I have been inundated with querries from all over the country from people wanting to build their own Blog or website.
If you need any assistance in this regards, email me on malumnalu@gmail.com or phone (675) 3446734 or mobile (675) 6849763.
Malum
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Coffee in Papua New Guinea
Contrary to what is often assumed, Papua New Guinea's coffee industry is not based upon large, corporately-owned plantations, but on tens of thousands of small, village coffee gardens.
Typically, they range in size from 20 trees to 500 or 600.
Typically, they range in size from 20 trees to 500 or 600.
These family-owned coffee gardens produce over 70% of the countries' annual exportable crop; a crop which has averaged one million bags, or 60,000 tonnes per year in recent times.
The balance of the crop is grown on commercial plantations which range from 20 to 100 hectares and more in size.
Again, of a total of 461 plantations registered with the Coffee Industry Corporation, all but half a dozen of the largest are owned by local, village-based business groups or individuals.
It is estimated that nearly 3,000,000 people, or almost half of the nation's population, derive a benefit from the coffee industry.
Certainly, in the highlands provinces, commerce and development would never have reached today's levels without the annual flow of income from this crop, a flow which begins in April, peaks in July/August and then tapers off quickly, so that the highland towns are comparatively quiet again in the final months of the year.
The coffee crop is 'green gold' which enriches the country annually to the extent of three to four hundred million kina in overseas earnings.
It is PNG's most valuable agricultural export.
And it is an eternally renewable resource.
Back in the early 1950s an active policy of encouraging the establishment of village coffee gardens was initiated, particularly in the highlands where the environment is ideal for the growing of Arabica coffee.
Arabica has a finer flavour and commands a higher price than Robusta, grown in coastal regions, but lacks Robusta's tolerance of the many fungus diseases which prevail in the steamy climate of the coast.
Although small areas of coffee had been established in certain coastal areas before the Second World War, no-one was prepared for the enthusiasm with which the highlands population adopted this new and initially strange crop.
At first it was hard to explain the use to which the ripe, red coffee berries or 'cherries' as they are called, would be put, and many older people, conservative and suspicious of the new plant with its shiny, dark-green leaves, predicted that coffee would bring bad luck and even cause the death of their much-prized pigs!
But very soon large numbers of highlanders were enthusiastically involved in setting up coffee nurseries with seed supplied by government agricultural extension workers.
Everywhere, families and clan groups were clearing land for coffee.
From small beginnings in the early 1950s, by 1960 more than 4000 hectares of Arabica coffee has been established by villagers, mainly in the highlands near Kainantu, Goroka, Mount Hagen and in the Wahgi Valley, but also at Wau, and in the Huon Peninsula in the mountains behind Lae and Finschhafen.
By the early 1970s, the area planted by villagers had increased to an estimated 23,000 hectares producing some 25,000 tonnes of green bean (raw bean) for export each year.
During the 1960s the infrastructural base of today's industry was laid.
Early on, all the coffee produced in the highlands was flown to Madang for overseas shipment. Initially, two coffee mills in which the dried coffee was husked, graded and bagged, were established, one in Goroka and one in Mount Hagen.
First one, and then a second export company was established, both with the participation of the then largely expatriate-owned plantations and mills.
The Coffee Marketing Board (recently re-constituted as the Coffee Industry Corporation) was set up to legislate and develop policy and to administer the industry.
The number of mills set up to buy and process the fast-growing volume of coffee produced by the smallholders soon grew to 10.
By 1964, the Highlands Highway was sufficiently well-developed to make trucking a payable proposition and the use of the aeroplane as the principal means of transporting heavy freight in and out of the highlands was phased out.
At the same time the development of a spreading network of minor roads in the coffee-growing areas allowing easier access to the towns encouraged the industry to grow.
Many coffee growers used their new-found wealth to buy small trucks and began to engage in buying coffee from other farmers, selling it at a profit to the mills.
Later in the 1970s, soon after PNG. became an independent, self-governing nation, the disastrous frost in Brazil put large sections of that country's coffee industry out of business for several seasons.
Papua New Guinea's coffee growers experienced boom conditions for more than three years.
In the highlands many new ventures based on coffee or the income from coffee were funded by a suddenly-adventurous banking industry.
Almost to a man the 100 or so expatriate planters who had arrived in the 1950s, and who with the village growers had pioneered the industry in the highlands, sold out, accepting what were in most cases generous offers made by locally-formed companies and business groups.
At the same time a government-sponsored scheme for the establishment of scores of small 20 hectare coffee plantations, owned corporately by groups of village landowners, came into being.
In the 1980s almost all the middlemen involved in the coffee trade, the buyers who trade either from trucks or roadside depots, were local businessmen.
Expatriates still provided management for the export companies and some of the larger mills, but ownership now rested almost entirely in the hands of citizens or citizen corporations.
During the 1980s the world price of coffee fluctuated violently, going from the highs of the late 1970s to new lows, then to a high again in 1986, followed by a steep fall. The plantations, with their heavy burden of debt and high operating costs were in deep trouble.
The smallholders, however, the backbone of the industry, were able to survive because of their independence and in-built resilience.
The typical village-based grower in PNG uses no artificial fertiliser, no chemical sprays, and owns his farm lock, stock and barrel.
His input consists mainly of his own and his family's labour, plus a few simple tools.
Pest and disease control to the grower in the valleys of PNG's highlands means daily watchfulness and the use of fingers and a sharp pair of secateurs, rather than the massive overkill of a chemical regime.
Prunings from his coffee and leaf-fall from the trees which shade it, together with the skin and pulp of his freshly-processed crop provide a natural, nutrient-rich mulch. The PNG small grower is very much his own man, very independent in an increasingly complex world.
Aware that nothing sells like quality, in 1994 PNG's Coffee Industry Corporation introduced a compulsory minimum standard for unprocessed coffee into the marketplace. This is in addition to the existing standard for export green bean.
Since 1995, it has been an offence under the provisions of the Coffee Industry Corporation Act for a farmer to offer for sale parchment coffee of the 'Reject' or Class 4 standard.
In 2002, the minimum standard for trade in smallholder parchment coffee was revised from Class 3 to Class 2.
As a result of improved quality control, the discount against the prevailing New York price for 'Other Milds' applying to PNG's 'Y-grade' has been reduced.
The balance of consumption against production in world terms is an up-and-down equation, but at present the near-term outlook for the PNG grower is good.
In particular, the increasing demand for organically-grown coffee presents opportunities for PNG.
With his ability to supply a naturally-grown, naturally-processed product the village-based coffee grower in PNG faces a reasonably assured future.
