Plans to build five-star 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 or vote at top right)

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."

Three Papua New Guineans and how their Blogs are helping the country

Mathew Yakai, a former The National colleague now studying in Changchun, China, has now found a great way to share the thrill and adventure of living there with family and friends back home in Papua New Guinea.
He writes Asia-Pacific Perspective: China +, a weekly column that is published by the weekly Sunday Chronicle newspaper in Port Moresby, and the Islands Sun in the Solomon Islands.
“My writings look at Chinese society, culture, economy, governance and China's role within the Asia Pacific region and the world over,” Mathew says.
“It mainly focuses on how island countries can learn from China's experience.
“I am a PNG student in China.”
Recently, when Mathew sent me one of his regular emails, I suggested to him that he – together with regular newspaper columnists like Frank Kolma, Jack Metta and Kevin Pamba (The National), as well as Mathew, Susuve Laumaea and Dominic Sengi (Sunday Chronicle) – should collate all the columns they have been writing over the years and put them on a Blog.
Mathew took my advice and started Asia-Pacific Perspective: China + on URL http://mathewyakai.blogspot.com/ , which is essential viewing for Papua New Guineans interested in China, as well as students wanting to study there.
David Ulg Ketepa, from Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands province, left for the first time in the fall of 2000 for the United States and has lived in the United States ever since.
He now lives in the ‘motor state’ of Michigan and was inspired by my writing in The National to start his own Blog.
David’s Blog is ‘Kange Nga Kona’, which can be found on URL http://pngemmiyet.blogspot.com/ , and which focuses on life in the USA as a dedicated Lutheran as well as encouraging more PNG students to take up study opportunities there.
“It is my desire to write this Blog to help those who are less-fortunate in a country that is run by people who only think about themselves,” he emphasises.
“I am trying to do my little part as a Papua New Guinean to show some light at the end of the dark tunnel.
“If we can do something little to help each other, I think Papua New Guinea can be a friendly country prospering with all wantoks working hand in hand with a common goal to achieve gender equality.”
David has encouraging words for PNG students wanting to study in the USA: “I am delighted that I can share this information with those who are interested in studying abroad as this kind of information rarely comes by in PNG's context.
“As long as I am here, I'll try my best to help any PNGean in ways I can.
“For now, I want you to look at different American universities and colleges, which offer masters degrees.
“Click onto this link: http://www.euroeducation.net/us/us.htm and you'll find all the information you need.
“Email/write directly and explain your interest to them.
“Ask also for international student scholarships.
“I am sure that they offer a lot of scholarships too and they will also give you the procedures to follow to be qualified for the scholarship.
“The above link also has all the universities from different states.
“Send emails to all the different universities directly for the information.
“The next thing is, if you're a Lutheran, go to the Lutheran Church where you worship and ask the pastor for a Lutheran International Student Scholarship application form (I don't know much about other churches and their scholarship guidelines) but if they are the same as the Lutherans, approach them and show your desire in studying aboard.
“When you fill the application, send it to Lutheran Church head office in Ampo, Lae, P. O. Box 80, Morobe province.
“Ask them to recomend you to a scholarship in the US.
“There are three Lutheran Churches in Papua New Guinea that can help you.
“The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG), Gutnius Lutheran of Papua New Guinea (GLC-PNG) and the Melpa Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea (MLC-PNG).
“My understanding is, you don't have to be a Lutheran to apply for scholarships, but if you ask kindly for these churches for assistance, I think they might consider you too.
“I hope the churches will help you.
“There are tons and tons of scholarships offered by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and other churches here in America but the problem is that your application should be endorsed by a Lutheran World Federation member church in PNG...either the ELC-PNG, Gutnius Lutheran Church in Wabag or the Catholic Church before the American Lutheran Church headquarters in Chicago or other churches in America give you a full scholarship that covers everything.
“My wantoks, the problem we have with the churches in PNG, is that there are a lot of politics within the churches so, as the government, that hinders the spread of the gospel of the Lord.
“I hope and pray that our church leaders in PNG put their differences aside to win souls for the Lord.
“I am praying each and every day that our good Lord will give me the strength and opportunity to help other members of the God's family to come this far to gain the skills and knowledge to extend God's kingdom to fulfill their dreams and aspirations.”
Tiri Kuimbakul, 43, is from Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands and graduated with an honours degree in economics from University of Papua New Guinea in 1988.
Kuimbakul has worked as an economist with the Department of Agriculture & Livestock (1989-1990); assistant Export Manager with Coffee International Limited (1991-1992); economist and general manager of Industry Affairs Division, Coffee Industry Corporation (1993-1999); export Manager with Kongo Coffee Limited (2000); and freelance consultant (2001-2007)
He currently manages a coffee marketing project, advises two community development associations in Western Highlands Province, does church work, writes and publishes books, conducts seminars, and speaks to students and young people when he gets the opportunity.
His Blog http://tirikuimbakul.blogspot.com/ is targeted at students and young people in the country and is essential viewing.
“I aspire to motivate, inspire and empower students and young people in general to succeed academically, professionally, financially, personally, socially and spiritually through writing, speaking, seminars, workshops, coaching and mentoring,” Tiri says.
“The motto of Secos Books, my publishing company, is: ‘We Empower People through The Written Word’."

