Songs of unity

Come September 16, 2008, Papua New Guineans will join together to celebrate our 33rd anniversary of independence, linking hands to the refrain of “Oh Arise All You Sons”.
As we all join hands, spare a thought for other unity songs of that eventful period of PNG’s history, which did so much to bring together the many different tribes of this country.
“Oh Arise All You Sons” – the National Anthem – was composed by Tom Shacklady, the bandmaster of the Royal PNG Constabulary Band, and won a competition for a new anthem in the period just before independence.
It is interesting to note that when the competition was on, the song “Papua New Guinea” – composed by the remarkable Geoffrey Baskett – was proposed by many people.

Papua New Guinea

Our land is the island of high mountains,
Of sunlit palms and coral sea,
Where our people sing while the drums are beating,
For our land is strong and free.
Papua……….New Guinea……….

Papua New Guinea our Motherland
Every tribe and race, let us work together,
United we shall stand

There’s a bright new day dawning for our land
As every tribe and race unite
Sons and daughters arise, we’ll advance together
With God to guide us in the right.
Papua……….New Guinea……….

Papua New Guinea our Motherland
Every tribe and race, let us work together
United we shall stand.

Baskett, the founder of Lae-based Kristen Redio, also wrote three other songs which are printed is a hymn book that is in wide use in PNG.
Two of these songs – “Islands and Mountains” and “We Are Free” – reflect his great love of a country he spent nearly 60 years in and for which he was awarded the MBE in 1990.
Baskett was born at Kohat in the high Himalayan mountains of India and lived a fascinating life, one which every schoolboy dreams of.
As a teenager, he left Sydney for a six-week visit to Kwato, an island off the southeast coast of Papua.
That visit turned into nearly 60 years of service to the nation of PNG.
Baskett first came to PNG in 1933 and worked day and night shifts on tractors and a gold dredge on the Bulolo gold fields, served on the islands and mainland with Australia New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) during World War 11 when he rose through the ranks from private to captain.
He also worked in various capacities on the staff of the well-known Kwato Mission and founded a complex for the production of Christian radio programs for 19 radio stations before his “retirement” to Australia.
Baskett tells of the songs he wrote, and his love for PNG, in his autobiography “Islands and Mountains”.
“Four songs I have written are now printed in a hymn book that is in wide use in Papua New Guinea, and I have often thought that these songs have contributed more to this nation than any book I could have written,” he writes in the book.
“After all, a book once it has been read is usually put away on a shelf for a very long time before it is read again, whereas a song, usually a hymn, is used time and time again, often long after the death of the composer.
“One of the songs in the hymn book is called ‘Islands and Mountains’…the first verse reads:
Islands and mountains, sunshine and breeze,
Flowers and moonlight, swaying palm trees,
Jungles and rivers, white coral sand.
This is my country, this is my land.

