Port Moresby morgue bodies finally laid to rest

Those of you who have been following the Port Moresby morgue saga would be pleased to hear that the rotting corpses - which caused a big stink recently - were finally laid to rest at Nine-Mile Cemetery last Friday.

A total 75 corpses, including 26 babies, and various body parts (limbs) were mass buried.

I spent the day at the morgue and later at Nine-Mile with two Australian photographers and it was a very 'smelly' affair.

In traditional Papua New Guinea society, bodies of the dead are treated with respect, however, this seems not to have been the case.

My apologies

My apologies to the many readers of this blog from all over the world for what seems to have been a deliberate attempt by outside forces to hack this blog and post junk.
Those of you who read this blog over the weekend may have noticed the two junk postings from Nigerian scammers.
This was not my doing and I sincerely apologise if you thought it was my doing.

Malum

A thought for Valentine's Day

Hula, my Darling,

Today, I will see all the lovers having a good time, but you are not here to share with me.

Why, why, why?

The times we spent together, in Lae, Goroka, Port Moresby, will be cherised forever.

You left me all alone on March 23, 2008, with our four lovely young children.

This picture is one of the happy times we had in Goroka in 1999.

Hula, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!

Malum

Happy 7th Birthday Gedi 'Boy' Nalu

Happy 7th Birthday to my second son, Gedi 'Boy' Nalu Jr, who turns seven years old today, Friday, February 13, 2009.

I love you son, and God Bless You as Your prepare to take your place in this wide, wide world.

Love from Dad, as well as big brother Malum Nalu Jr, sister Moasing, and baby Keith, plus family and friends in Daru, Lae, Goroka, Papua New Guinea, Australia and the world.

Papua New Guineans join BBC Expedition

Over 20 Papua New Guineans are part of a group of 50 scientists, explorers and TV presenters on a BBC expedition to one of Papua New Guinea’s last frontiers, Southern Highlands Province’s Mt Bosavi.

The team, who are part of the world-renown BBC Natural History Unit, are filming a major TV documentary series entitled ‘Expedition New Guinea’ which will be aired in the UK and around the world towards the end of the year.

Daniel Huertas, a British researcher with the group, highlighted the international composition of the expedition team and in particular the pivotal role played by the PNG participants.

“We have a number of PNG scientists and local community members assisting and advising the international team in species recognition and location finding. The project would not be possible without the support and amazing knowledge of our colleagues from Port Moresby, Kiunga, Fogomaiyu, Talisu and Siena Falls,” he said.

British High Commissioner to PNG, David Dunn, welcomed the team to PNG and highlighted that the shooting of such a major documentary series reinforced the special relationship between the BBC Natural History Unit and PNG, which started more than 50 years ago by British broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

“Sir David's ‘Zoo Guest’ series, which heralded his entry into wildlife television documentaries and 50 years of broadcasting, brought him to PNG in 1957. That much remembered pioneering series changed the way broadcasters filmed natural history forever and opened the wonders and beauty of the planet and in particular PNG to the world. Although the technology has changed dramatically since those early days the warmth of the welcome and generous support given to the numerous and regular visiting BBC teams by the people of PNG has not. I would like to thank the Government of PNG and all those associated for their continued help, support and collaboration and I look forward to PNG showcasing to the world its amazing beauty and bio-diversity through the Expedition New Guinea programmes,” he added. 

Mt Bosavi, a dormant volcano endemically rich in flora and fauna, has been the subject of various studies by international research and conservation groups in recent years.

Mr Huertas said the mountain’s isolation and the enthusiasm of the local communities for their forest to be part of the documentary series made it the first choice for the BBC.

·        The expedition team’s adventures can be tracked through the BBC Science and Nature News website http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature and a Blog by expedition member and the University of California’s curator and department chair for ornithology and mammalogy, Dr John Dumbacher http://www.calacademy.org/blogs/jdumbacher/

 

200

By IAN TAUKURO

 

I'm on a roll today, lads...

Today marks the 200th birthday of two great men of history.

The first devised a theory that still causes much debate and controversy

among scientists and is a constant irritation to the church, although,

atheist's rejoice in the theory's teachings.

Let us all stand and offer a round of applause for the late but great,

Charles Darwin, who was born on February 12, 1809.

His theory of Natural Selection, which promoted the idea of evolution,

when first put forward, represented a great challenge to the teachings

of the church which, based on the bible, said all living things on the

planet are the result of Intelligent Design.

The other great man whose birthday was on February 12, 1809 is Abraham

Lincoln, who was the 16th US president who served from 1860 to 1865.

A great monument in his honour stands there in Washington DC erected as

a token of appreciation by the American people for what he did to save

the United States.

If a lesser man had been president during those tumultuous years of the

American Civil War, the United States would surely have become two

separate nations, North and South. It would never have grown into the

powerful nation that it is today. Lincoln realized that blood must be

shed to protect the ideals of freedom and democracy and, on the fateful

day in 1860, made the decision to send in supplies to Fort Sumter in

North Carolina, which was considered an act of war by the Confederacy,

the rival government to the US government, whose troops had surrounded

the fort. So began the Civil War, which went on for 5 years, ending soon

after Lincoln's assassination in 1865. America emerged from the heat of

battle bloodied and weary but re-born nonetheless.

Aside from the Lincoln Memorial, there is even a powerful warship, the

USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier that patrols the high seas,

protecting the interests of the US just like the great man did when he

was alive.

What's common to Lincoln and Darwin? Well, aside from being full of

character and virtue they both had that unshakable belief in themselves

and the decisions they made and they never gave up as a result.

That's a good lesson for us all to learn ... whatever you do, don't

quit!

 

Ian

 

A thought for Valentine's Day

By IAN TAUKURO

Morning All,

What is it with women's magazines that they always have to publish some article about how to keep track of the man?

For instance, In the Post Courier's New Age Woman today there is an article about how to 'See if your man is cheating you'. What the author of the article perhaps doesn't realise is that women who live in safe and secure relationships with a man who loves them dearly will read this story and, voila, the first seeds of doubt will be planted in their heads.

After reading the article, the woman, who suddenly feels very insecure because of what she has just read, will start to observe her partner, who oblivious to the 'cheaters' advice in the magazine, greets his wife with a kiss and a warm hug, then goes about his business of helping/playing with the children, helping with the dishes, etc, while the woman watches, like a hawk, with a calm but very suspicious eye.

Over the course of time, the poor man does something that causes the woman to believe that he is, yes, really, really, cheating, when he suddenly becomes withdrawn and distant, all because that particular day he privately mourned the loss of his favourite NRL team!

So the arguments start, the furniture gets broken as the war rages, the love nest, their home, becomes a battleground, the children are neglected, the neighbours gossip, etc, etc, etc ... and all because of a silly article in a magazine!

Is it any wonder that there is so much misery and heartache in relationships today because of SUSPICION of cheating when the aggrieved party (i.e. the woman) has really no need to feel threatened at all?

Where have trust, loyalty and faith gone these days? We seem so keen on looking for fault in each other rather than being thankful for what our partner contributes to the relationship.

An interesting article by NAW and great timing too, don't you think?

Right on the eve of Valentines Day, a day when couples should be relaxed and joyous as they celebrate the warmth and clarity of their love – not being suspicious of each other.

Ian