Links
Miscellaneous Links
A collection of around 100 photographs of village life on the Kiwai coast -- http://www-geoimages.berkeley.edu/GeoImages/Eley/EleyPapua.html
Detailed description of Huli culture in Southern Highlands, including photos and vocabulary -- http://www.accsoft.com.au/~drgcjlom/huli1.htm
Information, Communication and Disability -- http://www.pngbuai.com/600technology/information/waigani/disability/WS97-sec17-Bruce.html
World Countries: Oceania: Papua New Guinea: Society and culture -- http://www.world-countries.net/all/Oceania/papua_new_guinea/society_and_culture/
Kudjip Nazarene Hospital -- http://www.kudjipnazarenehospital.org/needs.asp
Visiting PNG??
If you are thinking of coming to PNG in the highly recommend reading the following information on the PNGBD website -- http://www.pngbd.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2549
Weather
For a snapshot of weather around PNG visit the following links --
Wewak -- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Wewak.shtml
Port Moresby -- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Portmoresby.shtml
Lae -- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Lae.shtml
Rabaul -- http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Rabaul.shtml
Wewak
George Hallit's images from Wewak, East Sepik Province -- http://www.pbase.com/ghallit/wewak
Pacific Wrecks -- http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/png_wewak.html
Wewak Guest House -- http://www.wewakguesthouse.com/
Wewak area and the surrender ceremony -- http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/wewak_area.htm
Alotau
Masurina Lodge -- http://www.masurina.com.pg/
Napatana Lodge -- http://www.napatanalodge.com/
Alotau Dive and Tours -- http://www.pananufa-web.com/e/diving_e/
Alotau International School -- http://www.iea.ac.pg/schools/coast_and_islands/alotau.htm
Wikipedia -- http://tpi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alotau
Travel Post -- http://www.travelpost.com/PO/Papua_New_Guinea/Milne_Bay/Alotau2/1250914
Morobe Province
Morobe Province curves around the tropical waters of the Huon Gulf. The hinterland and coast of the Province offers spectacular sightseeing, -- http://www.pngbd.com/travel/tourism_guide_tpa/prov_morobe.html
News Items
PNG Institute of Medical Research
Professor Peter Siba has appointed to the Director's position at the Institute of Medical Research. The previous incumbent Professor Reeder is going finish to pursue his interests as a Medical Research Scientist. In the past Prof Reeder has won the highest awards for excellent researches in Malaria and has secured huge funding to the Institute during his stint.
Bed Donation
The Australian Rotary Club and Queensland Health exchange have worked together to get more than 80 hospital beds to south pacific countries. The manually operated beds are no longer required by the hospital and are being replaced by electrically operated ones. -- http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1671809.htm
Fleeing Fijians
Five Fijians out of eight who went to PNG to train locals on the use of high-powered weapons are now looking for a way home. Three of the eight returned to Fiji earlier this year after heeding a request from the Fiji Government. The men were accused of being mercenaries and were warned to leave the Bougainville by the vice president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, Joseph Watawi. -- http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=44169
Carteret Islands
France and Canada are leading a push to resettle people living on PNG's Carteret Islands. It is feared rising sea levels could make some islands uninhabitable within 10 years. Decades after France stopped bombing boats and atolls; its Government believes it has found forgiveness in the Pacific.
Whooping Cough
The Whooping Cough epidemic that was reported in a recent issue of the newsletter has spread to parts of Madang province and claimed three lives. The three districts are Sumkar, Usino-Bundi and Middle Ramu. The Morobe Governor has suggested that travel restrictions should be put in place to minimise the spread of the sickness.
State of Emergency
The Health Minister, Sir Peter Barter, has said PNG could consider declaring a state of emergency in two provinces if an outbreak of whooping cough gets any worse. Full Story --
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=25036
Goroka Uni
The trouble at Goroka University continues. Lecturers walked off the job demanding the termination of Vice-Chancellor Dr David Rawlence and then students took advantage of the situation to go on a rampage. The students claim that they were angry that their lecturers were not in class to teach them. The lecturers assured students that they would return to work as soon as the top management removed Dr Rawlence as vice-chancellor of University Of Goroka.
Vanishing Records
The Office of Libraries and Archives has indicated that PNG's history is disappearing due to the closure of libraries around the country. Records and materials including books are slowing deteriorating because of poor care. Provincial governments had failed to adequately fund and maintain libraries, resulting in only 11 libraries operating. Those that have closed are Lorengau, Vanimo, Wewak, Arawa, Bulolo, Popondetta, Samarai, Misima, Daru, Kerema, Kainantu, Mount Hagen, Wabag, Kwikila and Lae. Historical items recorded by the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) are also under threat of disappearing as the NBC no longer has the equipment in good working order to play the tape recordings.
NHC Probe
The National Housing Corporation (NHC) has begun investigations into one of its officers in Mt Hagen for alleged corrupt practices. It is claimed that the officer had personally benefited from a property which he bought at a very low price of K17,500 and was now leasing it for K400 to K500 a fortnight and residing in another NHC property free of charge.
WWII Veterans
Another World War Two veteran who served and died in PNG has been laid to rest at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, USA after crashing over 61 years ago on a training mission. -- http://www.ydr.com/newsfull/ci_3978719
In another report found on the Pasadena Star News Web Site a gunner aboard a B-24D Liberator that left Dobodura, PNG in 1943, for a reconnaissance mission over the Bismark Sea has been identified using DNA technology. The military used DNA from a niece, skeletal evidence and dental records to identify the gunner -- http://pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_3978494
Public Accounts Committee
At a recent meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) it has been revealed that the Office of the Auditor-General (A-G) did not investigate the Finance Department for fear of physical harm to its staff. The PAC had earlier directed the A-G to make a full inquiry into a report on the retainer of external legal firms and management of the Sepik Highway Trust Fund (SHTFA).