“I wrote that for a children’s concert at Kwato, making up a tune with a suitable waltx-like rhythm.
“As it was often sung to visiting tourists, it became quite popular, especially among the Scouts and Guides.
“When some Guides sang it at a gathering in Port Moresby, it was learned by a group of Australian Guides who then took it back with them.
“Soon afterwards, I was asked if it could be printed in their Australian Guides’ songbook and I of course gave them permission.
“It is now known through international Guides’ circles as the ‘Song of Kwato’.”
Such was the impact of the song that a tobacco firm in Australia actually plagiarised its words and used them to promote its cigarette sales in Fiji.
Baskett reveals: “There is an interesting story about this song.
“A friend of mine was working for a firm in Australia which makes ‘floppy’ discs for gramophones.
“These were made by the thousands and given away as advertisements by various firms.
“One day, I received a phone call from him asking me if I knew that a tobacco firm in Australia was using my song commercially to boost their sales in Fiji.
“It appeared that he was working on the production of several thousands of discs which would be enclosed in a Fijian newspaper.
“The firm had used my tune but altered the words of some of the verses to fit the Fijian scene and my friend had already printed hundreds of the discs before he thought of phoning me.
“The words were also printed on an enclosed brochure extolling the firm’s cigarettes and this was put in every newspaper to make sure people got the message.
“I wasn’t particularly happy with the idea of my song being used to promote tobacco sales – being a non smoker – but as two of the lines said ‘we’ll build Fiji now as God has planned, make this his country, make this his land’, I was very much in favor of that idea spreading through their nation.
“So on that basis, I wrote to the manager of the firm and told him that they should have asked for my permission before printing my song and going ahead with their advertising venture.
“However, as they had already spent a great deal of money on the advertisement, it would be in order for them to proceed.
“The manger answered very apologetically and sent me a cheque for A$100 so that settled that!
“But I always feel that it was more than just conincidence that of the millions of men in Australia, the one who had been given the job of printing the floppy discs should have been a personal friend of mine who knew the tune I had composed.”
“Papua New Guinea” was composed when Baskett was working with the Department of Information.
He recalls that the director called him up one day and said that the team going to the South Pacific Games was looking for an anthem to sing, and as at that time PNG did not have a national anthem, could he do something about it for them?
“I had always enjoyed a tune which is very widely known around Port Moresby ‘Papua e, oi natumu ahaodia…’ and I thought of using this and putting new words in English to make it suitable for the occasion,” Baskett writes in Islands and Mountains.
“As the song was always sung in Motu, it was not widely known throughout the country and I thought it would be a good chance to teach others this most-attractive melody.
“Later, it was written out for the Police Band, and in time the tune was known nationwide.
“When there was a competition for a new National Anthem, this song was proposed by many people, but one that was written by the bandmaster at that time ‘Arise All You Sons’ was chose and is now the PNG National Anthem.
“Papua New Guinea” has become a popular national song and is often heard on the radio.
“The same song was sung by a group of students during a visit by Sir Paul Hasluck, who later became Governor-General of Australia,” Baskett recalls.
“After listening to the song, which speaks to us about uniting to build our nation, Sir Paul said, ‘well there is no need to make my speech now, you have sung all that I planned to say out!’”
Also at the time of independence, Baskett entered a song, which won first prize in the solo section, although he did not sing the solo.
Entitled “We Are Free”, it is now played on the radio each year during Independence Day broadcasts.
“So, as I said, I think there is more value in composing a song that is known to many thousands of people than in writing a book that is read by relatively few,” Baskett says.

Islands and Mountains

Islands and mountains, and sunshine and breeze,
Flowers and moonlight, swaying palm trees,
Jungles and rivers, white coral sand,
This is my country, this is my land.

Dark were the days when men lived in fear,
Fear of the arrow, stone club and spear,
Fighting and hatred filled every land,
That was my country, that was my land

Then came the change that brought peaceful days,
News of our Saviour, learning his ways,
Darkness is fading out of our land,
We know the peace of His guiding hand.

What of the future? Soon we shall be,
Teachers and leaders of our country,
We’ll build our nation as God had planned,
Make this His country, make this His land.

Then shall our country be free and strong,
Homes will be filled with laughter and song,
Peace in our hearts and work for our hands,
Unite our nation with other lands,
Unite our nation with other lands.

We Are Free

Like the birds as they fly over high mountains,
Like the fish as they swim in the sea,
Like the clouds as they float in the clear blue sky,
We are free! We are free! We are free!

Like the songs of a bird at the break of day,
Like the wind in the leaves of a tree,
Like the waves as they break on a coral shore,
We are free! We are free! We are free!

Independence has come, now we all must work
To unite Papua New Guinea,
We shall build our new nation in peace and love,
We are free! We are free! We are free!
We are free! We are free! We are free!

