Trobriand Islands – Milne Bay Province – Photos from Jim van der Kamp
Jim Van Der Kamp joined the PNG Public Health Department’s Malaria Control Programme as a Field Officer in January 1965 after 18 months service in the Army as a Medico in what was then Dutch New Guinea (now West Papua) and a break back in Holland. Following a few weeks in Popondetta and Wanigela, Jim’s first posting was at Bolubolu Patrol Post on Goodenough Island where he remained for 5 months. He then spent 14 months at Mapamoiwa on Fergusson Island, patrolling all the D’Entrecasteaux islands including Woodlark and the Trobriand islands. In mid 1966 Jim was transferred to Rabaul for further training at the then Malaria Institute. In January 1967 he was posted to Minj in the Western Highlands as District Malaria Supervisor, moving to Mount Hagen in 1969. September 1973 saw a posting to Kieta, Bougainville, as Provincial Malaria Supervisor. After six and a half years of extensive patrolling, Jim, in 1980, was transferred to Goroka in the Eastern Highlands Province and took up the position of Regional Inspector covering most of the Highland Provinces. Jim went “finish” in February 1985. Some of the following photographs show Jim’s late wife Sowama and their children Jacob and Rhonda.
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The Trobriand Islands (today officially known as the Kiriwina Islands) are a 440 square kilometre archipelago of coral atolls off the eastern coast of New Guinea and lie in the western Solomon Sea. They are located 65 km northeast from the D’Entrecasteaux Islands and 132 km west from the Woodlark Islands and are part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. Most of the population of 12,000 indigenous inhabitants live on the main island of Kiriwina, which is also the location of the government station, Losuia. Other major islands in the group are Kaileuna, Vakuta and Kitava.
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To view a ‘Google’ map, click here
The MASSIM Archipelago spans 18 island communities and in this respect is synonymous with a ceremonial exchange system known as the Kula exchange or Kula ring. It involves thousands of individuals with participants travelling hundreds of miles by canoe in order to exchange Kula valuables.
Colourful group on Munawata island - note the typical Trobriand Island houses
Girls carrying yams from Kwapwapu Village to Oyabia - barefoot over hot coral!
Two boys passing through Losuia Government Station
Tukwaukwa Village girls wearing Frangipani garlands
An empty Yam-house is a sad sight in the Trobriands - Okupukopu Village (1967)
A hot walk from Tukwaukwa to Okupukopu Village and back. Sowara's Uncle - Chief Muluboduma, a village girl and Sowama (1967)
Chief Muloboduma (circa 1980/81) now blind and lame taken with Sowama having travelled from Goroka
Sowama and baby at the Tukwaukwa lagoon (1967)
Slightly out of focus but shows festivities at Losuia Station. Sowama is shown middle front row wearing a necklace (soulava) and waistband (wakala), The tall girl 'Bogigai' (third from right) is of mixed Melanesian-European race.
Self with village girls in mini grass skirts
My son carried by a relative (1970)
Sowama with son and baby daughter at lagoon (1970)
Carved Prowboard
Elaborate Prowboard in front of the Trobriand Hotel (10/9/1970)
This is placed in front of the Prowboard on a canoe
Sowama with daughter Rhonda and son Jacob (crouching) at Gusaweta (1970)
The 'hot' house we lived in for six weeks - outside Tukaukwa Village (1970)
Series of three photos (TROB8, TROB19 and TROB20) showing 'Cricket' - Trobriand Islands style
Not the 'cricket' as we know it! Series of three photos (TROB8, TROB19 and TROB20) showing 'Cricket' - Trobriand Islands style.
Series of three photos (TROB8, TROB19 and TROB20) showing 'Cricket' - Trobriand Islands style. And all in traditional attire!
The Trobriand Hotel - destroyed by fire some five years later and never rebuilt
Daughter Rhonda carried by a village girl (1970)
Mysterious 'Monoliths', inland Kiriwina Island
Remains of the Monoliths on Kiriwina island - origin of these Monoliths is not known
Son Jacob with Graham Pople's son, Shane
Son, Jacob, sitting on the supporting bearer of the Chiel's full Yam-house, centre of Tukwauka Village
Cute girl wearing earrings made from turtle shell
Another girl with turtle shell earrings
Village girls liked carrying my children
My son with girls taking food to a "Sagari" ceremony after a person's death
Strips of pandanus leaves held down by stones form a canoe sail pattern
Girl standing outside Dayagila Aid Post
Girls of Omarakana, the Paramount Chief's village - note the right girl's armbands (kwasi) usually not worn by 'commoners'
Full Yam-house with women and their babies on Kitava island. The mother at right still wears a "Doba" on her head and pregnancy cloak (sekeula)
Girl standing in front of Kitava Yam-house
Manuwatu mother and child - note the turtle shell earrings at very young age
Decorated carving (Kaidebu) held by dancers
My kids, now grown up, in Goroka with (left) a Trobriand Island boy holding a highly priced "Beku", a polished greenstone - also a Kula 'trade' item
