Comments on: Reflections on Papua New Guinea

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 08:10:32 +0000

I just came back from PNG. I love every minute of it, the people where so nice to me. I know it can be dangerous but I never felt threatened once.

By: Gary

Gary — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:47:30 +0000

Hawaii does not speak Pidgin. English and Hawaiian.

By: DTs Flash Drive Blog

DTs Flash Drive Blog — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:34:03 +0000

Interesting post and comments! Ive always been fascinated with PNG, not sure why exactly. Maybe because of its intriguing name. Maybe because it used to be a German colony (Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land) and as a native German Im interested in that. Did you actually go to the nothern parts Gary? Did Papuans have any particular opinion about Germans? If I ever go to visit I will explore that aspect and also check out the rainforest. As for pidgin, isn’t that also spoken in Hawaii?

By: Carol Ferndale

Carol Ferndale — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:56:03 +0000

Hi Reba

It sounds like you had a wonderful childhood growing up in PNG, and what you describe makes me more determined to visit.

I agree that you cannot judge a third world country in the same terms as an industrialised nation.

Best

Carol Ferndale

By: Reba

Reba — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:20:14 +0000

Hi
Thought I’d contribute something in response to your assessment of PNG; I’m a Papua New Guinean national who has lived in Oz for 21 years having married an Aussie and have subsequently raised and continue to raise a wonderful family in Sydney and love it here. By the way, even though my husband is an Aussie of Anglo/Saxon background, he considers himself a Papua New Guinean as he grew up in PNG, went to school in PNG and graduated from the University of PNG. The point I’d like to make is that your description of Port Moresby as a “dump” is too drastic and unfair; I’d like to think that this is your view alone. There are thousands of my fellow Papua New Guineans who have to live in Port Moresby, despite its problems, because they want to pursue that very human goal: the pursuit of a better life and this includes better education, job opportunities and simply a betterment of their circumstances. My only suggestion is that if you’re coming to PNG it is to keep an open mind and to not forget that it is technically a third-world country so you can’t expect a fairly well-developed-western-styled structure of government and life etc. You did correctly pointed out that poverty does exist in PNG and I don’t think any Papuan New Guinean will dispute that. Having said that, I cannot ever remember going hungry when I was growing up and I am one of ten; in fact our diets were fairly healthy consisting of lots of vegetables and fish and a good lifestyle of lots of physical activity including daily swimming in totally unpolutted water – I’m from New Ireland so I guess there was better access to these good things! Also, aside from the 800-odd languages, there are thousands of cultures and a fervent respect and commitment to our various religious beliefs and one which I might add we have the absolute freedom to practice. To conclude, I’m glad you’ve had the chance to experience and learn a tiny aspect of PNG – there is so much more you could learn. Hope you visit again; if you like surfing you may like to consider travelling to Kavieng, New Ireland!

Regards
Reba

By: Carol Ferndale

Carol Ferndale — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:50:49 +0000

Very interesting to read your account of PNG. I once worked with someone who had lived and worked there for a couple of years, and I have always wanted to visit.

Interesting to hear that they are self-sufficient food-wise. If you have that, then the poverty is easier to bear.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:53:34 +0000

Great article Gary, it’s not a country I’ve ever heard much about in the news or from other Travellers, apart from the bad stuff, so it’s great to hear more. One more place to add to my list now…

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:17:03 +0000

Stephen, Thanks.

I’ve usually found that the root of the pidgin words I’ve encountered make sense when it is explained word for word.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:08:38 +0000

Pidgin is part English, part German, part local languages (balu is bird in one local language, pidgin for plane)

The sign roughly says “no kids on the bridge/wharf without an adult”

TOK SAVE – Information/Warning
I TAMBU [Its forbidden(taboo)] TRU [I mean it] LONG OL PIKININI {for children) NA MAN [with no man] NA MERI [(or) no woman] LONG GO LONG BRIS [to go on the bridge/wharf]

By: Courtney .A.

Courtney .A. — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:10:26 +0000

Hey Uncle Gary,
Isn’t it lonely traveling all by yourself??