White tribesman at home in a wild world

By ROWAN CALLICK in The Australian

 

THE hunger-striking NSW farmer Peter Spencer (pictured) is also an initiated member of Papua New Guinea's Jiga tribe and was the chief of staff for Paias Wingti during his second term as prime minister from 1992-94.

Spencer was the dazzling star of PNG's embryonic tourism industry in the 1980s, when he developed his Plumes and Arrows Inn -- nicknamed the "Sticks and Feathers" - at Kagamuga airport just outside Mount Hagen.

He would cordially greet groups of American or Japanese tourists in the hotel lounge in his Aussie persona, organise refreshments for them, and then return triumphantly in traditional Highlands dress - “arse grass" hanging off a belt around his waist, wooden shield, bow and arrows, and brightly painted face.

As his piece de resistance, the wirily built Spencer would insert a bone through his nose, which had been pierced as part of the painful and onerous initiation rites he had undergone.

He was a popular and well-informed guide for the mostly well-heeled visitors.

This was a colourful haven in a colourful era. In 1988, PNG was the scene of the world's then biggest gold rush, at its helter-skelter height, with 10,000 Highlanders clawing nuggets worth overall more than $100 million.

Australian accountant Ron Mealing, who had flown up from Sydney to become a gold buyer on the muddy slopes of Mount Kare, said at the time he had given up.

"It's very, very wild up there," he said, shaking his head.

"I realised Western rules do not apply here."

It was a wild world where Spencer, however, felt very much at home.

He became close to Jiga tribesman Wingti whose power base was in Mount Hagen, and who used his hotel as a base for plotting his comeback as prime minister.

Wingti brought Spencer with him to his office in Port Moresby when he swept back to power.

Spencer exercised close control over media access, and also pursued some of his favourite big-picture themes, drafting documents positing solutions for PNG's many challenges -- just as he has been doing more recently, in his struggles over the constraints on Australian farmers.

Spencer has since said he left PNG about 15 years ago after a group of men invaded his house and tried three times to shoot him but the rifle misfired on each occasion.

They burned down his home and he flew back "down south" to Australia.

He told then Courier-Mail columnist Michael Duffy "his efforts to reform PNG had cost him his marriage, his job and his house".

When Wingti was displaced by Julius Chan in 1994, Chan ordered a review of the visas of some expatriates associated with the Wingti administration, including Spencer.

During the turmoil of the next election, in 1997, when Wingti lost his seat, an attempt was made to burn down the Plumes and Arrows, which survives but no longer attracts the tourist parties of the Spencer years.

 Like many of the Australians working in the Highlands in the years immediately before and after independence in 1975, Spencer felt that PNG had been short-changed.

 

 

A tribute to Henry Kila

From JOHN FOWKE

 

All that has been said in tribute to the late and lamented Henry Kila is true.

Both as a man and as a business-executive, he was a credit to his family and his nation.

As it is expressed in Hiri Motu, Henry was "tauna mai manada momokani".

 He was a true gentleman.

I first met Henry in 1985, and what got us interested in each other's stories was the fact that I had known Henry's father, the late Kila Kone, a leading light in the co-operative movement in the '50s and '60's.

I worked for a short time with Kila, and travelled with him on the co-op coaster mv Hiri where I remember hilarious yarn-swapping between Kila and the Hiri's skipper, Frank Gorohu, another very well-respected identity along the Papuan coast in those days.

Henry's father was closely associated with the late and also very well-known Mahuru Rarua Rarua, a founding figure in the co-op movement, and both an MLC, before- and an MP- after,  self-government and full independence.

Both men were talented musicians, Henry once told me, recalling wonderful private "gigs" played by his father, Mahuru, and other musical friends at the Kila Kone residence.

Here the young Henry, a schoolboy at the time, would be sent off to visit a known "bootlegger" who would provide the necessary lubrication for the musicians in those far-off "dry" days of discriminatory prohibition.

 And of course, Henry himself became a top musician and formed his own band, becoming as well-known for this facet of his early life as he was later to become known for his leadership in the insurance industry, as a sporting administrator and as a quietly-achieving, respected communal leader.

Turagu, bamahuta.Emu toana ai do lalotau elabona aiemai lamepa danu bodo.

 

John Fowke

24 Monterey Avenue

Thornlands Q. 4164

Australia

Tel: 05617 34882178

Breaking News - Hundreds Gather to Protest Global Warming

From PAUL OATES 


                     
               

                             

       

Turubu oil palm project seeks government funding assistance

Mr Malijiwi (second from left) and Mr Daink (third from left) holding copies of the project funding submission, flanked by officials from Limawo, East Sepik administration and DAL outside DAL headquarters in Port Moresby