Zia Writers of Waria

From July 10-15, 2000, in the beginning of the new millennium, a novel development took place in Unu village, along the great Waria River of Morobe Province.
Unu hosted the first writers’ workshop of the new millennium, attracting mostly villagers who started writing two years earlier when a conference on Zia language, culture and traditional knowledge systems was organised in Dona village.
Workshop participants included husbands, wives and children, medical officers, village court magistrates, non-government organisation workers, teachers, village elders and youths.
Their lowest educational standard was grade two and the eldest was about 64.
They all wrote creatively their life stories, histories, biographies and the Zia culture during the week-long workshop, which was coordinated by Zia language speaker and University of Papua New Guinea lecturer Sakarepe Kamene, assisted by his colleague Dr Steven Winduo.
The stories talk about Waria people and how their life style is fused into nature, and how it is nurtured in the rich alluvial plain of the Waria River.
They talk about the river that in ordinary times remains tame and harmless, but in the wet season runs wild like a raging boar, causing destruction and misery to people and the surrounding areas.
Some of these stories capture and exhibit the strong sense of moral lessons.
Other stories show a much bigger picture of how nature is closely linked with society and its people.
There are also stories that recount new and sometimes strange experiences when people relocate themselves into new places or situations.
From the workshop has come an 80-page book titled Raitim Stori Bilong Laip (Writing Stories about Life): Zia Writers of Waria, which was first published in 2004 by UPNG’s Melanesian and Pacific Studies (MAPS) Centre, however, is a publication that very little people know about.
In fact I had never seen or heard of the book until Dr Winduo gave me a copy as an example of recent MAPS publications.
The collection of writings by the Waria writers is the first of its kind in Papua New Guinea and could serve as a benchmark for future projects in literacy and awareness throughout the country.
“Even though it has taken a long time for this publication to come out, we hope the end product of this publication will benefit others who will read this book,” Mr Kamene and Dr Winduo wrote in the book’s preface.
“It is a publication we feel confident will stand on its own.
“The stories are written in the Zia language, Tokpisin and English.
“The use of all languages in creativity is encouraged.
“In editing this book for publication, we tried to make sure the way in which the writers expressed themselves was maintained, except for basic production issues.
“Through the initial project, we knew we had moved on from basic literacy to literacy that involves people writing their stories and lives down on paper.
“We wanted to make sure those who received literacy training used the skills acquired to transform their lives.
“In the Zia writers’ workshop, this was accomplished.
“The experience we had in running the Zia writers’ workshop and in the production of this book convince us that literacy programmes and awareness programmes must go beyond basic literacy skills.
“Literacy skills and development of these skills must be encouraged.
“Inclusion of literature and various techniques of reading and writing is a must in literacy and awareness programmes.
“This publication proves that anyone can write and have their books published.”
The Zia experience greatly touched Dr Winduo, senior UPNG literature lecture, established writer, director of MAPS, and chairman of the National Literature Board.
“In a week of enthusiasm and nerves to see that our objectives to facilitate the knowledge and skills already present in the participants’ lives accomplished our goals, we were excited that the workshop was a success,” he observed.
“The participants had begun to write their stories.
“Most of them felt that they had achieved what was impossible.
“They can now write their lives down with confidence.
“The Zia people can write their history, culture and lives in books without having to go to university to study literature or how to write books.
“In my view, these students were the most-serious ones and were able to prove to me that writing is not only for those in schools or those studying literature at the university.
“Writing was always with them!
“All they needed was a catalyst to take them one step further.”
Dr Winduo feels that what has happened to the Zia people is also applicable to other villages in Papua New Guinea.
“They village people, especially youths and women, need new kinds of training that involves skills and knowledge already present in their societies,” he says.
“Indigenous forms of learning need to be encouraged.
“Developing new ways of documenting cultural and traditional knowledge systems was the way forward.
“This is one way to renew and revive the skills of reading and writing.
“People are presented with skills of reading and writing everyday, but are never given the opportunity to use the skills to empower themselves in their way of life.”
Dr Winduo has strong words.
“In a book fair in Port Moresby, a lot of views were expressed about the right to read and write, but many people consider writing as a process that empowers individuals and people.
“Writing has the power to transform a nation’s consciousness!
“If a nation can develop its own works of literature consistently, it can continuously evaluate itself and reinvent its consciousness.”