September 16th 1975

It was a truly moving ceremony and indeed a grand finale to Australian rule in Papua New Guinea.
Tears fell freely for many, a moment they shall never forget, as the Australian flag came down for the last time.
Just after 5pm on Monday, September 15, 1975, George Ibor, Warrant Officer, 2nd Class, of the 1st Pacific Islands Regiment, stepped into the centre of the Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby.
A military band, accompanied by the percussion of a thousand clicking camera shutters, played “Sunset” as Warrant Officer Ibor lowered the Australian flag, folded it and handed it to Sir John Guise, the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea.
Australian colonial rule in Papua New Guinea had ended.
Sir John stressed that the flag was being lowered and not torn down, and that the years of transition from Australian rule to Independence had been happy and peaceful.
Sir John Kerr, the Australian Governor-General, taking the liberties with history that such occasions permit, asserted that Papua New Guinea and Australia had “by and large” worked in harmony, and had thus avoided the policies and relationships which had proved so tragic elsewhere.
At midnight on Tuesday, September 16, 1975, Governor-General Sir John Guise declared: “Distinguished guests, visitors from overseas, people of Papua New Guinea.
“Papua New Guinea is now independent. The constitution of the independent state of Papua New Guinea, under which all power rests with the people, is now in effect.
“We have at this point in time broken with our colonial past and we now stand as an independent nation in our own right.
“Let us unite, with the almighty God’s guidance and help, in working together for a future as a strong and free country.”
At one minute past midnight, fireworks resembling the twin plums of a Bird of Paradise heralded the start of a new day, a new era and a new Nation State.
Simultaneously, a 101-gun salute from HMAS Stalwart of the Royal Australian Navy occurred accompanied by HMNZS Tarenaki.
On the morning of the first day of Independence for Papua New Guinea, flag raising ceremonies took place throughout the nation.
The ceremony in Port Moresby was conducted at Independence Hill overlooking the main city centre.
International guests in national dress and western dress assembled for the occasion.
Former Administrators D.O. Hay and J.K. Murray, and former Minister for External Territories C.E. Barnes were among the spectators.
Prince Charles unveiled a plaque to mark the site of the new National Parliament building.

The Governors-General of Papua New Guinea and of Australia followed by the Commander of the Defence Force Ted Diro and Police Commissioner Pious Kerepia inspected the plaque, which was followed by the planting of trees.
The Papua New Guinea flag was presented by the Governor-General to the Commander of the Defence Force and the Police Commissioner.
It was placed over three drums from the 1st Battalion Pacific Islands Regiment Band and blessed.
The Flag Party and guards slowly marched up Independence Hill and hoisted the new nation’s flag above the plaque commemorating the ceremony.
Prince Charles later officially opened the First National Parliament of Papua New Guinea.
He read a goodwill message from the Queen, and officially opened the first National Parliament.
He looked to a future of promise, opportunity and individual freedom, and reminded the elected representatives of the great burden of responsibility which they had shouldered.
The action moved back to the Hubert Murray Stadium where a crowd of 14,000 witnessed a long and colourful ceremony during which the country’s political and legal leaders pledged their allegiance and loyalty to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea,
Governor-General Sir John Guise was sworn in by the Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Sir Sydney Frost.
Deputy Prime Minister Sir Albert Maori Kiki was sworn in by the Governor-General, and the Prime Minister Michael Somare signed a Declaration of Allegiance.
Members of Parliament were sworn in by the Governor-General.
Cultural aides from Sogeri Senior High School represented Papua New Guinea in a ceremonial gift exchange with representatives of many nations, international organizations and the United Nations.
Messages from many lands expressed goodwill towards, and recognition of, the new nation of Papua New Guinea.
Prime Minister Michael Somare held a press conference where he preached the virtues and necessity of “pulling up our socks” to a largely sockless nation.
He also stressed a commitment to self-reliance while Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam gave a “categorical and unequivocal” assurance that Papua New Guinea would have first call on Australia’s aid program.
Celebrations continued throughout the land.
On Wednesday, September 17, the Royal Australian Air Force and Air Niugini carried the Royal Party on its tour of five provinces throughout the mainland: East Sepik, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Western Highlands and Western.
People returned to their villages, put away their spears, kundus (hand drums) and bilas (finery) and recommenced the familiar daily round.
What would Independence bring to them?
Only time – now 33 years – would tell.