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL

Executives of a landowner company behind a major oil palm project in the East Sepik province say they are happy with the progress made so far.
Limawo Holdings Ltd officials said that infrastructure development in the initial stages of the Turubu oil palm project in the Wewak district was on the right track.
The 120,000 ha oil palm project will include major oil palm planting, a wharf, oil mill, township and other related infrastructure development.
It is expected to provide a wide range of opportunities for the resource owners and rural communities in Wewak and surrounding areas.
A major road network built by the landowner company’s joint venture partner linking Turubu Bay on the coast with Sepik Plains is nearing completion and will open up access to Wewak town and other communities.
Work on preparing the oil palm nursery sites is in progress.
Limawo chairman Aron Malijiwi, secretary Willie Nilmo and public relations officers Paul Bina and Francis Yaba made the observations during a presentation to the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Port Moresby before Christmas.
With them were officials from East Sepik provincial administration who spoke highly of the oil palm project and its impact in the province.
Limawo officials said they were primarily seeking further funding assistance from the National Government to support the landowner company meet its obligations in the joint venture arrangement.
Mr Malijiwi said the project developers had followed all the required processes in getting the project off the ground, however, the landowner company was now calling on the government to ensure that the project was successful and provided benefits to resource owners.
“We are aware that there are many challenges to face with a major agricultural project such as Turubu oil palm, and we need understanding and co-operation from resource owners and all stakeholders,” Mr Malijiwi said.
“Our main objective is to ensure that the project becomes very successful and benefits the resource owners and rural communities.
“We are therefore seeking National Government’s assistance to provide continued funding in the next stages of development.”
Mr Malijiwi, who has been involved in oil palm development in West New Britain for over 24 years, said such large-scale development brought disadvantages as well but the people and developers were confident that there would be positive changes in East Sepik in the long-term.
Mr Nilmoh said there had been overwhelming support from resource owners, provincial government and politicians since the concept was initiated several years ago.
He said the resource owners and all stakeholders realised that such an impact project would bring benefits and boost the economy.
Road access will open up opportunities for people to take their produce to market and bring in basic services such as health, commerce and schools.
People can also look at growing other cash crops such as cocoa, rubber, coffee and vanilla.
“This is a win-win situation – our joint venture partner is aware that our objective is to bring changes and improve the well-being of the community,” Mr Nilmoh said.
“We don’t want to repeat the same mistakes that have happened to oil palm projects in West New Britain, Oro and Milne Bay provinces.”
East Sepik provincial administration officials said Turubu was the first of several impact projects planned for Sepik Plains that would open up opportunities for infrastructure development and other economic activities.
It is important therefore that the national government works in partnership with the provincial government to move the province forward.
DAL’s deputy secretary for provincial and technical services Francis Daink, who received a formal submission from the delegation, said DAL would study the document and consider how best it could assist.

Greetings from Salamaua

Received this New Year card from my old mate, Post-Courier Lae bureau chief Patrick Levo, who visited Salamaua and fell in love with the place.

 

 

Moving farewell for Henry Kila

Henry Kila's coffin is carried out of church. All pictures by EKAR KEAPU of The National

Mr Kila's family

Deputy Prime Minister Sir Puka Temu

Last respects from Sir Puka

Bart Philemon bids farewell to a good mate

PNG Sports Federation general secretary Sir John Dawanincura

Representatives from the Papua New Guinea business community and sports fraternity turned out in numbers to show respect to PNG's first internationally-qualified insurer and sports personality Henry Raisi Kila, The National reports.

Late Mr Kila's distinguished services to sports and business in the country, particularly his efforts in strengthening business relations between Australia and PNG were highly acknowledged during the funeral service in Port Moresby's Sioni Kami Memorial Church at Gordon.

His close firend and deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon described Mr Kila as "larger than life in PNG; a pioneer come trailblazer; a truly bigman in PNG society yet a very humble down-to-earth person; firm believer of honesty, integrity; and indeed a unique Papua New Guinean".

Mr Kila succumbed to an acute heart attack brought on by clogged arteries and diabetic condition at about 2am on Monday at the Port Moresby Private Specialist Medical Centre.

He was 58.

He will be buried at his Arure village tomorrow after the trip home today to Delena and Yule Island in Kairuku, Central province.

Nine questions

A quiz for people who think they know everything! (maybe from a North American perspective?)
These are not trick questions.
They are straight questions with straight answers
1. Name  the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants
know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What  famous North American landmark
is constantly  moving backward?
3. Of all  vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing  seasons.  All other vegetables must be replanted every year.  What are the only  two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit  has its seeds on the outside?
5. In  many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy,  with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?
6. Only three  words in standard English begin with the letters 'dw' and they are all common words.  Name two of them.
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar.Can you name at least half of them?
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form
except fresh.
9. Name 6 or more things  that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

Answers To  Quiz:

1.  The one sport in which neither the  spectators nor the participants know the  score or the leader until the contest  ends
Boxing

2. North American  landmark constantly moving backward  .
Niagara Falls
(The rim is  worn down about two and a half feet each year  because of the millions of gallons of water that  rush over it every minute.)
3. Only two  vegetables that can live to produce on their  own for several growing seasons  .
...Asparagus and rhubarb.
4.  The fruit with its seeds on the outside ..  .
Strawberry.
5. How did the  pear get inside the brandy bottle?
It grew  inside the bottle.
(The bottles are placed  over pear buds when they are small, and are  wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left  in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they  are snipped off at the stems.)
6.  Three English words beginning with  dw
Dwarf, dwell and dwindle.
7.  Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar  .
Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark,exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8. The only  vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh
Lettuce.
9.  Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning  with 'S'
Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes,
stockings, stilts.