Links
PNG in the News
From time to time the newsletter hears about former residents of PNG that are doing various things overseas. Here is one about a PNG born painter -- http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=89782
PNG Rascals -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9pIxejtZ1Q
Languages -- http://www.languagehat.com/archives/003132.php
Photographer captures top travel prize -- http://giaman.com/pg/?1f9a4e
The sacred ritual of shark calling is peculiar to the west coast of Papua New Guinea's New Ireland province -- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23704420-5002031,00.html
The UN HIV/AIDS commission for Asia Pacific region visited the country last week to assess the epidemic and its prevention campaign. -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/051608/nation8.php
Coffee production 'will' decline in the Highlands -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/051608/nation4.php
PNG Diving
It is said that diving in PNG offers some of the best diving that can be had anywhere. Take a look at scuba board. To participate you will need to register -- http://giaman.com/pg/?b6da49 -- as one of the web sites below says "Why watch the Discovery Channel when you can live it!"
Diving web sites with articles / information about PNG are:-
http://www.pngdive.com/
http://www.diversionoz.com/en/png.htm
http://www.divediscovery.com/png/
http://www.mvgoldendawn.com/
http://www.walindi.com/
http://www.pngtours.com/diving.html
http://www.underwatercolors.com/PNG/papua_new_guinea.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJRVWbyj3I0 - from Bootless Bay near Port Moresby
digressing a bit - Surfing PNG -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuUccl5rTX8 -- fascinating video on how to make a surf board from a tree near Lido village (Vanimo PNG).
PNG Blogs
Mushroom Island -- http://rabauldailyphoto-jules.blogspot.com/2008/05/mushroom-island.html
Rabaul, the smothered city -- http://kurtofgerolstein.blogspot.com/2008/05/smothered-city.html -- Rabaul used to be called the nicest town in the Pacific. Today, it is an ash-covered wasteland thanks to the eruption of two volcanoes in 1994.
Saturday in the Park with Kurt -- http://kurtofgerolstein.blogspot.com/2008/05/saturday-in-park-with-kurt.html
This is where bananas come from - a tree. Don't laugh some kids in a class I once had in Australia didn't know!!!! -- http://rabauldailyphoto-jules.blogspot.com/2008/05/banana-flower.html
Sailing in the Louisiades -- http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Papua-New-Guinea/blog-277089.html
News Items
Bishop Wesley Kigasung
Bishop Dr Wesley Kigasung, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG) died on the 14th of May 2008, aged 57, following illness. He was born on the 16th of July 1950 in Morobe Province. He attended Martin Luther Seminary in Lae from 1970-1975. From 1976-1979 he did further theological studies at the University of PNG. He was elected as the ELC-PNG bishop in 1998.
A week before his death he stood on the deck of a ship just metres from the shore and blessed the people of Siassi in Morobe province.
see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/051608/nation12.php
Walk Against Corruption
The Walk Against Corruption will be held on Sunday 1st of June 2008. It will be officially led by the Grand Chief Sir Paulius Matane, GCL, GCMG, KSt.J, Governor General of Papua New Guinea.
Chinese Mining
A controversial new mine to feed China's insatiable appetite for minerals is dividing Papua New Guinea's Morobe province, which is famous for its sea life. See -- http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=39627
Professor Michael Alpers
Professor Michael Alpers who spent 23 years as the director of the PNG institute of Medical Research in Goroka, a national institution, has been given one of the international science community's greatest honours, with his election as a fellow of the Royal Society, the world's oldest and most prestigious academy. Professor Alpers Worked in PNG in the early 1960s.
see -- http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=73949
Kerema Bank Heist
Police are hopeful that if they move fast they will be able to recover much of the around one million kina, stolen from the Bank South Pacific (BSP) branch at Kerema, Gulf province, recently. The criminals held the family of the BSP manager hostage on Friday night, before forcing the staff to open up bank the next day. BSP boss Garth McIlwain said no one was injured and confirmed all the cash in the bank had been taken. Police have arrested around 20 people so far in connection with the robbery.
