December 2011

In Darwin the PNG-Australia Social and Cultural Group has achieved the necessary generational change from veterans to younger members within its Committee. They arranged a vibrant PNG Independence Day celebration at the Filipino Club and an abundance of children participated. The "Ramapops" band was brought up from Canberra to entertain and they, mostly PNG Defence Force personnel on courses, had fun with the hugely expensive hi-tech sound and recording equipment beloved of the Filipinos.

In September Robert Blaikie, 1947 vintage kiap, flew to Darwin and investigated Kakadu before taking the Ghan on the long train ride to Adelaide where he visited Ron Storer, Treasury mandarin. On the way back to Queensland he called in at Sydney to lunch with Fred Kaad. His timing was good because the old gentleman had just spent ten days in hospital following a fall. At the age of 91 not a good trick but he was, Robert says, upbeat as usual. On the only day Robert was free to meet up again with fellow kiap Dave Permezel, that long-term resident of Darwin had to go into hospital for melanoma surgery. Which is how things are these days with us lapuns.

In my own travelling days going overland to England rewarded me with hepatitis but whether the murky waters of Pakistan or Persia was responsible I know not. Prostrate in a London hospital ward and far from happy a specialist consultant appeared at my bedside with six student doctors in tow clutching their notebooks. However as soon as he learned that I had come from the Southern Highlands he dismissed all concern with my ailment and eagerly cross-examined me about the oil exploration going on at Lake Kutubu. He was the owner of shares in the Australian Petroleum Company and keen to get hot news of his investment but I was unable to tell him much other than that oil in bamboo tubes was still being carried up to the Mendi valley for decorative use in ceremonies. I was reminded of this when I read that a drill had just been sunk 3850 metres into the ground at Kutubu. Junior kiaps and liklik doktas posted to that lonely station in the past would scarcely believe it. But my specialist must now be past caring.

Another statistic to provoke a blink was news that 1000 people still live on Matupit island despite the overlay of volcanic ash from nearby Tavurvur. A number of its villagers have been resettled on land in the Warangoi but seemingly the proximity of the volcano and ruined Rabaul has not disturbed the remainder.