PNG's Arabica coffee is intrinsically a very good one, known for its good body and acidity, and will always be looked for in the market whilst it enjoys a reputation for reliable quality. PNG's coffee industry is here for the long haul.
This 'green gold' will continue to provide income and stability for generations of small growers in PNG's coffee producing provinces.
The balance of the crop is grown on commercial plantations which range from 20 to 100 hectares and more in size.
Again, of a total of 461 plantations registered with the Coffee Industry Corporation, all but half a dozen of the largest are owned by local, village-based business groups or individuals.
It is estimated that nearly 3,000,000 people, or almost half of the nation's population, derive a benefit from the coffee industry.
Certainly, in the highlands provinces, commerce and development would never have reached today's levels without the annual flow of income from this crop, a flow which begins in April, peaks in July/August and then tapers off quickly, so that the highland towns are comparatively quiet again in the final months of the year.
The coffee crop is 'green gold' which enriches the country annually to the extent of three to four hundred million kina in overseas earnings.
It is PNG's most valuable agricultural export.
And it is an eternally renewable resource.
Back in the early 1950s an active policy of encouraging the establishment of village coffee gardens was initiated, particularly in the highlands where the environment is ideal for the growing of Arabica coffee.
Arabica has a finer flavour and commands a higher price than Robusta, grown in coastal regions, but lacks Robusta's tolerance of the many fungus diseases which prevail in the steamy climate of the coast.
Although small areas of coffee had been established in certain coastal areas before the Second World War, no-one was prepared for the enthusiasm with which the highlands population adopted this new and initially strange crop.
At first it was hard to explain the use to which the ripe, red coffee berries or 'cherries' as they are called, would be put, and many older people, conservative and suspicious of the new plant with its shiny, dark-green leaves, predicted that coffee would bring bad luck and even cause the death of their much-prized pigs!
But very soon large numbers of highlanders were enthusiastically involved in setting up coffee nurseries with seed supplied by government agricultural extension workers.
Everywhere, families and clan groups were clearing land for coffee.
From small beginnings in the early 1950s, by 1960 more than 4000 hectares of Arabica coffee has been established by villagers, mainly in the highlands near Kainantu, Goroka, Mount Hagen and in the Wahgi Valley, but also at Wau, and in the Huon Peninsula in the mountains behind Lae and Finschhafen.
By the early 1970s, the area planted by villagers had increased to an estimated 23,000 hectares producing some 25,000 tonnes of green bean (raw bean) for export each year.
During the 1960s the infrastructural base of today's industry was laid.
Early on, all the coffee produced in the highlands was flown to Madang for overseas shipment. Initially, two coffee mills in which the dried coffee was husked, graded and bagged, were established, one in Goroka and one in Mount Hagen.
First one, and then a second export company was established, both with the participation of the then largely expatriate-owned plantations and mills.
The Coffee Marketing Board (recently re-constituted as the Coffee Industry Corporation) was set up to legislate and develop policy and to administer the industry.
The number of mills set up to buy and process the fast-growing volume of coffee produced by the smallholders soon grew to 10.
By 1964, the Highlands Highway was sufficiently well-developed to make trucking a payable proposition and the use of the aeroplane as the principal means of transporting heavy freight in and out of the highlands was phased out.
At the same time the development of a spreading network of minor roads in the coffee-growing areas allowing easier access to the towns encouraged the industry to grow.
Many coffee growers used their new-found wealth to buy small trucks and began to engage in buying coffee from other farmers, selling it at a profit to the mills.
Later in the 1970s, soon after PNG. became an independent, self-governing nation, the disastrous frost in Brazil put large sections of that country's coffee industry out of business for several seasons.
Papua New Guinea's coffee growers experienced boom conditions for more than three years.
In the highlands many new ventures based on coffee or the income from coffee were funded by a suddenly-adventurous banking industry.
Almost to a man the 100 or so expatriate planters who had arrived in the 1950s, and who with the village growers had pioneered the industry in the highlands, sold out, accepting what were in most cases generous offers made by locally-formed companies and business groups.
At the same time a government-sponsored scheme for the establishment of scores of small 20 hectare coffee plantations, owned corporately by groups of village landowners, came into being.
In the 1980s almost all the middlemen involved in the coffee trade, the buyers who trade either from trucks or roadside depots, were local businessmen.
Expatriates still provided management for the export companies and some of the larger mills, but ownership now rested almost entirely in the hands of citizens or citizen corporations.
During the 1980s the world price of coffee fluctuated violently, going from the highs of the late 1970s to new lows, then to a high again in 1986, followed by a steep fall. The plantations, with their heavy burden of debt and high operating costs were in deep trouble.
The smallholders, however, the backbone of the industry, were able to survive because of their independence and in-built resilience.
The typical village-based grower in PNG uses no artificial fertiliser, no chemical sprays, and owns his farm lock, stock and barrel.
His input consists mainly of his own and his family's labour, plus a few simple tools.
Pest and disease control to the grower in the valleys of PNG's highlands means daily watchfulness and the use of fingers and a sharp pair of secateurs, rather than the massive overkill of a chemical regime.
Prunings from his coffee and leaf-fall from the trees which shade it, together with the skin and pulp of his freshly-processed crop provide a natural, nutrient-rich mulch. The PNG small grower is very much his own man, very independent in an increasingly complex world.
Aware that nothing sells like quality, in 1994 PNG's Coffee Industry Corporation introduced a compulsory minimum standard for unprocessed coffee into the marketplace. This is in addition to the existing standard for export green bean.
Since 1995, it has been an offence under the provisions of the Coffee Industry Corporation Act for a farmer to offer for sale parchment coffee of the 'Reject' or Class 4 standard.
In 2002, the minimum standard for trade in smallholder parchment coffee was revised from Class 3 to Class 2.
As a result of improved quality control, the discount against the prevailing New York price for 'Other Milds' applying to PNG's 'Y-grade' has been reduced.
The balance of consumption against production in world terms is an up-and-down equation, but at present the near-term outlook for the PNG grower is good.
In particular, the increasing demand for organically-grown coffee presents opportunities for PNG.
With his ability to supply a naturally-grown, naturally-processed product the village-based coffee grower in PNG faces a reasonably assured future.
PNG's Arabica coffee is intrinsically a very good one, known for its good body and acidity, and will always be looked for in the market whilst it enjoys a reputation for reliable quality. PNG's coffee industry is here for the long haul.
This 'green gold' will continue to provide income and stability for generations of small growers in PNG's coffee producing provinces.
Use 100% Papua New Guinea companies for walking the Kokoda Trail
Trekkers, particularly Australians wanting to walk the Kokoda Trail, are advised to use 100% nationally-owned companies.
It is common knowledge that many Australian companies use Papua New Guineans as mere fronts, with most of the money heading back to Australia.