Mad Cow Disease
Scientists are using their experience with "kuru" in PNG to make predictions about the effects of Mad Cow Disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, BSE). Kuru like Mad Cow Disease is another prion disease. Kuru, reached epidemic proportions in certain communities in PNG, where consuming the bodies - including the brains - of deceased relatives was considered a sign of respect and mourning. Most of those who took part in the ritual were females of all ages and young boys. The effects of kuru are still cropping up years after the practice has stopped indicating that BSE in humans (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) may take many years to show and manifest itself.
If you are interested in the full story -- CBC News - Health and Science has an article at -- http://www.cbc.ca/cp/health/060622/x062218.html -- and WebMD also has an article at -- http://www.webmd.com/content/article/124/115552.htm
Logging Industry
Sasa Zibe claims that he was sacked as the country's environment minister because he trod on too many toes in the logging industry. Zibe says. "I insisted that our industry standards should be no less than those in Australia. I paid a high price for that." It has long been claimed that the PNG logging industry is being raped by overseas countries. As a result PNG now faces restrictions on timber imports by Australia and other Western nations, which are increasingly frustrated at PNG's failure to act against unscrupulous operators in the industry. The Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare has been implicated in logging irregularities in the past. The 1989 enquiry into the industry by retired Australian judge Thomas Barnett, found Grand Chief Somare should have been referred to the Ombudsman Commission for allegedly lying under oath about a logging concession held by the Sepik River Development Corporation in East Sepik Province. The Prime Minister's press secretary says that "He has never profited from a logging company."
Please read the following story in The Australian Newspaper -- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19565361-30417,00.html -- as it makes interesting reading.
PNG Passports
Currently PNG Passports and Visas can only be issued within the country at Waigani. Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge, has called on the Government to extend this to at least two other centres in PNG. Currently it takes months for citizens to get a passport and some people even have to make trips to Moresby in a bid to speed the event along.
Kokoda Track
Australian Football League (AFL) legend, Ron Barassi has returned from his trek across the Kokoda Trail leaner than when he left. The 70-year-old football hero shed 6 Kilograms during his nine-day trek through the one-time war zone. Another former AFL star, Brownlow Medallist Robert DiPierdomenico, 48, finished the trip on a drip through dehydration. Full story can be found at -- http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,19494364%5E2862,00.html
Aussie Asylum Seekers
It has been reported in the Sydney Morning Herald -- http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Process-asylum-seekers-in-Australia-PNG/2006/06/16/1149964728594.html -- that Prime Minister Michael Somare says Australia should process asylum seekers on Australian soil and hinted that he may not allow PNG's Manus Island to be used again as a detention centre.
Madang Culture Book
Mary Mennis has just released a book about culture in the Madang area called "A Potted History of Madang. Traditional Culture and Change on the North Coast of New Guinea." It is the people's history collected by Mary in interviews in the 1970s and then in a visit in 1994. Their history is often quite different to that of the official history and begins hundreds of years before foreigners arrived. American scientists are now interested in this research which reveals volcanic eruptions, tsunami and population movement many generations ago.
The material culture of the people is also studied including the pottery found throughout the province and changes noted with a pottery survey done in 1994. The large sailing canoes of Astrolabe Bay once noted by Mikloucho Maclay are described during the construction of one of them in 1978 which I instigated and recorded. This book honours the old headmen of the Bel group in Madang who helped me piece together this information and who are now deceased.
The book is 345 pages long and is full of photographs, maps, tables and a large bibliography. It retails at 75 AUS dollars plus postage.
Contact this newsletter if you want further details and I will pass on any messages to Mary.
False Reports
A candidate contesting the NCD Regional seat in the forthcoming elections has been charged with spreading false reports about another candidate. -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/062806/nation2.htm
Wafi Gold Project
The Minister responsible for Mining, Sam Akoitai, wants Harmony Gold, developer of the Wafi gold project in Morobe province, to speed up work and bring it into production as soon as possible. Mr Akoitai said he would meet with the Harmony Gold officials soon to discuss landowner queries, spin-off business activities, and ownership of the project
Seasonal Labour
Australia's reluctance to employ seasonal labour from the Pacific has perplexed Foreign Affairs and immigration Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu. A survey conducted earlier this year of horticultural producers in north western Victoria by Australian university Swinburne University of Technology, uncovered shortages of labour that result in farmers employing illegal immigrants so using short term labour from the Pacific is seen as an easy solution to the employment issues.
Coming Events
Tolai Warwagira -- from the 5th to the 11th of July
International Orchid Spectacular - Parliament House, Port Moresby 5th and 6th of August 2006
The Institute of PNG Studies Exploratory Workshop - September.
42nd PNG Medical Symposium will be held in Madang from the 4th to the 8th of September 2006 -- http://www.medsymp.org.pg
PNG 31st Independence Anniversary - 16th September 2006
Annual Hiri Hanenamo Quest and Hiri Moale Festival - 16th September 2006
Goroka Show -- 16th and 17th of September 2007
Kiwi Ball - The fabulous ball held by the Kiwi's will be held on the 28th October this year. This year the New Zealanders hope to have a five-piece band to entertain the crowd
Morobe Show -- November 4th and 5th
Milne Bay Kundu and Canoe Festival -- 6th to the 12th of November 2006
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