June
2006
Madang by James Sinclair
Making Black Harvest by Bob
Connolly 2005 and Making Black Harvest (3 CD set) Bob Connolly
and Robin Anderson
Highlands Trilogy – Complete
Collection (3 DVD set)
Police Forces of the World
by William Hall Watson 2006
One Step Further, Volume 3,
Book C-E, Those whose gallantry was rewarded with the George
Cross By Marion Hebblethwaite 2006
Angels of Kokoda By David
Mulligan
Attenborough
in Paradise and Other Personal Voyages (2 DVD set)
BACK TO INDEX
Madang by James Sinclair,
ISBN 9980-9976-8-0 450 pp, published by DWU
Press 2006 with a foreword by Sir Michael Somare, Prime Minister
of PNG. Cost AU$120 or PNGK250 plus postage (to major towns
within PNG K25.50; from PNG to Australia AU$21 or K48) 450pp,
illustrations, index. Please contact Wenona Leyson on
or Sir Peter Barter or
write or phone him at PO Box 707, Madang, PNG, Tel: (675) 852
2766 Fax: (675) 852 3543.
This book is a treasure trove, and for some it will also be a
trip down memory lane. First impressions are of a beautiful
publication. On both the dust jacket and the hard cover is an
artwork by Larry Santana, one of PNG’s best-known artists. Born
in 1962 in the Ramu River valley, he now lives and works in
Madang. The book is ‘coffee-table’ size (30cm x 22cm), with
glossy paper and many excellent photographs, both colour and
black & white. It was produced and published by Divine Word
University (DWU) Press, Madang.
The book covers the period from the arrival of Baron Nikolai
Mikloucho-Maclay on the shores of Astrolabe Bay in 1871, to
early 2004. The author has chosen his material with great care
and skill - the bibliography is enormous. The book is divided
into six parts. The earlier parts give a very readable account
of German settlement, of the WWI take-over by the Australian
military and the two decades of Australian administration
between World Wars I and II when missionaries, planters/traders,
and the Government all pursued their various aims. It describes
the reactions of the local people as their land was being lost
to coconut plantations and the problems facing the newcomers
always living with the threat of malaria. In his note at the
beginning of the fourth part, ‘The Pacific War’, the author said
his aim was to give an account of the war as it affected the
Madang District. He drew on the personal recollections of some
of those who were on the scene - the result is a fascinating
account of how ordinary people found themselves in extraordinary
situations and how they coped.
Part Five, which covers the years from the departure of the
Japanese until Independence, contains the following chapters:
‘The ANGAU Administration’; ‘1946-1950, Reconstruction Begins’;
‘Bates Years’; ‘The Golden Era’; ‘Decline, and Recovery’; ‘The
Rush to Independence’. The ‘decline’ covered the town’s loss of
business to Lae after years spent trying to obtain a direct road
link to the Highlands; the subsequent ‘recovery’ described the
establishment of several valuable businesses and an increase in
tourism. There are the names and details of countless
individuals, organisations and associations which all
contributed to the sense of community that existed in Madang.
The final part gives an overview of the last thirty years - this
is especially interesting as many of us lost touch with
day-to-day affairs at around the time of Independence.
There is a wealth of information in these pages - on health and
education, missionaries, sports, the challenges of uncontrolled
areas, air transport, agriculture, local government, the
plantations, Ramu Sugar, the work of people like Sir Peter
Barter, the Middletons of KarKar and Dr Braun of Yagaum, the
Chinese community, cargo cult, eruptions, earthquakes, and much,
much more. Closer attention to proof reading as well as the
inclusion of a more detailed map of the area, would have
enhanced this worthy publication. You can dip into this book, or
read it from cover to cover - whichever way, you will be richly
rewarded.
Reviewed by Marie Clifton-Bassett (Una Voce - June 2006
Index
Making Black Harvest
by Bob Connolly 2005
ISBN 0 7333 1574 7 Paperback 307pp - published by ABC Books
and available from ABC Shops, RRP $32.95
This book was written over a decade after the film ‘Black
Harvest’ was made and released. The author relies heavily on the
notes prepared during the making of the film by Robin Anderson,
his wife and fellow film maker. These notes were rediscovered
when the author was cleaning out his home after his wife died at
an early age. The book explains a lot about how much effort it
took to make the film and how much support and resources are
required to make a documentary of this nature. This is current
world history in the making.
This book gives finality to the trilogy of films that Bob and
Robin produced (First Contact 1983, Joe Leahy’s Neighbours 1989
and Black Harvest 1992) and explains in detail what happened to
the central characters. To any person who has knowledge of the
Melanesian way of life, the book is a fascinating retreat back
into where PNG has now returned to -Tribal life. As the author
says in the final chapter, he has only to close his eyes and see
all his old friends again. How many of us close our eyes and
smell the rainforest, hear the rushing rivers and the gentle,
little lapping waves at the edge of turquoise blue lagoons and
see our old friends again? I commend this book to those of you
who do and to those of you who would like to.