If you want to really support Papua New Guinea, use a 100%nationally-owned company.
Robin Yates, 57, a successful import/export businessman in Queensland who recently walked the Kokoda Trail, cast his vote-of-confidence in Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions, especially at a time when it is common knowledge that many Australian companies use Papua New Guineans as mere fronts, with most of the money heading back south.
“We want the money to come to New Guinea, not Australia,” Mr Yates explains.
“We want the money to come to New Guinea, that’s why we used a local company.
“And I’m very pleased that we did because we did a great trek and enjoyed all the people from Fuzzy Wuzzy.
“I’m sure that many more people will want to come and do the same.”
Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions is the new kid on the block that’s taking the Kokoda Trail by storm through the Internet.
It’s a far cry from early 2004 when I first met an enterprising young man named Defol Jabbar.
He had just set up his new trekking company and the next three years would be a steep learning curve.
Mr Jabbar has slowly, but steadily, been building up his client base since 2004, albeit, without a professionally-designed website.
His website http://www.fuzzywuzzy.com.pg/ was properly designed and uploaded last November and the sky is now the limit.
Mr Jabbar, as far as I know, is the first Papua New Guinean owner of a trekking company to have a proper website.
Many overseas trekkers and tourists prefer to use 100% locally-owned companies; however, the catch is that few of these companies are Internet-savvy.
The lucrative Kokoda Trail market is dominated by foreign-owned companies, many of whom use Papua New Guineans as fronts, and Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions is indeed a breath of fresh air.
Mr Jabbar has been able to pull in an extra buck or two into the country, provide employment, as well as promote tourism in this beautiful country of ours.
Mr Jabbar can be contacted on email defol@fuzzywuzzy.com.pg or info@fuzzywuzzy.com.pg and mobile (675) 6883231.
It is common knowledge that many Australian companies use Papua New Guineans as mere fronts, with most of the money heading back to Australia.
If you want to really support Papua New Guinea, use a 100%nationally-owned company.
Robin Yates, 57, a successful import/export businessman in Queensland who recently walked the Kokoda Trail, cast his vote-of-confidence in Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions, especially at a time when it is common knowledge that many Australian companies use Papua New Guineans as mere fronts, with most of the money heading back south.
“We want the money to come to New Guinea, not Australia,” Mr Yates explains.
“We want the money to come to New Guinea, that’s why we used a local company.
“And I’m very pleased that we did because we did a great trek and enjoyed all the people from Fuzzy Wuzzy.
“I’m sure that many more people will want to come and do the same.”
Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions is the new kid on the block that’s taking the Kokoda Trail by storm through the Internet.
It’s a far cry from early 2004 when I first met an enterprising young man named Defol Jabbar.
He had just set up his new trekking company and the next three years would be a steep learning curve.
Mr Jabbar has slowly, but steadily, been building up his client base since 2004, albeit, without a professionally-designed website.
His website http://www.fuzzywuzzy.com.pg/ was properly designed and uploaded last November and the sky is now the limit.
Mr Jabbar, as far as I know, is the first Papua New Guinean owner of a trekking company to have a proper website.
Many overseas trekkers and tourists prefer to use 100% locally-owned companies; however, the catch is that few of these companies are Internet-savvy.
The lucrative Kokoda Trail market is dominated by foreign-owned companies, many of whom use Papua New Guineans as fronts, and Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions is indeed a breath of fresh air.
Mr Jabbar has been able to pull in an extra buck or two into the country, provide employment, as well as promote tourism in this beautiful country of ours.
Mr Jabbar can be contacted on email defol@fuzzywuzzy.com.pg or info@fuzzywuzzy.com.pg and mobile (675) 6883231.
Making ICT more relevant and practical for SMEs in rural areas
Many development practitioners and researchers – including Papua New Guinea - have traditionally regarded the area of communication either as a technical field, or as a means of "delivering messages" and not so much as a tool for enterprise development.
Yet, these assumptions are increasingly questioned, as media and communication tools become more accessible to marginalised people, particularly those in micro and small enterprises in rural areas.
Rural areas such as Memyamya in Morobe province, Marawaka in Eastern Highlands province, Oksapmin in Sandaun province, Karimui in Chimbu province, Kaintiba in Gulf province, and the list goes on and on.
We have to find ways of making Information and Communications Technology (ICT) more relevant and practical for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas. Information and Communications Technology can also be used as a powerful weapon in the battle against the scourge of HIV/AIDS that is sweeping the world, including Papua New Guinea, where it now threatens the very livelihood of our people.
Examples can be found in uses of participatory video, community radio, print media such as newspapers and magazines, theatre-for-development, music, Internet, community television, and mobile phones and many other various forms of media.
These are used all over Papua New Guinea but have not been harnessed as much as a tool for enterprise development.
The technology is already there to take Internet to the rural areas of our country, such as Very Short Aperture Terminal (VSATs), but for reasons known to themselves; those in authority seem to be working at a snail’s pace to let our rural areas see the light of ICT. We have to make ICT affordable and accessible for our people or they will continue to remain in the dark.
All over this increasingly-globalised world, a massive Information Revolution is taking place as economies use ICT as a passport to what economists call the “New Economy”.
Papua New Guinea will continue to remain light years behind the rest of the world if we do not jump on the ICT bandwagon in this globalised world.
Success in this globalised world is predicated on ICT knowledge and successful knowledge-based economies will be based on the efficient and widespread use of ICT by all sectors within any given country.
On the other hand, an increasing number of development projects on promoting mass media for development, such as the International Labour Organisation’s Business Development Services (BDS) Zambia project, are beginning to demonstrate creative and innovative ways of unleashing the power of mass media for accelerating market information services and creating relevant and accessible social dialogue platforms for lobbying for enabling small business environments. Leap-frogging technologies such as mobile Short Messaging Services (SMS) are enabling Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in rural areas to access market information and opportunities in real time.
We only need to look within our own country to see the massive improvements in accessing market information and opportunities in real time since the introduction of mobile phone competition through Digicel.
There are real life stories of farmers, fishermen, artisans, PMV owners, trade store operators and many more seeing marked improvements in developing markets through their mobile phones.
The days of yodelling over the mountaintops to broker barter of goods is long over and our rural areas must also reap the benefits of the massive Information Revolution that is sweeping the globe.
