves are mute testimony to the days when European man, running a high gold fever, was claimed by a fever of a different kind.
I have a very simple message for those who removed my father's plaque and those who bought it.
"May God forgive you.
"I find it very hard to do so."
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