Raitim Stori Bilong Laip: Zia Writers of Waria. Edited by Sakarepe Kamene and Steven Edmund Winduo. Melanesia and Pacific Studies (MAPS), University of Papua New Guinea. Port Moresby, 2004. 80 pages. ISBN 9980-9962-0-X

Melissa Aigilo is Papua New Guinea's leading woman writer

Melissa Aigilo does not hide the fact that she is passionate about writing and its role in shaping Papua New Guinea.
At only 25, Aigilo is currently the country’s leading woman writer, with a book of poetry, Falling Foliage, published in 2005.
A collection of short stories and another anthology of poetry await publication.
This immensely-talented and intelligent young woman has a big following, especially among high school students, and her work is even being studied in the USA and Australia.
Her mentors, especially University of Papua New Guinea literature lecturers Dr Steven Winduo and Russel Soaba, extol the virtues of their protégé.
Soaba compares her writing to that of the great English woman writer Emily Dickenson.
However, as I found out, Aigilo is a quietly-spoken young woman who shuns the limelight to dwell on writing.
“My one book is called Falling Foliage,” she tells me.
“I also have my poems which are recorded on CD and tape in the International Library of Poetry in America.
“Falling Foliage was published in 2005.
“I’ve written two books so far which haven’t gone in for publication.
“One is a collection of short stories and the other is an anthology of poetry.
“ABC has a website where my poems have been aired.
“The University of Melbourne analyses some of my poems in their literature classes.
“Since my book was published, a lot of high schools and international schools have been ordering a lot.
“I think they’ve run out of copies at the university bookshop.
“I can see the support there.”
In saying this, Aigilo empathises with the women of Papua New Guinea, saying that they are not given enough support to air their voices.
“If only other women writers were given that same support, we could change the face of Papua New Guinea because writing is a very powerful political tool.
“Women have as much to offer as men and their views and opinions need to be expressed.
“Some important issues (concerning women) are still not addressed by today’s government and need to be looked at seriously.
“It is my very strong belief that women are the backbone of society.
“So I’m calling on people in authority to give women a chance to voice their concerns, politically, and socially, through writing.
“We have a lot of women writers, but the problem is not identifying them and assisting them to bring out their work.”
Aigilo graduated from the University of Papua New Guinea in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature degree.
She was at university from 2001 to 2005, including a year studying law; however, she found that she preferred the solitude of writing to noisy courtroom antics.
Before campus, Aigilo attended St Joseph’s International Primary School, Marianville Girls Catholic High School, and then Port Moresby National High School.
She is the eldest in a family of two sisters and two brothers.
Her father, former Police Commissioner and graduate lawyer Peter Aigilo, played a significant role in her opting for a life of writing.
One of her poems , The Guardian, published in a recent issue of the literary publication , Savannah Flames, is dedicated to her father.
“My dad is my mentor,” she says.
“He’s my strength.
“As a woman, I can say that.
“I like writing anything to do with prose, poetry, short stories, drama, plays.
“I think when I began to learnt how to write, I came up with ideas.
“Basically, because my dad is a lawyer, he emphasised reading and he is a reader himself.
“He used to read to me when I was younger, and that opened up my avenues for creating, so when I learnt to write, I put that creativity on paper.
“Writing is a form of liberation for me because I guess I’m a quite person.
“What I think and feel is expressed on paper.
“…some people keep journals.
“I find that poetry is like my journal.
“I am able to hide behind my words, and the style of poetry that I write is abstract.
“It’s a form of release for me.
“My saving grace!”
Aigilo could be described as a true Papua New Guinean, seeing her family connections.
“I’m from four provinces,” she elaborates.
“My mother’s part East New Britain and Morobe, and my father’s part West New Britain and East Sepik.”
Her future?
“I’ve always wanted to pass on my skills of writing to students, so while writing remains my No.1 passion, my second goal in life is to teach creative writing and literature.
“I look forward to writing more books, with the kind of assistance I’m getting from my lecturers and you in the media.”
Aigilo is blunt about her belief that writing is one of the most-important things in any society.
“I would say that, as I said, writing is a very powerful political tool.
“There are two forms of literature.
“The one that is oral is spoken and forgotten about.
“But the one which is written is preserved, and can be looked at to pave the way for the future in any aspect, whether it be social, political, religious.
“I believe that writing can change the way in which people think.
“The mind is a very complex thing.
“When you change someone’s mind, you are capable of changing a whole democracy.”

