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 :)