see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?6bbc72
Harmony Mine
The Harmony Gold Mining Company has shut its Hidden Valley and Wafi gold projects because of conflict with local landowners in Morobe province. See -- http://giaman.com/pg/?e5f805
PNG Legal Services
The chairman of Gadens, Ian Clarke, is predicting an increased demand for legal services in PNG due to the natural gas project. Two consortiums are planning to bring natural gas to Port Moresby, liquefy it, freeze it and ship it to north Asia and North America. Each of those projects is worth between $8 billion and $10 billion and are at the very early stages. Gadens have been in Port Moresby since 1969. see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?8db6a8
Goroka Coffee
PNG grows some of the best coffee in the world but it is difficult to find it on the shelves in supermarkets around the world. Some of the best coffee in PNG comes from Goroka.
see -- http://www.gorokacoffee.com
http://www.gorokacoffeeroasters.com/
http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/png/about_destin/goroka.html
http://www.nespresso.com/goroka/
http://maienduo.com/papua_new_guinea_coffee.aspx
A coffee festival is usually held each year in Goroka. The most recently was held earlier this month.
see -- http://www.pngcoffeefestival.com/ -- and -- http://www.easternhighlands.com.pg/pngcoffeefestival.htm
Rising Sea Levels
Many families that used to live near the beach on the Duke of York Islands in East New Britain have packed up and moved inland. The islands have 21 wards and some, during the past five to 10 years, have been subjected to rise in sea level, forcing the people to be relocated inland. About 60 families from the Nakukur ward have moved inland as well as another 60 families from Kumaina ward. Many other people in other wards have had to move inland. see -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/052108/nation3.php
Sandline Crisis
Former PM, Sir Julius Chan, now the Governor of New Ireland province is still not sorry for the Sandline affair. see -- http://www.stuff.co.nz/4511229a12.html -- Chan was forced to step down as prime minister in March 1997 after then PNG Defence Force commander Jerry Singirok led military and public opposition to the use of Sandline International mercenaries on the island of Bougainville.
also see -- http://michie.net/pnginfo/sandline.html -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandline_affair -- and -- http://www.sandline.com
Bougainville
The Bougainville Copper Project -- http://www.riverbendnelligen.com/bougainville1.html -- by Peter Goerman. A plea from the webmaster - Please send us your photographs and your comments for publication on this web site. Share your memories of Bougainville with the rest of us.
A history of Bougainville's struggle for freedom, from the world history archives --
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/24/index-w.html
Bougainville - The Forgotten War in the South Pacific -- http://www.gn.apc.org/inquirer/boug.html
Buka Hospital
The European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper Ltd (ESCB) have written a letter to Peter Taylor, the chairman of Bougainville Copper Limited, asking for help to provide funding for the hospital at Buka. The hospital risks running out of important medicine.
Indonesian Border
PNG Government officials working at the Wutung border post in Vanimo, Sandaun province, have resorted to using facilities provided by the Indonesians because they do not have the resources to do their jobs. Lack of resources like telephone and facsimile services, photocopy and electricity supply was a daily occurrence at this PNG / Indonesia border post. See -- http://www.thenational.com.pg/052108/nation1.php
Political Survivor
Read about Michael Somare - a political survivor -- http://giaman.com/pg/?c32332 -- Sir Michael Somare is still the Chief 40 years after first being elected to parliament by the people of his East Sepik province on March 16, 1968, principally for a single reason: he is the country's prototype nationalist.
Kaugere - Gulf People
Unemployed young adults from the Gulf province living in Port Moresby have been urged by the Gulf Governor, Havila Kavo, to home where there is enough food, land and mineral resources. He said this when visiting a temporary Gulf refugee camp at Kaugere and "haus krai" of a young Engan woman who was hit by a stolen car last week at Koki that resulted in the ethnic clash which left 15 houses torched and a young girl raped at Talai and Gorobe settlements in Badili.
Mr Kavo told his Gulf people who were unemployed and living in settlements to go home as there are resources like oil and gas in the province which they can be part of those resource developments. He made a call to Gulf people to abstain from trouble and warned that he would not assist again if they caused lawlessness in the city.