SCRIPTWRITERS

Imprinted
Letters so brashly written
Bidding attention
That's what you already have.
Words
They are hard to speak
So they come out as inscriptions.

You and I
Have something in common
You flaunt your inner self
On bus stop seats
And engrave your thoughts
On walls and dust engased shop windows
Scoring for yourself.

What would you like the world to imagine
When it reads your markings?
I create the images of a dramatist
In my mind and I envision you.
Would you remember my concealed scripts?
The way I know yours by heart
If you read them
Would you be able to fashion my personna
The way I mould your form

The words I read
Haunt me at night
Are you really out there

Downstream processing of peanuts in Papua New Guinea

Peanuts have proved an ideal crop in Papua New Guinea, being easily grown in almost all areas of the country, most famously the great Markham Valley of Morobe Province.
They are excellent nutritionally, being concentrated sources of both protein and fat, which of which tend to be low in the diets of many Papua New Guineans.
The protein content of peanuts, in fact – is higher than that of eggs, dairy products, meat and fish.
They are well liked by children and adults.
Downstream processing of peanuts was the entire buzz in Papua New Guinea in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Peanuts were exported out of Lae to many countries in the South Pacific.
In the Markham Valley of Morobe province, peanut butter was mass-produced by the Atzera Rural Cooperative factory for both the domestic and international market.
Sadly, those exports have ceased and the peanut butter factory has long closed its doors, and the humble but mighty peanut has now taken a backseat.
However, they proved that downstream processing of peanuts was possible in Papua New Guinea, and do to this day.
The challenge is upon us to make that a reality.

Exports

Sum Sum, taken in its Morobe Province original meaning, is sunshine.
Sum Sum, referring to peanuts, meant some of the best grown, processed and exported from Papua New Guinea.
From an unimposing factory in Lae, the home of Nunga Tea and Coffee Company, came a fine variety of top-class peanuts, both salted and roasted, for the domestic and export market.
Growers in the Markham Valley sold to the company either at the factory door or at the roadside.
The factory boasted the biggest roaster machines in the country and the automatic packing machines made for an efficient and effective operation.
The peanuts used in the salted variety were often hulled near where they were grown, and sorted at the factory, roasted, salted and automatically packed.
About 40 workers were employed by the factory at its peak, with exports to many countries in the South Pacific region.