Rural Papua New Guinea remains in the dark after 33 years of independence

It is one of the greatest ironies that Papua New Guinea, with all its fast-flowing rivers and streams, does not have rural electricity.
Rural electricity remains a far-off dream after 33 years of independence.
In September 1976, a year after independence, Public Utilities Minister Donatus Mola announced ambitious plans for rural electrification.
To this day, those dreams have not been fulfilled and rural electrification remains a political football.
In hindsight, rural electrification could have assisted in breaking down the rural-urban drift and the ensuing massive social problems experienced over the last 30 years.
It could have meant more opportunities and new fulfillment for the people when integrated with all aspects of development: agricultural, village, industrial, social and economic.
“The present plan is that where it is shown to be feasible, micro-hydro power will be developed in rural areas and from the station, distribution lines will be spread out to those places demanding the service,” Mr Mola said in 1976.
“In time, the distribution line will link together all the various micro-hydro stations, so that the second step can take place where one major hydro-electric power station can link up all the distribution lines and the minor power plants can be moved to a new area where the same plan commences.
“Thus, the spread of development depends on the needs of the consumer and his demand for the power produced.
“The distribution of this power must rest in the hands of the provincial authorities so that the people not only receive but actually own the power that is generated within their province.
“Any profits will be ploughed back into improving the living standards of the people of the province.
“The way that I anticipate that this will be done is that the National Government will arrange loan funds from various sources for the capital cost of the micro-hydro electric power stations or transmission from existing power sources.
“The province will utilise the profits from the sale of the power from existing power sources to distribute power to the villages, so spreading power to the villages according to the wishes and needs of their own people.
“The province will also be required to pay the loan for capital equipment.
“In this way, the province can feel that its people are the real and true owners of the power supply and that they determine the use to which the power is put.”
Mr Mola stressed: “It is not a dream, but a target for achievement.
“We can do it, we must do it if we are to function as a Government of the people, for the people, and it is my declared intention that we should do it, starting now we should light into the lives of our people, joy to their hearts and prosperity to their lives by bringing power to the villages.”
Rural PNG remains in the dark after 33 years of independence.

Happy Birthday Moasing

My only daughter, Moasing, the apple of my eye and my beautiful little Princess, turns 4 years old, on Wednesday, August 13th.

Sadly, her beautiful Mum, my late wife Hula, will bot be around to celebrate with us as she passed away on Easter Sunday this year.

Happy birthday, anyway, Moasing, from Mum, Dad, and your three brothers Malum Jr, Gedi and Keith.

Happy Birthday to Me

I turn 41 on Saturday, August 9th, 2008.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Memories of 1975

Where were you in 1975?
That is the question many people will be asking each other as Papua New Guinea celebrates 33 years of independence on September 16 this year.
Many others – the majority – will simply say “I wasn’t even born then”.
I was in Goroka in 1975 and can fondly say that it was one of the best years of my life.
The first thing that struck me about Goroka was the beautiful flowers, shrubs and roaring streams.
I was then seven years old, bound to turn eight later that momentous year, but the memories are still there – albeit fading – 33 years on.
The family of my mum, dad, elder sister, elder brother, my younger sister and me disembarked from an Air Niugini F27 Fokker Friendship one cold January morning in 1975.
I took my first breath – fresh, cool and clean mountain air – of what would be our home for the next three years until the end of 1977.
Back in 1975, mum, dad and my elder siblings were no newcomers to Goroka and the then Eastern Highlands District.
Mum and dad came here as newly weds to Iufi Iufa primary school, Asaro Valley, in the early 1960s.
My father Mathias was a school inspector and an ex Dregerhafen and Sogeri schoolmate of one Michael Somare while my Moasing mother was a missionary-trained nurse.
It was here that my elder sister Alison and my elder brother David were born.
I have so many pleasant memories of growing up in Goroka.
In those pre-independence and immediate post-independence days, colonialism was still in the air, hence, there being so many expatriates.
Goroka was a neat, well-planned colonial town, which – like Lae and Kainantu – was built around the airport.
And the airport then was a hive of activity, especially given Goroka being the base of Dennis Buchanan’s Talair and ex-Vietnam veteran Mal Smith’s Pacific Helicopters.
Throwing Frisbees and flying kites in the park, riding bikes, chasing muna (those seasonal beetles eaten by the locals), buying sweets, comic and books at West Goroka and dreaming on those endless summer afternoons in December were among our great passions.
Comic book trading – Donald Duck, Phantom, Walt Disney, Ritchie Rich, Casper The Friendly Ghost, Wendy The Good Little Witch, Bugs Bunny…and I could go on and on with the characters – was a way of life among us kids in those days.

