Vision for an Australian-Pacific Cultural and Community Centre

It is crucial for Australians to learn about Pacific people and cultures. Acknowledging Australia’s taking PNG to a peaceful independence is very much a significant part of such a centre.

Having a centre where Australians and the Pacific Islands are acknowledged together, recognises all those Australians who worked to develop PNG pre- and post-independence, who fought for Australia on its soil and will build understanding and knowledge for a better-shared future together.

The PNGAA Collection would also make a good starting point for an educational and resource centre. At this stage it appears that Australia is focused on acknowledging independence in PNG. The Australian High Commission there is doing a great job. But what about the generations of Australians who helped to make independence happen? Most live in Australia now. Most people have no idea of the Australian history in PNG.

The Australian government needs to be proud of what it achieved then and in the time frame it did it. Sharing/celebrating this history within Australia would widen the audience to understand it better.

PNG Scholarship Recipients Update

The PNGAA congratulates all six students from Anguganak High School who have worked diligently and been accepted into Year 11, with three from Oksapmin High who are moving on to Year 10 at Oksapmin. They are Metel Maiah, Timberieng Mopsan and Ekron Lawie.

We especially congratulate Sheppelle Hapika who has had a fantastic result and was accepted into Year 11 at Passam National School of Excellence (NSoE), which is one of the top Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) schools in Papua New Guinea. It is one of six government-run national high schools in PNG and is a coeducational school for Years 11 and 12, taking boarders and day students. The school is located about 20km south of Wewak and a 10-hour drive from Anguganak. Travel is challenging with the roads and cost of diesel about PGK30/AUD12 per litre.

Euthanneshia Meibo will be attending Vanimo Secondary School. Three students—Augustine Wulai, Nemantu Haimowi, Railly Aliawani are going to Green River Secondary, near Vanimo.

Macquardah Anpan will attend Mercy Secondary school near Wewak. The Mercy Education Program provides disadvantaged young women with literacy, cooking and sewing skills and opportunities to complete their secondary education.

The students have all been studying English, Maths, Science, Social Science, Personal Development, Business Studies and Agriculture. PNGAA is pleased to support these students and hear about their continuing progress.

Support from PNGAA members and friends is also welcome to assist this special PNGAA Scholarship program. If you would like to help, please use the red ‘donations’ button on the website home page, or contact the treasurer (treasurer@pngaa.net).

The fees for the Year 11 students have more than trebled from PGK 500 in Year 10 to PGK 1,600 in Year 11. The fees of the students moving into Year 10 at Oksapmin High School have doubled from PGK 1,000 to PGK 2,000 each.

The National Education Board sets school fees at the opening of the academic year. Once these are known, the PNGAA pays the parental contributions together with the cost of books. This varies from school to school. One hundred per cent of donations to PNGAA for school fees goes to pay these school fees.

Best wishes to all the students for 2025!

Australia Day Awards

Congratulations to these Australia Day recipients, with special mention to PNGAA member Ian Macintosh AM, for significant service to the media and broadcast industry. Ian and his wife Denise first travelled to PNG in 1969.

Also Dr David Geoffrey Mills AM for significant service to medicine through international development and rural and remote health education, especially through the University of Papua New Guinea and at Kompiam District Hospital.

Member’s Donation

PNGAA member, Helene Cronin OAM, has generously donated several boxes of valuable books to the PNGAA Collection. She is also donating a lot of her data to the PNGVR/NGVR Museum in Brisbane.

Helene recently published a book titled The Papuan Bugle Call 1939-1945: The War and its Ultimate Effects. The book is fully indexed and lists the 441 men who enlisted in Papua with the service number P (Militia) or PX (AIF). Most of these men, aged from 17 to 65, who signed up for war in Papua and fought in Papua New Guinea and other theatres of war were either born or had spent many years in the Territory pre-war.

Their lives changed forever on Christmas Eve of 1941 when their families were evacuated and again on 27 January 1942, when all able-bodied men were called up. As Jack Mann P172 said, the army gave them very little; they survived by taking what they needed. For any enquiries, please email the author at hcronin@bigpond.com

This book was reviewed by Greg Ivey in the December 2024 issue of PNG Kundu.

PNGAA New Members

The committee welcomes the following new members:

Graham Bartley-Smith, Ken Broomhead, Penny Brown-Ingram, Sylvia Dawson, Pat Dreyer, Gretchen Druliner, Jacqueline Habu, Jan Hasselberg, Roy Hay, Jade Lake, Jun Mclatchie, Kathy McLeish, Isobelle Morgan, Margaret Mumme, Scott Perry, John Peters, Trenton Schmidt, Christopher Smith & Catherine Taylor.

Editorial

This year promises to be one to keep an eye on with events happening around Australia and Papua New Guinea, given the golden jubilee of PNG’s Independence Anniversary. At the launch of PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary logo on 30 January 2025, the PNG Prime Minister, James Marape, said:

Fifty years is a milestone. Who would have thought 50 years ago that the fathers and mothers of our country dared to dream big? They dreamt of a united country in all its diversity, charting its own destiny.

He went on to announce that national events focused on historical reflection, national unity and future aspirations will take place throughout the year across PNG. The following day in PNG’s Parliament House, when the PM addressed the nation, part of his speech included:

Let us celebrate our rich cultural heritage—not as separate tribes, but as a united nation proud of its traditions, its democracy, and its vision for the future … And let us be inspired—not just for today, but for the next 50 years—to build a nation of peace, prosperity and unity.

The PNGAA journal is celebrating the significance of 2025 by running a theme through the March, June, September and December issues of PNG Kundu in a section titled ‘Unity in Diversity’. I am interested in the topic of independence, be that of a specific year or a broader reflection of your own lived experience, but as you will see in this issue, all stories are welcomed. I’m also reaching out to Papua New Guineans keen on writing about their country, to give the membership an opportunity to hear their voice. Writing for a publication with a broad readership such as PNGAA’s can be daunting but if you know a Papua New Guinean whose voice should be heard or who enjoys writing, please contact me by email at editor@pngaa.net.

A special tab was recently added to the PNGAA website where items relating to the 2025 50th Anniversary events and stories can be highlighted, to make it easier for members to follow what is happening. Through this tab, you, the members, can add news, photos, funny stories and memories relevant to pre- and post-independence. If you wish to contribute to the website directly, please contact Roy Ranney, PNGAA’s Membership Officer.

The AGM in April 2025 is also significant as it falls in a year when office bearers are nominated and elected. The Association relies on voluntary support. This helps keep the costs down and reflects the spirit of what the PNGAA is all about. So please, if you can, book your place to attend. Your presence is what makes these occasions worthwhile.

Around this time of year the Membership Officer is busy processing subscription renewals. If you haven’t received a reminder of a soon-to-expire membership by email or receive notices by post and haven’t heard anything, contact Roy directly. His contacts are easy to find in the journal and on the website.

Lastly, thank you to those who have sent affirming messages of support for the journal. Feedback is always appreciated and helps keep us on track and motivated.

It takes a team effort and the layout and production of the PNG Kundu which I think looks fabulous is down to Jeannette Gilligan. We have a great team helping behind the scenes and that includes new volunteer proofreaders, David Campbell-Williams, Wendy Glassby and Pamela Cowley Virtue, plus our stalwart experts Murrough Benson and Andrea Willliams who always make themselves available when asked.    Tenk yu tru olgeta