Peanut butter

In September 1976, a year after Papua New Guinea’s independence, the Atzera Rural Cooperative at Kaiapit, in the Morobe Province, embarked on its most ambitious programme yet – the manufacture of peanut butter.
The cooperative built a factory at a cost of K40, 000 and started peanut butter production in September 1976.
It was a unique operation in Papua New Guinea, as all peanut butter until then had been imported.
Atzera Rural Cooperative’s packaged nuts, Markham Peanuts, were sold in Kieta, Rabaul, Lae, Popondetta and throughout the Highlands.
The 2000-odd members of the cooperative came from a wide area – from the Leron River to the Kassam Pass, in the Eastern Highlands.
The factory grew, producing for both the local and export market, however, closed its doors in the early 1980s because of a variety of reasons.
It, however, has made its mark in the history of downstream processing in Papua New Guinea.

The future

A recent study by the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) ranked peanuts as the No. 1 reliable income earner for many families.
It was ranked among the country’s top five income generating crops, the others being kaukau (sweet potatoes), taro, banana, and Singapore taro.
Peanuts, like betelnut, are a major income-earner for the people of the vast Markham Valley.
The major customers are people from the Highlanders, who buy peanuts in bulk and in turn sell them at markets when they return home.
This has been an ongoing trend for many years.
Recently, peanut-growing has found new life.
The community is becoming aware that under-nutrition continues to exist widely, and that peanuts are one of the best foods to overcome this.
The major concern with peanuts is the risk of aflotoxin contamination, which is caused by a fungus when peanuts are not properly dried or when they become moist during storage.
Almost all provinces have active programmes to improve nutrition, with peanuts having an important part in these programmes.
The larger-scale Markham industry has also found new life.
Remote Karimui in the Chimbu Province is known to produce arguably the highest quality peanuts in the country – better than the Markham – but the main problem has been transporting it to market as Karimui is only accessible by air.
Lae-based NARI is trialing different varieties for the farmers of PNG.
Trukai Industries is growing large tracts of peanuts in the Markham Valley.
Ramu Agro-Industries is going big-time into peanut growing with a view to downstream processing in the not-too-distant future.
The challenge now facing the industry is to generate improvements internally – to grow peanuts more productively, at less cost, and with greater production.
This is clearly the case for the Markham Valley industry which, if it can keep costs down, can tap an enormous export market.
This is also the case for the more important subsistence gardening of peanuts.
People will grow more peanuts only if they get high production for the effort they put into the crop.
To attain an increase in productivity will not be easy, particularly for subsistence growing, but it can be the only basis for a permanent improvement in the industry.

Funeral feast for my wife

For the benefit of many of the friends of me and my beloved late wife, Hula (that's us pictured at our house in Goroka in 1999), and our four children, I will shortly be holding a funeral feast for her.

You can scroll down further to find the tribute I wrote to her or, otherwise, click on this URL http://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2008/07/tribute-to-my-wife-re-run-of-story-run.html.

You can email me at malumnalu@gmail.com for further details.

Thank you all for the many messages of condolence I have received from all over Papua New Guinea and the world.

God bless you all!