I have no qualms that I learned more English and the nuances of grammar from those comic books than from school.
Professional boxing was all the rages in those days of inimitable fighters like Martin Beni, the late John Aba, his brother Tony, Mark Apai and the lot.
Through the late Norm Salter – the great fight promoter – Goroka was able to host its share of professional and amateur bouts as well as wrestling matches featuring men, women and even midgets from overseas.
Goroka’s YC Hall was the equivalent of Madison Square Gardens in the US - the true centre of boxing in the country.
The YC was also the centre stage for basketball in those days with national championships being held there in 1975, 1976 and 1977.
The showground, now the National Sports Institute, saw bone crushing rugby league matches as well as aerial rules football contests.
Of course, nothing in Goroka would be complete without the annual show, a colorful extravaganza of singsings, agricultural produce and those wonderful show bags we loved so much.
The West Goroka Theatre, now the NSI gymnasium, was where we would sit on old coffee bags and watch those good old Bruce Lee and James Bond movies, as well as thrillers like Airport ’75, Jaws, Towering Inferno and King Kong – the place being literally packed to the rafters.
Radio then was king – there being no such thing as EMTV or video – and it was a joy to listen to the Sunday night dramas, Grade 10 quizzes and the live coverage of rugby league and other sports on the National Broadcasting Commission’s Medium Wave transmission.
Yes, indeed, life was a wonderful dream for us who grew up in Goroka at the time.
Of course, in 1975, independence was in the air.
Young men who championed the cause, like Michael Somare, were treated with disdain by the lapuns and old colonials, who argued that independence, would be a catastrophe.
Little PNG flags and independence t-shirts and caps were very fashionable.
At school the teachers would ask us, one by one, to give our individual oratories about this thing called independence.
That year, in April, there was excitement all around the brand new PNG currency was introduced.
Shiny 10 and 20 toes coins were all the rage among us kids.
The venerable Australian dollars and cents, which had become part of our lives, continued to be legal tender until after independence.
Also that eventful year, by quirk of fate, a big frost in Brazil – the world’s biggest coffee producer – saw prices skyrocket.
It was a cause to celebrate with fortunes being made overnight, especially in the Highlands.
At the West Goroka shopping centre just down the road from where we lived, it was a common sight to see villagers in as tanget (leaf coverings, which were worn widely in those days instead of clothes) with huge wads of cash going on an orgy of spending, buying big cow legs, beer and stereos for the inevitable parties that followed.

