My visit to Sier Village

During the school holiday between terms, I visited my friend and wanwok (literally translated as "one work")Roselyn and her two children, Stephanie and Dunstan. It all started with a trip to the market to by cooking bananas, yams and kumu (greens. Next we sat at the water's edge and waited for the boat to take us to the island. I have to admit, this was one of the most scary things I have experienced here in PNG. The small motor boat was overloaded with people and their bags of food from the market. The boat was literally two inches above the water. I counted 26 people. I was certain the boat would sink!


The skipper decided that I needed a tour of the islands and he dropped us off last. The sea was calm between the islands and my fears of capsizing lessened. We slowly puttered from island to island and listened to the skipper's orders to shift our weight to help balance the boat. One by one the passengers would exit the boat and wade through the cyrstal clear water carrying their bags filled with yams, bananas and tinned fish on their heads.

It was refreshing to leave the mainland. I appreciated the peacefulness of the village. I sat on Roselyn's veranda overlooking the sea and wrote letters home to my grandmothers. I sat in the green grass under a mango tree and ate papaya with the women and children of Roselyn's village.
Roselyn is renting her house from a family for 100 kina a week. She struggles to make rent on her salary (it's almost 3 days salary for me). Dunston starting the fire for dinner.

I was surprised by the beauty of this "urban village" as she calls it. Dunston and I searched for fishing bait in the creek. Stephanie and I climbed trees for a fruit she said were cheeries, but they tasted more like plums to me.
The island was filled with colorful flowers and shrubs.
The island was filled with tropical fruit trees (banana, guava, papaya, coconut, buai and mango). We were surrounded by more fruit than we could ever eat. Stephanie and her double hybiscus.

Traditional yam house, the staple food of the islands.

On my next visit, the women are teaching me to row in a traditional canoe! I plan to make many more trips to Sier Island!

All these questions….

Have four months already past? Is it possible that I am beginning to settle in and am able to understand more? Or have I only begun to realize that I know and understand very little? Has my understanding of developmental aid work grown? How have my perceptions changed? Mother Theresa, I understand that the ocean would be less because of that one missing drop, but what happens when our drops evaporate before they even reach the ocean? What change will I effect if I pour my half empty glass in the ocean? Am I thinking this way because I am on the downward slide of the emotional roller coaster that most developmental aid workers go through?

Why has my perception changed? I’ve seen containers of books donated. The disappointment was when the boxes were finally opened they were filled with termites. Clients are waiting for wheelchairs, schools for computers and after months and months of anticipation they finally arrive broken. Workshops are planned, hundreds of workbooks printed, teachers walk for hours from the villages and the facilitator is stuck in Moresby because the flight was cancelled. Computers and sewing machines arrived at a school and were broken within the first day because the users were not appropriately trained. How do the Papua New Guineans respond? Nokem wori (don’t worry), another organization will come tomorrow and bring us a new one.

What are the effects of developmental aid on this country? Have they developed learned helplessness? Have Papua New Guineans been conditioned to think that the white man will always bring cargo? What do they think when they watch one white man after another come in and change the things that the previous white man did before him? Are they learning and applying any new skills? Are they motivated to change? Do they even want change? Are they interested in improving themselves and their country? Do all developing countries face these challenges? Or are these situational circumstances for PNG alone due to the uniqueness of this country?

What will I accomplish during my time here? Will anyone apply the skills I share? Are my expectations too high? How do you measure success? Is it if I truly reach one teacher? Why is VSO asking me to do partnership reviews when I haven’t even had my in-country orientation yet? Is VSO more efficient in other countries? Will I be able to accomplish more or gain more skills if I stay here two years verses one? Can I meet my placement goals in 8 more months? Why don’t I feel connected to PNG? Is it because I am in an urban placement and have limited connection with the most vulnerable people? Why do I feel like a tourist? Should I feel guilty for living the expat lifestyle? Is it bad that I feel like I am on an extended vacation?