Journalists also have a very important role in disseminating information to the bulk of our people in the rural areas rather than the bread-and-butter “shock and horror” stories. The BDS Zambia project has been facilitating the capacity building of mass media and target MSEs in a few ways:
* Building the capacity of media to deliver market information services that are relevant and practical to MSMEs in rural and urban communities;
* Training and sensitising journalists on role of media in promoting access to service and commodity markets, creating a business enabling environment and promoting an entrepreneurial culture;
* Promoting a community journalism culture among farming communities to talk back to the media and make their views on access to services, information, markets known. And in turn, promote sustainable social enterprises whose business models thrive on harnessing a market of satisfied audiences;
* Enhance their participation in social dialogue processes and bottom-up communication on issues that concern micro-enterprise and community development, particularly at local government level by empowering Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) rural and urban business communities to support and work with media that addresses their specific needs;
* Helping people in small businesses on how to cope with AIDS through relevant and practical information materials such as the HIV and AIDS Handbook for Entrepreneurs in Zambia. The project has produced short videos highlighting the lessons and experiences of the ILO Business Development Services project in Zambia, working with media to facilitate information services for micro and small enterprises in rural markets.
Perhaps Papua New Guinea can take a leaf out of Zambia’s book as we ponder the future of ICT in our beloved country.
Yet, these assumptions are increasingly questioned, as media and communication tools become more accessible to marginalised people, particularly those in micro and small enterprises in rural areas.
Rural areas such as Memyamya in Morobe province, Marawaka in Eastern Highlands province, Oksapmin in Sandaun province, Karimui in Chimbu province, Kaintiba in Gulf province, and the list goes on and on.
We have to find ways of making Information and Communications Technology (ICT) more relevant and practical for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in rural areas. Information and Communications Technology can also be used as a powerful weapon in the battle against the scourge of HIV/AIDS that is sweeping the world, including Papua New Guinea, where it now threatens the very livelihood of our people.
Examples can be found in uses of participatory video, community radio, print media such as newspapers and magazines, theatre-for-development, music, Internet, community television, and mobile phones and many other various forms of media.
These are used all over Papua New Guinea but have not been harnessed as much as a tool for enterprise development.
The technology is already there to take Internet to the rural areas of our country, such as Very Short Aperture Terminal (VSATs), but for reasons known to themselves; those in authority seem to be working at a snail’s pace to let our rural areas see the light of ICT. We have to make ICT affordable and accessible for our people or they will continue to remain in the dark.
All over this increasingly-globalised world, a massive Information Revolution is taking place as economies use ICT as a passport to what economists call the “New Economy”.
Papua New Guinea will continue to remain light years behind the rest of the world if we do not jump on the ICT bandwagon in this globalised world.
Success in this globalised world is predicated on ICT knowledge and successful knowledge-based economies will be based on the efficient and widespread use of ICT by all sectors within any given country.
On the other hand, an increasing number of development projects on promoting mass media for development, such as the International Labour Organisation’s Business Development Services (BDS) Zambia project, are beginning to demonstrate creative and innovative ways of unleashing the power of mass media for accelerating market information services and creating relevant and accessible social dialogue platforms for lobbying for enabling small business environments. Leap-frogging technologies such as mobile Short Messaging Services (SMS) are enabling Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in rural areas to access market information and opportunities in real time.
We only need to look within our own country to see the massive improvements in accessing market information and opportunities in real time since the introduction of mobile phone competition through Digicel.
There are real life stories of farmers, fishermen, artisans, PMV owners, trade store operators and many more seeing marked improvements in developing markets through their mobile phones.
The days of yodelling over the mountaintops to broker barter of goods is long over and our rural areas must also reap the benefits of the massive Information Revolution that is sweeping the globe.
Journalists also have a very important role in disseminating information to the bulk of our people in the rural areas rather than the bread-and-butter “shock and horror” stories. The BDS Zambia project has been facilitating the capacity building of mass media and target MSEs in a few ways:
* Building the capacity of media to deliver market information services that are relevant and practical to MSMEs in rural and urban communities;
* Training and sensitising journalists on role of media in promoting access to service and commodity markets, creating a business enabling environment and promoting an entrepreneurial culture;
* Promoting a community journalism culture among farming communities to talk back to the media and make their views on access to services, information, markets known. And in turn, promote sustainable social enterprises whose business models thrive on harnessing a market of satisfied audiences;
* Enhance their participation in social dialogue processes and bottom-up communication on issues that concern micro-enterprise and community development, particularly at local government level by empowering Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) rural and urban business communities to support and work with media that addresses their specific needs;
* Helping people in small businesses on how to cope with AIDS through relevant and practical information materials such as the HIV and AIDS Handbook for Entrepreneurs in Zambia. The project has produced short videos highlighting the lessons and experiences of the ILO Business Development Services project in Zambia, working with media to facilitate information services for micro and small enterprises in rural markets.
Perhaps Papua New Guinea can take a leaf out of Zambia’s book as we ponder the future of ICT in our beloved country.
Welcome to Papua New Guinea
Lying just south of the equator, 160km north of Australia, Papua New Guinea is part of a great arc of mountains stretching from Asia, through Indonesia and into the South Pacific.
Papua New Guinea has a total land area of 463, 920 square kilometers and total sea area of 3.1 million square kilometers.
It has a moderate tropical climate with high levels of seasonal rainfall.
In the Highlands, temperatures can range from a low of 4 degrees Celsius to a high of 32 degrees Celsius.
The average daily temperature is 27 degrees Celsius.
Papua New Guinea’s population is about 6 million people.
This fascinating land boasts more than 600 offshore islands and more than 800 indigenous languages (tok ples), and is home to the largest area of intact rainforest outside of the Amazon.
Papua New Guinea consists of four regions made up of 19 provinces and the National Capital District, each with its own special character and cultures.
Visitors will discover a wealth of tropical scenery, from the jungle-clad mountains of the Highlands to the sandy white beaches and atolls of the coastal and island provinces.
People, Language and Religion
Papua New Guineans, most of whom are Melanesians, vary widely in their physical characteristics, ethnic backgrounds and cultural types.
It is the most-heterogeneous country in the world because of the isolation of most communities.
In the past, more than 800 languages have evolved – many of which are still spoken – representing approximately one-third of the languages known in the world.
Due to the cultural diversity of the country, English is the language of Government, commerce and law.
English is a compulsory subject in school through Papua New Guinea and apart from isolated communities, is widely understood.
About 96 per cent of the population is Christian with the Catholic and Lutheran churches being the largest denominations.
Government
In 1973 Michael Somare became the Chief Minister of a democratically-elected government and led the national to self-government on 1st October 1973.
Papua New Guinea became an independent nation on 16th September 1975 with Michael Somare being the nation’s first Prime Minister.
The National Government consists of three independent branches: the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary.
The National Parliament consists of 109 members, including the current Prime Minister and his cabinet of 27 ministers.
There are 19 provinces in Papua New Guinea as well as a National Capital District, each of which are given grants by the National Government to operate such functions as capital works and maintenance, health, education, agriculture, town planning, forestry and business development in their respective provinces.