Malum

Beyond the Coral Sea

East of Java and west of Tahiti a bird of dazzling plumage stalks the Pacific over the Cape York Peninsula of Australia.
In her wake, she spills clusters of emeralds on the surface of the deep.
These are the unknown paradise islands of the Coral, Solomon and Bismarck Seas lying off the east coast of Papua New Guinea.
The islands were the last inhabited place on earth to be explored by Europeans and even today many remain largely unspoilt, despite the former presence of German, British and even Australian colonial rulers.
Beyond the Coral Sea – a book which portrays Papua New Guinea in a new light – is now being sold in bookshelves around the world.
Written by Australian Michael Moran, the book is arguably the most- comprehensive travel book to be written about PNG in many years, and introduces a new area to travel literature.
Beyond the Coral Sea introduces the adventurers, mercenaries, explorers and missionaries – past and present – who have inhabited the islands and brings them vividly to life.
“My PNG book has sold well in paperback but is not really a bestseller as normally understood, but for a book on PNG it has done brilliantly, particularly in international reviews and prizes,” Moran says.
“I have received many private letters from all sorts of people, also Papua New Guineans, who love the book.
“I notice on the internet the book is also in many university libraries around the world – Oxford, Cambridge, Australia and many in the US.
“This is excellent news for me and I am proud of it.
“In March 2005 I was invited to deliver the prestigious Monday lecture to the Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society in London – a great honour – and I used many slides of PNG and some rare recordings Malinowski made of cannibal laments in the Trobriand Islands. It was very successful.
“The book was short-listed for the world’s premier travel book prize in 2004 – The Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.
“This also was a great achievement – a first for an Australian travel writer and a first for PNG.
“Unfortunately I did not win but was runner-up.
“It gave excellent publicity for tourism to PNG.”
Moran begins his journey on the island of Samarai, historic gateway to the old British Protectorate, as the guest of the benign grandson of a cannibal.
But rather than a tale of cannibals and blood, this is a journey in the romantic and adventurous spirit of Robert Louis Stevenson and an exploration of encroaching change in remarkably diverse cultures.
Along the way Moran explores the role of superstition, magic rites and the occult in the lives of the islanders, including the trading route of the Kula Ring which unites many tribal island groups in a mystical exchange of symbolically valuable objects, one set travelling clockwise around the ring, the other anti-clockwise.
Moran describes the historic anthropological work of Malinowski in the Trobriand Islands and also catches up with some of the adventurers, mercenaries, explorers, missionaries and prospectors he has encountered on previous journeys.
He explores the former capitals of German New Guinea and headquarters of the disastrous Neu Guinea Compagnie, its administrators decimated by malaria and murder.
He travels along the inaccessible Rai Coast through the Archipelago of Contented Men, following in the footsteps of the great Russian explorer “Baron” Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay.
His narrative is interwoven with the fabulous and humorous stories of eccentric residents such as the glamorous “Queen” Emma on New Britain, the deranged Marquis de Rays who attempted to found a utopian colony on a malaria-infested shore of New Ireland and the impetuous sexual exploits of a young Errol Flynn.
“Queen Emma” of New Britain, who was born of an American father and a Samoan mother, built up a large empire of copra plantations, as well as traded in the fabled obsidian (black volcanic glass) and entertained on a lavish scale with imported food and French champagne.
Moran journeys by light plane, jeep and banana boat to reach former colonial capitals and occult heartlands.
He uses the historic anthropological work of Bronislaw Malinowski to guide him through the seductive labyrinth of the Trobriand “Islands of Love” and the sensual erotic dances of the yam festival.
“People are impressed with the appearance and general ‘seriousness’ but relaxed writing style of the book and my colour photographs of the lovely blonde children (of New Ireland) and landscapes,” Moran said.
“Those amazing New Ireland men in tatanua masks on the jacket have hardly ever been seen in the UK.
“The island provinces of PNG are regarded as incredibly exotic here.”
The book has been well reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement, a very prestigious journal, and the Daily Mail newspaper, which has a circulation about 2.5 million as well as others.
Moran said PNG High Commissioner to Great Britain Ms Jean Kekedo liked the book very much.
“She knows everybody I mentioned by name, particularly the Milne Bay area,” he said.
“We have come to similar conclusions about the problems of PNG, as she has a serious social conscience.
“The book is not 100 per cent positive, of course, as I tried to present a balanced picture of the more sensational and incredible events of its original ‘Western survey’ as well as a generally-glowing picture of the peaceful and beautiful people island people I met.
“The Highlands and the problems of that region could be on another planet compared to the island provinces.”
Moran concluded: “I truly hope that this happy, charming and informative book will assist tourism to your beautiful country – it really needs some positive press.”

Beyond the Coral Sea: Travels in the Old Empires of the South-West Pacific
by Michael Moran
Format: Hardback
Price: £18.99
Imprint: HarperCollins