These are questions I ask myself everyday. I was once told that finding questions is often times better than finding answers. By asking myself these questions I have decided not to continue my placement beyond one year. PNG is a spectacular country and I am in no hurry to leave. I feel that I will be able to give and take away all that I can in one year; therefore, I have no intentions to stay.

Eastern Highlands-Goroka Show

Tuesday PNG celebrated its 33rd year of independence. Many Papua New Guineans and tourists flock to the Eastern Highlands Province for the Goroka Show. The Goroka Show is considered the best singsing festival in the highlands and it is held annually during the Independence Day weekend. The Lonely Planet says the costumes alone rival Rio de Janeiro at Carnivale time! I have been to the Madang Festival as well as the Divine Word University Cultural Show and by far the Goroka Show was the best yet. Highlanders are skilled in decorating themselves with traditional costumes and elaborate face paintings.


Among my favorite singsing groups are the Asaro Mud Men. These warrior men traditionally cover themselves in grey mud and wear big mud masks. In stark contrast to the high energy dancing and singing of the other singsings, the mud men walked in a slow, deliberate manner. It reminded me of that creepy feeling you get when watching the “bad guy” sneak up on the victim in a scary movie.


Apart from the costumes and endless supplies of woven bilums, we enjoyed traditional mamboo and trekking up the majestic mountains. Bill, a physiotherapist at Goroka Hospital, preparing the mamboo

Of course I had to get my hands into things!




The Highlands, as described by Lonely Planet, are dramatic and beautiful, with wide, fertile valleys, streams and rivers, and seemingly endless, saw-toothed mountains. It is also the most densely populated and agriculturally productive region of PNG. The highlands are made up of a series of valleys and rugged intervening mountains that form the watershed for some of the world’s largest rivers, including the Ramu and Sepik.


Typical Highlands Village hut!
Goroka is the main town of the Eastern Highlands Province as well as the center of PNG’s coffee industry.

.....to be continued when I get more internet time! Life in the developing world eh?!?! I have soooo many wonderful pics that I hope to be able to upload :)

Wantoks

Divine Word University Cultural Show

As an American in PNG, all other Americans here are my wantoks. Wantoks are members of your clan. They may include your family and those persons from where you live. The wantok system plays a significant role in PNG culture.

The system has both positive and negative effects. Wantoks provide for one another and maintain strong clan relationships. A member of the clan that does well for him/herself faces the pressures and strains of countless requests from wantoks. They may ask for money, food, jobs, school fees, place to stay, or even to care for their children. The system becomes complicated and dangerous at times. If a person feels that you have wronged them in anyway, they will often times gather their wantoks for retaliation. And retaliation in PNG usually involves serious injury or death by bush knives. If you happen to hit a dog, person, or a pig with your car you do not stop due to the threat of your life being taken, especially if you hit a pig. A VSO volunteer’s flash drive was stolen. A PNG woman found it and requested a reward. The volunteer gave the woman a cash reward; however, the woman wanted more and threatened to return with her wantoks.

Additionally, this is a problem with positions in government and other job placements. A teacher at the Creative Self Help Centre is frequently truant from work, physically assaulted another teacher, and reportedly stole the centre’s car. But because he has a wantok in an administrative position in the Department of Education, the centre’s coordinator refuses to enforce consequences due to rational fears of retaliation. Last week, a man came to the centre looking for this teacher because he owed him money. The teacher refused to pay him so the man threatened to return to the centre with his wantoks armed with bush knives. Due to the high prevalence of clan fighting often times resulting in death, these threats are not taken lightly.

As I said, the wantok system has positive aspects as well. If you are ever in need you know that your wontoks are there for you. Being so far from home it is comforting to be able to speak to wantoks. I feel a sense of familiarity, connection and understanding. Each time a white person comes over my neighbor asks “Em wantok bilong yu?” (Is she/he from your clan?) Having wantoks is important. I have met several of my wantoks here in Madang. On my birthday, Heidi and Jim, who came to PNG with Peace Corps years ago, gave me beautiful flowers from their botanical garden. A VSO volunteer, Pam, who works on KarKar Island met a group of Stanford University students who were there teaching English during their summer break. They were planning to visit Madang for a few weeks before heading back to the States, so Pam made the wantok connection. While I was in Lae, Jessica and Dani stayed in my apartment. That’s what wantoks do for one another!