However, national laws do take precedence over provincial laws if there is conflict.
Papua New Guinea is an active member of the British Commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth 11 is the Head of the State, represented by her appointed Governor-General.
Economy and growth
Papua New Guinea is now on a sound financial path.
Economic growth looks to be around 6 to 7 per cent, following several years during which the economy contracted.
Employment and incomes are picking up.
Inflation has fallen from over 20 per cent to around 1 per cent.
The Treasury Bill rate is now under 5 per cent compared with rates as high as 20 per cent around the middle of 2003.
The Kina has been stable.
There is increased optimism about projects for investment in Papua New Guinea, which has been reflected in developments such as the billion Kina Luquid Natural Gas (LNG) projects.
International reserves are at near record levels.
The deficit has fallen and Papua New Guinea has reapid most of its debts.
Papua New Guinea has been described as a “mountain of gold floating on a sea of oil”.
While this may be somewhat overstating the situation, it reflects the importance that Papua New Guinea’s extensive natural resources play in the country’s development.
It is also appropriate, from the agricultural point of view, to describe Papua New Guinea as a “Garden of Eden”.
Fertile soils and a conducive climate allow most agricultural produce to be harvested.
At present there are two distinct economies existing side by side in Papua New Guinea: the traditional economy and the cash economy.
The traditional sector – mainly subsistence farming – supports about 85 per cent of the population.
Most villages are self-sufficient and only small surpluses of produce are available for trading.
The growth of towns has, however, encouraged small-scale cash cropping in nearby villages and these crops are sold by village people in the town market.
The cash economy in Papua New Guinea is very much an open economy geared for international trade.
Exports are mainly minerals, petroleum, gas and agricultural commodities.
The country imports most of the finished goods it requires.
The National Government actively encourages more production onshore for the needs of the population and for export.
The economy is dominated by mineral, petroleum and gas projects.
However, the agriculture, forestry, fishing and manufacturing sectors combined account for a significant proportion of the nation’s gross domestic product.
Total exports from Papua New Guinea are valued at more than US $2 billion.
Geography
Vast tracts of the country are wild and undeveloped.
The towering Owen Stanley Range, a massive central spine, divides the mainland with peaks towering over 4000 metres.
Great rivers begin their journey to the sea from these mountains, among them the mighty Sepik River and Fly River waterways.
Beneath the mountain chain, fertile coastal plains, flooded delta regions and mangrove swamps exist alongside broad sandy beaches, colourful sheltered bays and dense rainforest.
The rugged mountain terrain and deep cave systems offer wonderful adventure opportunities for walkers, cavers and climbers, and there is canoeing, kayaking and fishing on the river and delta system.
Papua New Guinea also enjoys some of the world’s best diving around its warm coastal waters, with rich coral reefs around the inland coast and the islands of the Bismarck Sea and the Milne Bay area.
Undiscovered marine life forms are continually being found on the reefs, and visitors can discover some of the world’s rarest shells.
National Capital District
Port Moresby is the capital of Papua New Guinea and this area is sometimes referred to as the National Capital District.
Located on the southern coast of the mainland, it has a total population of 254, 158 made up from all regions of the country and including a large foreign population.
The striking Parliament House building reflects the harmony of modern architecture and traditional design, while the National Museum and Art Gallery exhibits cultural features of the country’s complex tribal lifestyles.
There is a range of international hotels, as well as shops, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other amenities.
Main Regions and Provinces
Papua New Guinea is divided into four main regions known as Highlands, Momase, New Guinea Islands and Southern.
The Highlands region is made up of the provinces of Eastern Highlands, Simbu, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands and Enga.
The Momase region consists of Morobe, Madang, East Sepik and West Sepik.
Southern consists of Central, National Capital District, Gulf, Western, Milne Bay and Oro.
The New Guinea Islands region comprises of East New Britain, West New Britain, Bouganville, New Ireland and Manus.
Flora and fauna
The country’s pristine rainforest is home to some 700 species of birds, including parrots, pigeons, hornbills (kokomos) and cassowaries (Papua New Guinea’s largest bird), but best know is the brilliantly coloured bird of paradise.
Thirty-eight of the 43 known bird of paradise species are found here, including the rare Blue and the Raggiana varieties, enticing birdwatchers from around the world.
The world’s largest butterfly – the Queen Alexandra Birdwing – is also native to Oro Province, with a wingspan that reaches up to 30 centimetres.
Native mammals include bats and marsupials such as tree kangaroos, forest wallabies and echidnas (spiny anteaters).
Papua New Guinea is also especially famous for its stunning orchids.
Over two-thirds of the world’s known species are found here, and new varieties are still being discovered.
National Parks and Reserves
Papua New Guinea has more than 1000 hectares of land dedicated to national parks.
Varirata National Park (1063ha), just 42km from Port Moresby, is a haven for native flora and fauna, and birdwatchers.
The park protects the Western end of the Sogeri Plateau, across to the Astrolabe Mountains.
McAdam National Park (2076 ha) stretches between Wau and Bulolo, protecting wildlife such as echidnas, cuscuses (a large marsupial), cassowaries and birds of paradise.
The Baiyer River Sanctuary, north of Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands, contains the world’s largest collection of birds of paradise, and some shorter bushwalks.
Pokili wildlife area in West New Britain in unique for its hot springs, geysers and boiling mud pools, while Lake Kutubu in the Southern Highlands provides a refuge for birdlife, reptiles and turtles.
Papua New Guinea has a total land area of 463, 920 square kilometers and total sea area of 3.1 million square kilometers.
It has a moderate tropical climate with high levels of seasonal rainfall.
In the Highlands, temperatures can range from a low of 4 degrees Celsius to a high of 32 degrees Celsius.
The average daily temperature is 27 degrees Celsius.
Papua New Guinea’s population is about 6 million people.
This fascinating land boasts more than 600 offshore islands and more than 800 indigenous languages (tok ples), and is home to the largest area of intact rainforest outside of the Amazon.
Papua New Guinea consists of four regions made up of 19 provinces and the National Capital District, each with its own special character and cultures.
Visitors will discover a wealth of tropical scenery, from the jungle-clad mountains of the Highlands to the sandy white beaches and atolls of the coastal and island provinces.
People, Language and Religion
Papua New Guineans, most of whom are Melanesians, vary widely in their physical characteristics, ethnic backgrounds and cultural types.
It is the most-heterogeneous country in the world because of the isolation of most communities.
In the past, more than 800 languages have evolved – many of which are still spoken – representing approximately one-third of the languages known in the world.
Due to the cultural diversity of the country, English is the language of Government, commerce and law.