These all added to the big party that was 1975.
September 15, 1975, was the last day for PNG to come under colonial rule
We sat up until 12am on September 16, when Governor-General Sir John Guise did the Proclamation of Independence, broadcast live over the ever-reliable NBC:
“Papua New Guinea is now independent.
“The Constitution of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, under which all powers rest with the people, is now in effect.
“We have at this point in time broken with out colonial past and we now stand as an independent nation in our own right.
“Let us unite, with almighty God’s guidance and help, in working together for a future as a strong and free country.”
And then the fireworks exploded into the Goroka night sky to herald the start of a new day, a new era and a new Nation-State.
It was a time for celebration, but also a poignant occasion, as the Australian flag came down for the last time.
In addition, many a tear was shed by the lapun man/meri (old men/women) as that great icon of colonialism was lowered.
Today, 33 years later, Goroka is still a beautiful place.
In fact, I spent four years there from 1998 to 2002, finding myself back on my childhood stomping grounds.
It was like arriving at a place I’d never left!
Memories of another day, those oh-so-happy childhood days, came rushing back.
And nostalgia filled my heart every time I saw something that reminded me of those blissful days.
Goroka still hasn’t lost its basic shape of 1975, 1976 and 1977 and still has that colonial feel about it.
Goroka, to me, is home.
After all, my siblings and I were born, raised and educated here.
In later years, my wife and I spent four wonderful years in Goroka, and it was there that my two elder sons were born.
I dream of a golden future for this pleasantly agreeable town with its perennial spring climate, majestic sentinel-like mountains and bouquet of perfumed flowers.

Warning of over government

Just one year after independence, in September 1976, Governor-General Sir John Guise warned that provincial governments could only lead to a lower quality of service going to the people.
He also spoke about the need to stop importing food as well as that for good public service.
The great statesman’s words ring true today as we celebrate 33years of independence on September 16
"In principle,” Sir John said,” provincial government is good and may perhaps give provinces the flexibility they desire and adequate scope for running their own affairs within a united Papua New Guinea.
"However, I am in favor of provincial government on a much broader aspect, i.e., on a regional level so that it can reflect and retain its own political identity within the nation without breaking the country into a good number of provincial governments.
" If we have 20 provincial governments, each with 15 members and each with a premier, that makes 320 persons who will need to be paid salaries, who will require office accommodation, transport, etc.
" The expense of 20 provincial governments frightens me; the fact that we will be over-governed frightens me – there will be more and more officials chasing the same village or townspeople.
"The quality of life in Papua New Guinea must deteriorate if we are subject to government directions into Port Moresby from each provincial headquarters, from each local government council and from patrol posts and provincial headquarters throughout the country.
"Some provinces have adequate resources and are geographically suited to having individual provincial governments.
"Other provinces are more suited to joining together on a regional basis.
"For example, the nation could be split into six Regions or States, each having its own Regional or State Government with powers bestowed on it by the Central Government.
"The regions could comprise Papua, Highlands, New Guinea Mainland, New Guinea Islands and Bouganville.
“Let us not be suspicious but rather let us be progressive in our thinking – provincial government must be made to work in order to safeguard the unity, and ultimately the freedom of every man, woman and child in Papua New Guinea.”
Sir John also spoke about the need for hard work and the need to be efficient and productive.
“We must work to replace our dependence on food products from overseas,” he said.
“The Government was recently criticised over the costs involved in establishing the Fresh Food Project within the Department of Primary Industry.
“That criticism was unjust and inaccurate.
“Replacement of imported foods with freshly-grown local produce is a means of income for our village farmers, it saves our country foreign reserves, and the produce is on the average nutritionally superior.
“The cost of stabilising the industry was K1.3 million, i.e. developmental costs, infrastructure and salaries including extension work.”
Sir John then stressed the need for good and honest public service.
“Actions speak louder than words and it is by our actions that our people will judge us,” he said.
“Every Papua New Guinean must be prepared to sacrifice self interest for national interest.
“We must place the needs of the majority, that is, the village people, before ourselves.
“The penalty for being greedy is high.
“There are sectors in the community which in the past have virtually held the government to ransom.
“To those, I say be careful and be warned Papua New Guineans will consider national interest before that of individuals.
“If you are a public servant, then repay your country with good, honest service.
“If you work in transport industries, communications, shipping, etc, then exercise self-restraint in your wages claim for the good of the nation.”
Sir John concluded: “We have done very well in this our first year as masters of our destiny.
“There are many years ahead and the seas are strewn with reefs.

“I therefore call upon the captains of Government and private enterprise to consider Papua New Guinea first and themselves second, as we cannot prosper without the goodwill of the other.”