Cooking Fuel Costs
The increasing cost of fuel for cooking is threatening the mangroves of PNG. Marine biologist Thomas Maniwavie from the Motupure Biology Unit of the University of PNG based on Motupore Island in Tahira Bay just outside of Port Moresby has said that the soaring price of fuel used for cooking is forcing many households to turn to mangrove trees for firewood, leading to the further destruction of the mangroves. As a result it is feared that the coastal fishing grounds will drastically decline.
see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?cb346c
GMRIS for PNG
An internationally active geo-information technology company has announced the successful completion of the design, implementation and testing of the Geological and Mineral Resources Information System (GMRIS) PNG at the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) in Port Moresby.
see -- http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/dailynews/2008/may/20/news1.html
PNG Snake Man
David Williams has become known as the Snake Man of PNG due to his work at collecting venom from snakes. For several months at a time, he criss-crosses the country, armed with a two-pronged "grab stick" and cloth sack, to capture some of its deadliest predators - death adders, Papuan black snakes, brown snakes and the worst offender of all, the fearsome Papuan taipan.
see -- http://giaman.com/pg/?c873f5
State of Origin
It may be a game played overseas but the Australian State of Origin Rugby League matches stop the nation of PNG. Traditionally everyone who can will be watching the three game series on television. Many people will have planned in advance where they will be to watch the games. The love of the game is so passionate that friendships can be made or lost during the game. The first game has been won by New South Wales with two to go.
PNG Pottery
PNG maintains some of the most unusual and distinctive pottery traditions found anywhere in the world. With over 800 separate languages the culture is very diverse.
PNG TV
The National Broadcasting Corporation is still on track to launch its national television station on the 16th of September this year as the people of PNG celebrated its 32nd independence anniversary.
A Kinawai
Ereman Tobaining has officially announced that a traditional Kinawai will be held on the 30th of May, 2008 at Malapau Beach where Admiral Yamamoto stayed overnight to declare his war policies in 1942.
Seven tubuans and nine dukduks will dance together at a ceremony called a "matamatam" between 4pm and 5pm on the 30th.
If anyone is in the area then I highly recommended going along to see this event. Contact Ereman on +675 653 6936 for further details.
Exchange Rates
Approximate exchange rates for various currencies against the PNG Kina
Australian Dollar = 0.3651
US Dollars = 0.3499
Euro = 0.2235
British Pound = 0.1779
Canadian Dollars = 0.3470
Fijian Dollars = 0.5189
Hong Kong Dollars = 2.7289
Japanese Yen = 36.25
New Zealand Dollars = 0.4516
Singapore Dollars = 0.4775
Thai Baht = 11.1958
Coming Events
30th of May -- A Kinawai is to be held on Malapau Beach, East New Britain. Many Tubuans and Dukduks will appear at the traditional ceremony.
Walk Against Corruption on Sunday the 1st of June 2008
2008 Sepik Iron man -- Queen's birthday weekend (8th of June)
21st of June 2008 - PNG Reunion - see -- http://www.pngreunion.com
40th anniversary of the PNG Institute of Medical Research - between the 18th and 22nd of June 2008 in Goroka
Tolai Warwagira Cultural Festival - July 9 - 15 2008 - Rabaul, East New Britain
14th National Mask Festival - July 16 - 19 2008 - Rabaul, East New Britain
PNG Tourism Expo -- September
Hiri Moale Festival -- September
PNG Independence Day Celebrations -- 16th September
16th September - NBC to launch its National TV Station.
Medical Symposium -- September 2008 -- http://www.medsymp.org.pg
Morobe Show -- 18th and 19th of October -- the Show is held on the weekend closest to the full moon in the month of October each year in Lae, Morobe Province. -- http://www.morobeshow.org.pg
Milne Bay Canoe Festival -- always held during the first weekend in November
Anti Corruption Day - 9th December
Do you have an event that you want advertised? Send email to -- PNGNews[@]pnggossip.com
PNG Media
If a friend has given or sent you a copy of this newsletter and you would like to keep receiving free copies then please visit -- ../news/index.html -- for instructions on how to join the list.
Articles for this Newsletter
If you think you have a PNG page worth mentioning then please click here and use the submission form
To send a message for submission to the PNG Gossip Newsletter queue please click here and use the submission form.
.gif)
.jpg)
View PNG Gossip Newsletter Archive