English is a compulsory subject in school through Papua New Guinea and apart from isolated communities, is widely understood.
About 96 per cent of the population is Christian with the Catholic and Lutheran churches being the largest denominations.
Government
In 1973 Michael Somare became the Chief Minister of a democratically-elected government and led the national to self-government on 1st October 1973.
Papua New Guinea became an independent nation on 16th September 1975 with Michael Somare being the nation’s first Prime Minister.
The National Government consists of three independent branches: the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary.
The National Parliament consists of 109 members, including the current Prime Minister and his cabinet of 27 ministers.
There are 19 provinces in Papua New Guinea as well as a National Capital District, each of which are given grants by the National Government to operate such functions as capital works and maintenance, health, education, agriculture, town planning, forestry and business development in their respective provinces.
However, national laws do take precedence over provincial laws if there is conflict.
Papua New Guinea is an active member of the British Commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth 11 is the Head of the State, represented by her appointed Governor-General.
Economy and growth
Papua New Guinea is now on a sound financial path.
Economic growth looks to be around 6 to 7 per cent, following several years during which the economy contracted.
Employment and incomes are picking up.
Inflation has fallen from over 20 per cent to around 1 per cent.
The Treasury Bill rate is now under 5 per cent compared with rates as high as 20 per cent around the middle of 2003.
The Kina has been stable.
There is increased optimism about projects for investment in Papua New Guinea, which has been reflected in developments such as the billion Kina Luquid Natural Gas (LNG) projects.
International reserves are at near record levels.
The deficit has fallen and Papua New Guinea has reapid most of its debts.
Papua New Guinea has been described as a “mountain of gold floating on a sea of oil”.
While this may be somewhat overstating the situation, it reflects the importance that Papua New Guinea’s extensive natural resources play in the country’s development.
It is also appropriate, from the agricultural point of view, to describe Papua New Guinea as a “Garden of Eden”.
Fertile soils and a conducive climate allow most agricultural produce to be harvested.
At present there are two distinct economies existing side by side in Papua New Guinea: the traditional economy and the cash economy.
The traditional sector – mainly subsistence farming – supports about 85 per cent of the population.
Most villages are self-sufficient and only small surpluses of produce are available for trading.
The growth of towns has, however, encouraged small-scale cash cropping in nearby villages and these crops are sold by village people in the town market.
The cash economy in Papua New Guinea is very much an open economy geared for international trade.
Exports are mainly minerals, petroleum, gas and agricultural commodities.
The country imports most of the finished goods it requires.
The National Government actively encourages more production onshore for the needs of the population and for export.
The economy is dominated by mineral, petroleum and gas projects.
However, the agriculture, forestry, fishing and manufacturing sectors combined account for a significant proportion of the nation’s gross domestic product.
Total exports from Papua New Guinea are valued at more than US $2 billion.
Geography
Vast tracts of the country are wild and undeveloped.
The towering Owen Stanley Range, a massive central spine, divides the mainland with peaks towering over 4000 metres.
Great rivers begin their journey to the sea from these mountains, among them the mighty Sepik River and Fly River waterways.
Beneath the mountain chain, fertile coastal plains, flooded delta regions and mangrove swamps exist alongside broad sandy beaches, colourful sheltered bays and dense rainforest.
The rugged mountain terrain and deep cave systems offer wonderful adventure opportunities for walkers, cavers and climbers, and there is canoeing, kayaking and fishing on the river and delta system.
Papua New Guinea also enjoys some of the world’s best diving around its warm coastal waters, with rich coral reefs around the inland coast and the islands of the Bismarck Sea and the Milne Bay area.
Undiscovered marine life forms are continually being found on the reefs, and visitors can discover some of the world’s rarest shells.
National Capital District
Port Moresby is the capital of Papua New Guinea and this area is sometimes referred to as the National Capital District.
Located on the southern coast of the mainland, it has a total population of 254, 158 made up from all regions of the country and including a large foreign population.
The striking Parliament House building reflects the harmony of modern architecture and traditional design, while the National Museum and Art Gallery exhibits cultural features of the country’s complex tribal lifestyles.
There is a range of international hotels, as well as shops, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other amenities.
Main Regions and Provinces
Papua New Guinea is divided into four main regions known as Highlands, Momase, New Guinea Islands and Southern.
The Highlands region is made up of the provinces of Eastern Highlands, Simbu, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands and Enga.
The Momase region consists of Morobe, Madang, East Sepik and West Sepik.
Southern consists of Central, National Capital District, Gulf, Western, Milne Bay and Oro.
The New Guinea Islands region comprises of East New Britain, West New Britain, Bouganville, New Ireland and Manus.
Flora and fauna
The country’s pristine rainforest is home to some 700 species of birds, including parrots, pigeons, hornbills (kokomos) and cassowaries (Papua New Guinea’s largest bird), but best know is the brilliantly coloured bird of paradise.
Thirty-eight of the 43 known bird of paradise species are found here, including the rare Blue and the Raggiana varieties, enticing birdwatchers from around the world.
The world’s largest butterfly – the Queen Alexandra Birdwing – is also native to Oro Province, with a wingspan that reaches up to 30 centimetres.
Native mammals include bats and marsupials such as tree kangaroos, forest wallabies and echidnas (spiny anteaters).
Papua New Guinea is also especially famous for its stunning orchids.
Over two-thirds of the world’s known species are found here, and new varieties are still being discovered.
National Parks and Reserves
Papua New Guinea has more than 1000 hectares of land dedicated to national parks.
Varirata National Park (1063ha), just 42km from Port Moresby, is a haven for native flora and fauna, and birdwatchers.
The park protects the Western end of the Sogeri Plateau, across to the Astrolabe Mountains.
McAdam National Park (2076 ha) stretches between Wau and Bulolo, protecting wildlife such as echidnas, cuscuses (a large marsupial), cassowaries and birds of paradise.
The Baiyer River Sanctuary, north of Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands, contains the world’s largest collection of birds of paradise, and some shorter bushwalks.
Pokili wildlife area in West New Britain in unique for its hot springs, geysers and boiling mud pools, while Lake Kutubu in the Southern Highlands provides a refuge for birdlife, reptiles and turtles.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Dr Greg Murphy honoured for his services to PNG arts and education
The award of Officer of the Order of Logohu was presented to Raun Raun Theatre founder Dr Greg Murphy by Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane on Thursday on March 1, 2007.
Dr Murphy, a naturalised citizen who first came to Papua New Guinea in 1968, is known to many people – particularly those of Goroka – as being the founder of the famous Raun Raun Theatre and his role in the construction of the landmark Raun Raun Theatre building.