Reviewed by Paul Oates(Una Voce - June 2006)
Making Black Harvest (3 CD set) Bob Connolly and Robin
Anderson
Released 2005 - 240 minutes, RRP$34.95. Available from ABC
Shops.
Through a series of radio interviews, introduced by Tim Bowden,
Connolly recounts the devastating effects that blind ambition,
warfare, destruction and grief have on human beings and how they
managed to record 60 hours of footage as well as deal with the
moral dilemma of documenting an unfolding disaster that
overwhelmed the Ganiga tribespeople they were living amongst.
Editor (Una Voce - June 2006)
Index
Highlands
Trilogy – Complete Collection (3 DVD set)
Released 2005 - 350 minutes, $60.95. Available from ABC
Shops.
>From two of Australia's most distinguished filmmakers, Bob
Connolly and Robin Anderson this DVD Box Set features three
critically acclaimed documentaries. Set in the PNG Highlands and
shot over ten years, First Contact (1983), followed by Joe
Leahy's Neighbours (1989) and Black Harvest (1992) have won 30
national and international awards, including an Academy Award
nomination for First Contact. All three won the Grand Prix at
France's prestigious Festival Cinema du Reel, and AFI awards for
Best Documentary.
Editor (Una Voce - June 2006)
Police Forces of
the World by William Hall Watson 2006
ISBN 1-9210-0563-7, 441 pp, Zeuss Publications, soft cover,
incl illustrations RRP $39.95 Available from selected bookshops
and Zeus Publications: PO Box 2554, Burleigh MDC, QLD, 4220
(street address: Waterway Wonderland Shopping Centre, 64
Karbunya Street, Mermaid Waters, QLD 4218), PH: 07 55 755141 or
purchase online: www.zeus-publications.com
Police Forces of the World is a comprehensive history of police
evolution, from ancient times through to the development of
modern day forces. Details of 226 services in 67 modern
countries have been included, recording their histories, ranks,
badges, insignia, operational structure and geographical
demographics. A four page section on the Royal PNG Constabulary
includes two RPNGC badge illustrations. The Foreword, Preface
and Introduction can be read on the website.
Editor (Una Voce - June 2006)
Index
One Step Further,
Volume 3, Book C-E, Those whose gallantry was rewarded
with the George Cross By Marion Hebblethwaite 2006
ISBN 0954691741, 160 pp, published by Chameleon HH Publishing
Ltd, laminated soft cover, full colour throughout, 226
photos/illustrations/figures on artgloss paper, Cumulative index
from Vol 1, Cost: £14.00 plus postage to Australia £6.50
airmail, postage to UK £2.50; available at:
www.gc-database.co.uk or write to: The Quarry House, East End,
Witney, OX29 6QA, UK, PH: 44 1993 880223 Can be paid for by
international electronic transfer (Bank details on request) or
UK cheque (payable to: Chameleon HH Publishing) – NO Credit card
facilities.
This book contains comprehensive entries for all 40 George
Cross’s whose names begin with the letters C-E. Of particular
note is the section on Jack
Emanuel on whom there are eight pages with pictures and
contributions from his son and daughter as well as Robert
Blaikie and Maxwell Hayes.
Background and lists of Sources are given for each person under
their entry and it is the most comprehensive overall coverage of
George Cross’s to date. Books A and B still available. All books
are limited editions of 500 copies each. Signed copies are only
available through the website or by direct contact.
(Volume 4 of the Series, One Step Further, is also out now. It
contains entries for all George Cross’s whose names begin with
F-G plus all 5 GCs awarded to PoWs in Hong Kong. ISBN
095469175x)
Editor (Una Voce - June 2006)
Angels of Kokoda By
David Mulligan
ISBN 0 7344 0849, published by Thomas C.
Lothian Pty Ltd 2006, with a foreword by the Governor-General,
His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Ret’d),
208 pp, softcover, b & w illus, $17.95 from your local
bookstore.
The author of this book was dismayed to learn that younger
Australians know very little if anything about the great WWII
battles along the Kokoda Track and in PNG generally, and decided
he must do something about it. The result is Angels of Kokoda, a
young-adult ‘factional’ novel, but one of interest to a wider
audience. The book was launched at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, by
General Peter Cosgrove (Ret’d). We hope to have a review ready
for the next issue, perhaps written by someone from the younger
age group as this should complement the Governor-General’s
overview.
Editor (Una Voce - June 2006)
Attenborough in
Paradise and Other Personal Voyages (2
DVD set) $30.95 available from the ABC/BBC.
Of particular interest to the "Kiap" fraternity is the episode
titled 'A Blank on the Map'. David Attenborough joins a 'first
contact' patrol led by Kiap Laurie Bragge into the Sepik
hinterland. This episode is the usual BBC documentary and lasts
just under an hour. Another delightful documentary, also of
particular interest to our readers, is the episode on the Birds
of Paradise.
Editor (Una Voce - June 2006)
Index
