June 2012

These days more wantoks depart the NT than arrive but Geoff Paayne, a 1968 seniority kiap, now resides in Katherine. The former adviser to Gaui Council in the Sepik is operating the Katherine River Lodge. Mike Press, a fellow kiap in the Sepik, who lived in Katherine while working in Aboriginal Affairs, has moved from Darwin for a while to assist him.

The handful of former PNG field staff resident in Darwin has been further depleted by the passing in April of Dave Permezel, a kiap 1952-1978. In accordance with his wishes his son Stephen will take to his ashes back to Aitape to be cast into the sea.

Talking of kiaps, they were expected to handle multiple tasks. But Winnie Kiap really has her hands full. She is the PNG High Commissioner to Britain and Ambassador to Israel and Zimbabwe. Her Excellency has risen high for a Manus girl from Baluan island.

"Crackers" Hand, mentioned in the last issue, has set off from Darwin alone in a 4.5m boat for his third visit to Sibidiri village in the Western Province. Music for his farewell at the Trailer Boat Club was provided by "Mental As Anything" and Papuan dancing was delightfully demonstrated by the Hiri Girls, Darwin teenagers with heritage.

Much is printed about retrogression in PNG but some statistics tend to belie this. In 2001 the 18,000 teachers on strength had apparently grown by 2011 to 45,000!   The teachers' colleges had necessarily expanded: there were 900 students on the roll at Madang. A somewhat less helpful growth has occurred with political parties for there are now no less than 33 of such registered to compete for office in this year's National Election.

Having psyched myself up to clean out decades of jumble from filing cabinets I was amused to find a note written by Jim Sinclair in 1995, in which he said "I am 67 and don’t know many more writing years I have left in me..." Since then substantial histories for Lae, the Papua Club, Mastamaks, and Lloyd Hurrell and perhaps others have followed his previous 15 publications. Grade A, soon to be 85 Jim, for sterling post-kiap endeavour (already recognised by an OBE and a Hon. D. Litt.) but a C for prognostication.

I have spent a few nights at Yandera, a village eight hours' walk from Bundi patrol post or eight minutes in a Kennecott Exploration helicopter. In the 70s copper deposits were being sought and Marengo Mining has now announced that it expects to commence production in 2015 of 25 million tons annually until 2035. It is hard to picture the astonishing change this will bring to that tranquil corner of the Bismarck Range. It is to be a massive open cut operation with crushing and grinding near the site and a pipeline running for 95 km to take mine tailings down to Astrolabe Bay near Madang. (That construction is to be carried out by a company from Beijing supported by a 70% loan from Chinese banks is a cause for astonishment no longer.) The seven clans of Yandera have combined to exert some control over and secure profit from this venture. It remains to be seen whether they will have any more success than the landowners affected by the Ramu-Nico tailings pipeline into Basamuk Bay. George Soros, an American whose name will be well known to readers seeking successful investments, purchased 20% of Marengo three years ago which is indicative of its potential value.

Dr Sachiko Hatanaka, mentioned in last October's edition, was not the only lady anthropologist to research in the Highlands. Perhaps the first post-war was Dr Marie Reay who spent much time around Minj. The TPNG Administration had misgivings about allowing a lone woman to wander the Wahgi and she was given some advice about the desired minimum length of her dress. (No bare knees, please?) It would depend, I have mused, on which of our senior kiaps proffered this advice whether it was delivered in an avuncular or firmly prescriptive fashion. Belatedly I learn that the ADO Minj at the time was Jack Emanuel. Definitely avuncular.