His is also known for his production of many plays, including the internationally-acclaimed Sail The Midnight Sun trilogy, which was written by famous PNG writer and poet John Kasaipwalova.
He is now employed by the University of Papua New Guinea as the Director of the Madang Open Campus.
“I would rate my biggest achievements in Papua New Guinea as the direction of the Sail the Midnight Sun Trilogy with the Raun Raun Theatre actors and dancers and the poet, John Kasaipwalova, and my role in the construction of the wonderful Raun Raun Theatre building in Goroka,” Dr Murphy says.
“But it also gave me great pleasure to witness the first group of graduates from the Madang Open Campus in April 2006.
“It was a small group of seven people who graduated with a Bachelor of Management.
“I was very proud of them.”
He stood proud at Government House to receive his award.
“I was very proud to receive this award along with many other people who have contributed in their own ways to our country of Papua New Guinea.
“To be honoured in this way by my country - I became a citizen of Papua New Guinea in 1985 - means a great deal to me.”
Dr Murphy was educated at Melbourne and Monash Universities and then sent to Papua New Guinea as an Australian conscript in the Pacific Islands Regiment.
“Instead of being sent to Vietnam,” he recalls, “I was sent to Papua New Guinea to teach at the Military Cadet School in Lae.
“After that, I spent 10 years with Raun Raun Theatre and 25 years teaching and managing in tertiary educational institutions in Papua New Guinea.
“I have a formally adopted family of two children and now two grandchildren as well.
“In many ways, I regard my family as my major achievement.
“It has been a lifelong commitment.”
Dr Murphy’s contribution to the arts and culture in Papua New Guinea really began when he arrived in 1968.
“I was teaching English to officer cadets at Igam Barracks.
“During that time, we did a lot of creative writing, made a film based on Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart and produced a play called Everyman (the African version).
“I then returned to Australia and came back to live permanently in Papua New Guinea in 1973.
“For two years, I was a lecturer in Expressive Arts at Goroka Teachers College.
“Two collections of student poetry, Hey Now and O Mama, were published and 14 stage productions were mounted during that time.
“One of these productions was a folk opera called Betlail based on a story from Siassi and another was called Poket Buruk, a village play about alcoholism.
“These two productions formed a model for Raun Raun Theatre which I started in 1975 under the National Cultural Council.
“I directed and developed this theatre company for 10 years until 1984.”
The following are the productions completed at that time:
Village plays: 1975 Poket Buruk [TP: Broke!]a play about alcoholism; 1975 TupelaTingting [TP: Double Bind] a play about gambling; 1976 O Mama na Papa
a play about urban youth; 1977 Kago [TP: Cargo]a play about cargoism; 1978 Ol Kain Sik Nogut [TP: Health Problems]a play about malnutrition, diarrhoea, sexually transmitted disease; 1979 Taim Bilong Kopi [TP: The Coffee Season]a play about coffee growing; 1980 Femili Plenin [TP: Family Planning]; 1981 Wara Suplai [TP: Water Supply]; 1982 Politiks [TP: Politics].
Folk operas: 1975 Betlail [The Twins]an origin story from the Siassi Islands; 1975 Ai Bilong Bilak Bokis [TP: The Eye of the Flying Fox]an origin story from the Finschhafen area; 1976 Tewel Bilong Kokatu [TP: The Cockatoo Spirit]an origin story from the Finschhafen area; 1977 Diwaz [The Trickster]an origin story from the Kiwai area of the Gulf; 1978 The Legend of Jari an origin story from the East Sepik; 1980 Sail the Midnight Sun based on poetry by John Kasaipwalova; 1982 My Tide Let Me Ride
based on poetry by John Kasaipwalova; 1984 The Dance of the Snail
based on stories told by John Kasaipwalova.
These three performances by John Kasaipwalova formed the Sail the Midnight Sun trilogy.
Over the 10 years, the Company performed in many of the villages in the five Highlands provinces, throughout all of the 19 provinces of Papua New Guinea and featured at several international arts festivals.
It was a remarkable experience and demonstrated the potential in Papua New Guinea for institutions of excellence.
Two of the highlights of this performance history were the premiere of Sail the Midnight Sun at the South Pacific Arts Festival in Port Moresby in 1980 and the performances of the first two parts of the trilogy at the Adelaide Festival in 1984.
“I served as a member of the National Cultural Council of Papua New Guinea from 1978 to 1984,” Dr Murphy says.
“In 1986, I began my current job at the University of Papua New Guinea as the Director of the Madang Open Campus, previously called the Madang University Centre.
“This involves mostly administering and teaching at a distance education facility but, during this period of more than 20 years, I have also conducted theatre workshops, organised creative writing workshops, published four issues of the journal Mazoz: New Writing and Arts from Papua New Guinea and written teachers resource books for Expressive Arts.
“I have also been involved in extensive research projects which led to the writing of my PhD thesis: Raun Raun Theatre and its role in the construction of a national culture in Papua New Guinea.
“I completed this PhD through our own university, the University of Papua New Guinea, which was always my aim.
“In fact, my work in education and culture in Papua New Guinea was not really in two separate fields because they are in many ways the same thing.
“The 10-year experience at Raun Raun Theatre was a real education for the actors and dancers, and myself.
“Even though they generally had very little formal education, I regard them now as highly-educated people, educated through travel and experience.
“Similarly, to work in the area of education in Papua New Guinea requires a sensitivity to culture and language and a commitment to them.
“Distance Education is an exciting area to work in because students need to become more independent and self-reliant and more readily take ownership of their own studies and their own learning.
“Learning at a distance has in fact become the most popular way globally to study and to acquire knowledge.
“My current interest is in literacy, in other words, the business of reading and writing, at all levels, in tok ples, tok pisin and tok inglis.
“In fact we are now working on the establishment of a Provincial Language and Literacy Resource Centre in Madang.”
Dr Murphy feels strongly about the arts and crafts in Papua New Guinea.
“I think the arts and crafts in Papua New Guinea need support in the form of national and provincial institutions where artists can work and exchange ideas.
“This is in fact the only way arts and crafts can grow and develop into a strong and vibrant contemporary culture.
“In other words, I think the former National Arts School or Creative Arts Centre needs re-establishing and devolving into provincial and regional areas.
“Cultures and the arts need to change and adapt.
“If they don’t, they will not survive.
“Preservation is not the right way, except of course in museums which are very valuable institutions in themselves, because you can only preserve something which is already dead.
“What we need is transformation, to use an expression of John Kasaipwalova’s.
“We need cultures and arts and education which are alive and exuberant and vibrant.”
Dr Murphy, a naturalised citizen who first came to Papua New Guinea in 1968, is known to many people – particularly those of Goroka – as being the founder of the famous Raun Raun Theatre and his role in the construction of the landmark Raun Raun Theatre building.