I was in Lae for a workshop held by the special education department targeting the country’s “new” curriculum reform, Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). I use quotations around the word new because OBE was introduced at the National level several years ago; however, as generally so in developing countries, the reform policy has not yet reached the local level. Lae is in Morobe Province, which is described by the Lonely Planet as “the industrial heart of PNG and the gateway to the Highlands.” Lae is PNG’s second largest city after the capital Port Moresby. Although Lae is an industrial base surrounded by container ships and known to most as “rainy Lae” or “pothole Lae,” the city is laid out around beautiful Botanical Gardens. It also boasts one of the best places in PNG to see wildlife without trekking up mountains through the dense bush. While visiting the Rainforest Habitat, I saw tree kangaroos, salt water crocodiles, birds of paradise, and the world’s largest pigeon. Among my favorite birds was a parrot who, when approached, would say, “Give me kaikai, give me kaikai.” (Kaikai is food in the Pidgin language). I also saw one of PNG’s most dangerous creatures, the cassowary. Don’t let the beauty of these huge birds, similar to ostriches, fool you. They have been known to rip through people’s rib cages with their razor sharp talons.

The Rainforest Habitat in Lae. Jolly and Bernard, 2 VSO physiotherapists and Martin, who works for NOPS National Orthopedic and Prosthetics Services. Martin made his own prosthesis and drove us all around "Rainy Lae."
The World's Largest Pigeon


I met a bigpela (important) wantok last weekend at Divine Word University’s Cultural Show. While walking through the crowds of Papua New Guineans performing their traditional singsings, I met the American Ambassador, Leslie Rowe. We stood under my umbrella and spoke over the sounds of drumming and singing about my work here as well as my experience in Zambia with the Peace Corps. Her husband was a Peace Corps volunteer and they are advocating for Peace Corps to return to PNG. We were unable to chat a length as we were quickly pushed aside by a group of marching Highlanders with their faces painted as elaborately as the colorful bird of paradise feathers on their heads.

Thanks to the column I write in my hometown newspaper, The Robertson County Times, I met another wantok yesterday. I was shopping for bicycles at Papindo department store. Well, actually it was my third visit to Papindo to get a bike. Each day I left with various promises. Yes, we will make the fitting adjustments and have it for you by tomorrow. Yes, we will replace the bent rims. The third day, I gave up and took matters into my own hands. While the three customer service guys and I were removing the bikes one by one from the wall to find the one that had the least bent rims, a woman approached me. “Excuse me, do you know a (insert botched pronunciation of Charlye here) from Tennessee?” I guess it is a small world after all. This wontok is from Springfield! Her mother read my column in the paper and sent it to her. Who would have ever thought that I would meet someone from Springfield in Papua New Guinea? She is here with her family as missionaries. They will be living in the world’s largest missionary compound for 4 years.

Mi got plenti wantoks bilong mi long Madang! Mi hammamas tru! (I have a lot of wantoks here in Madang! I am very happy!)

I would like to give a shout out to a few of my wantoks back home. Thanks Mom, I received your package filled with goodies (only 2 weeks shipping time, a lot faster than in Zambia eh?). Uncle Mark, I was so excited when I read your comment on this blog! It really means a lot to me that you are taking the time to read and letting me know you are thinking of me. I am thinking of you too and I hope you are taking care of yourself. Dre, what would I do without our weekly gchats? You really help me stay connected to real life back home and remind me of who I am! And to everyone who has sent emails, cards and who have commented on this blog, thank you! You help to keep a smile on my face on the days that aren't filled with sunshine and beaches :)