His is also known for his production of many plays, including the internationally-acclaimed Sail The Midnight Sun trilogy, which was written by famous PNG writer and poet John Kasaipwalova.
He is now employed by the University of Papua New Guinea as the Director of the Madang Open Campus.
“I would rate my biggest achievements in Papua New Guinea as the direction of the Sail the Midnight Sun Trilogy with the Raun Raun Theatre actors and dancers and the poet, John Kasaipwalova, and my role in the construction of the wonderful Raun Raun Theatre building in Goroka,” Dr Murphy says.
“But it also gave me great pleasure to witness the first group of graduates from the Madang Open Campus in April 2006.
“It was a small group of seven people who graduated with a Bachelor of Management.
“I was very proud of them.”
He stood proud at Government House to receive his award.
“I was very proud to receive this award along with many other people who have contributed in their own ways to our country of Papua New Guinea.
“To be honoured in this way by my country - I became a citizen of Papua New Guinea in 1985 - means a great deal to me.”
Dr Murphy was educated at Melbourne and Monash Universities and then sent to Papua New Guinea as an Australian conscript in the Pacific Islands Regiment.
“Instead of being sent to Vietnam,” he recalls, “I was sent to Papua New Guinea to teach at the Military Cadet School in Lae.
“After that, I spent 10 years with Raun Raun Theatre and 25 years teaching and managing in tertiary educational institutions in Papua New Guinea.
“I have a formally adopted family of two children and now two grandchildren as well.
“In many ways, I regard my family as my major achievement.
“It has been a lifelong commitment.”
Dr Murphy’s contribution to the arts and culture in Papua New Guinea really began when he arrived in 1968.
“I was teaching English to officer cadets at Igam Barracks.
“During that time, we did a lot of creative writing, made a film based on Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart and produced a play called Everyman (the African version).
“I then returned to Australia and came back to live permanently in Papua New Guinea in 1973.
“For two years, I was a lecturer in Expressive Arts at Goroka Teachers College.
“Two collections of student poetry, Hey Now and O Mama, were published and 14 stage productions were mounted during that time.
“One of these productions was a folk opera called Betlail based on a story from Siassi and another was called Poket Buruk, a village play about alcoholism.
“These two productions formed a model for Raun Raun Theatre which I started in 1975 under the National Cultural Council.
“I directed and developed this theatre company for 10 years until 1984.”
The following are the productions completed at that time:
Village plays: 1975 Poket Buruk [TP: Broke!]a play about alcoholism; 1975 TupelaTingting [TP: Double Bind] a play about gambling; 1976 O Mama na Papa
a play about urban youth; 1977 Kago [TP: Cargo]a play about cargoism; 1978 Ol Kain Sik Nogut [TP: Health Problems]a play about malnutrition, diarrhoea, sexually transmitted disease; 1979 Taim Bilong Kopi [TP: The Coffee Season]a play about coffee growing; 1980 Femili Plenin [TP: Family Planning]; 1981 Wara Suplai [TP: Water Supply]; 1982 Politiks [TP: Politics].
Folk operas: 1975 Betlail [The Twins]an origin story from the Siassi Islands; 1975 Ai Bilong Bilak Bokis [TP: The Eye of the Flying Fox]an origin story from the Finschhafen area; 1976 Tewel Bilong Kokatu [TP: The Cockatoo Spirit]an origin story from the Finschhafen area; 1977 Diwaz [The Trickster]an origin story from the Kiwai area of the Gulf; 1978 The Legend of Jari an origin story from the East Sepik; 1980 Sail the Midnight Sun based on poetry by John Kasaipwalova; 1982 My Tide Let Me Ride
based on poetry by John Kasaipwalova; 1984 The Dance of the Snail
based on stories told by John Kasaipwalova.
These three performances by John Kasaipwalova formed the Sail the Midnight Sun trilogy.
Over the 10 years, the Company performed in many of the villages in the five Highlands provinces, throughout all of the 19 provinces of Papua New Guinea and featured at several international arts festivals.
It was a remarkable experience and demonstrated the potential in Papua New Guinea for institutions of excellence.
Two of the highlights of this performance history were the premiere of Sail the Midnight Sun at the South Pacific Arts Festival in Port Moresby in 1980 and the performances of the first two parts of the trilogy at the Adelaide Festival in 1984.
“I served as a member of the National Cultural Council of Papua New Guinea from 1978 to 1984,” Dr Murphy says.
“In 1986, I began my current job at the University of Papua New Guinea as the Director of the Madang Open Campus, previously called the Madang University Centre.
“This involves mostly administering and teaching at a distance education facility but, during this period of more than 20 years, I have also conducted theatre workshops, organised creative writing workshops, published four issues of the journal Mazoz: New Writing and Arts from Papua New Guinea and written teachers resource books for Expressive Arts.
“I have also been involved in extensive research projects which led to the writing of my PhD thesis: Raun Raun Theatre and its role in the construction of a national culture in Papua New Guinea.
“I completed this PhD through our own university, the University of Papua New Guinea, which was always my aim.
“In fact, my work in education and culture in Papua New Guinea was not really in two separate fields because they are in many ways the same thing.
“The 10-year experience at Raun Raun Theatre was a real education for the actors and dancers, and myself.
“Even though they generally had very little formal education, I regard them now as highly-educated people, educated through travel and experience.
“Similarly, to work in the area of education in Papua New Guinea requires a sensitivity to culture and language and a commitment to them.
“Distance Education is an exciting area to work in because students need to become more independent and self-reliant and more readily take ownership of their own studies and their own learning.
“Learning at a distance has in fact become the most popular way globally to study and to acquire knowledge.
“My current interest is in literacy, in other words, the business of reading and writing, at all levels, in tok ples, tok pisin and tok inglis.
“In fact we are now working on the establishment of a Provincial Language and Literacy Resource Centre in Madang.”
Dr Murphy feels strongly about the arts and crafts in Papua New Guinea.
“I think the arts and crafts in Papua New Guinea need support in the form of national and provincial institutions where artists can work and exchange ideas.
“This is in fact the only way arts and crafts can grow and develop into a strong and vibrant contemporary culture.
“In other words, I think the former National Arts School or Creative Arts Centre needs re-establishing and devolving into provincial and regional areas.
“Cultures and the arts need to change and adapt.
“If they don’t, they will not survive.
“Preservation is not the right way, except of course in museums which are very valuable institutions in themselves, because you can only preserve something which is already dead.
“What we need is transformation, to use an expression of John Kasaipwalova’s.
“We need cultures and arts and education which are alive and exuberant and vibrant.”
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