The Mudmen

We were occupied. Busy. The kind of busy that doesnt leave room for interruption or disturbance. Deep in concentration, trance like - watching an impromptu performance of local villagers.Chanting, stomping and rattling their bits and bobs to keep us glued like little children at a circus.

This is the scene that had us captivated.

and then I felt or rather sensed, a prickling of my skin on the back of my shoulders. The whole group of us had the same feeling as we all simultaneously turned around to see the very boney finger of an Asaro Mudman beckoning us, ever so quietly to follow him and his grey friends.



They were completely silent yet completely captivating. We followed without question to the ceremony that we were to officiate at. Their cat like moves and bizarre masks are really unusual.

The Asaro Mudmen are from the Asaro River in the Eastern Highlands of PNG outside the town of Goroka.

Close up, it brings back memories of big nights on the drink in Townsville.

One step at a time leads to a house

I have been AWOL, I know, for about 2 weeks. Great reason though...our biggest big boss (bbb) in the whole wide world has been for a 5 day visit to PNG. It was magnificent but far too busy. I feel like my brain is slowing returning to its normal self. After working 7 day weeks since Christmas, I feel its impossible to switch off completely. It was electrifying meeting important folks like the PM and then travelling in our own chartered jet to see other parts of PNG. The upside was our bbb is a delightful human being, very clever and so easy to get along with. He made a difference in such a short time.

Anyway, back in real life, its been like swimming in syrup with the house. While the bbb was here we were kicked out of our temporary apartment and luckily found another much smaller, temporary room above a roudy bar. But we are very grateful to have accomodation.

Our house was to be ready on the 7th - it was, mostly. Except there are no bathrooms and no bedrooms as these are being extensively renovated. You would have thought letting us know this would have been high on someone's list...but alas, not.

The house has the most beautiful orchids. Someone really loved the garden once.

The good news is that Rusty the cat made his journey up from Oz and is all well. Seems to like the life of a jetsetter and is settling in well.

But now to a different house - PNGs National Parliament Haus. We visited as part of our bbb's visit. I was excited to see the architecture but I didn't expected to feel heart stoppingly in awe of the place. The inner chamber, which I couldnt photograph, has timber carving and tapa cloth that is just too beautiful to describe. Why isnt that I felt such a connection for a building, raw materials that are not even connected to my home of Australia? As I looked on the craftsmanship and beauty I felt like the walls could talk, wrapping me up in a show of PNG. It took me by surprise, still does, that I should feel so humbled by another country's national building.

Snow capped mountain in PNG

No of course it aint snow...its ash and hot ash at that. Still errupting from Mt Tavavur (Rabaul). It first lifted its lid in 1994 to devastating effect, wiping the beautiful little seaside city of Rabaul literally off the map.

I was lucky enough to visit a few days ago. Its surreal, errie to drive the now desolate streets, drive down the once perfect runway and look straight ahead at the still smoking volcano, defiantly spewing her ash high.

The main street is now nothing more than a thick layer of ash.

The old runway. Now looks like a landing strip for a day trip to Mars.

These trees amazed me. Still standing but like giant toothpicks.

But the people of East New Brittain province are super resilient. They with the help of the World Bank and an energetic business community, provincial government just decided to take a very bad situation and make it better. They relocated to Kokopo - a gorgeous seaside town just down the road. This is the bustling, very clean and safe market place.

I love to see bravery in the face of adversity in action. Rabaul and Kokopo communities are a must see and an inspiration.

Have bilum and will travel

Its been a very strange week, a week of emotions that I havent experienced before. Being away from home, the place that is the most familiar to me and seeing it splashed across CNN in my hotel room is well, shocking. I have found it a rough week but feel guilty feeling anything compared to those of you in the thick of the fight against the raging waters and mud and silt and tragedy.

So in typical escapism I went bush PNG style and headed for Chuave, a town in the remote Chimbu province of PNG.

The team here arranged for me to travel to Goroka (an hour flight from Moresby) . So I set off at the crack of dawn to catch my flight at the domestic terminal. A terminal that is fast developing a reputation of being unsafe...again it was fine. The security was phenomenal, much better than the domestic arrangements in Australia. Firearms are to be handed to security and they lock them up on the plane for you...how thoughtful.

Here is my new briefcase...I like it much better than my faithful black Tumi case.

My Western Province Bilum is the pefect size for my laptop, radio, phone, wallet, paper, lunch....

Coming in to land at Goroka...it is like the rest of PNG, breathtaking. My camera phone just doesnt do the magnifence of the mountains, waterfalls and the valley justice. The striking thing is that all farms are small family plots. There is almost no corporate farms left in PNG and thus most farming is what I call subsistence plus...food for the family, pigs and what is left goes into the local market for sale to others. One of the many reasons why formal employment is so low.

Welcome to Goroka...indeed.



The trip from Goroka to Kongo Coffee at Chuave was supposed to be 30 minutes...slight miscalculation, it is 90minutes, going very fast in a twin cab. But my driver Rex is legendary and everyone got out of his road. I would too. This was my view for 90minutes doing 100kms most of the time but slowing to a crawl frequently to navigate where the road is long ago eroded. The grill was on the front, the sides and the back to protect us from "enthusiastic locals" who like to throw big rocks!



I ended up at Kongo Coffee and met one of the most inspiring business people, Jerry Kapka and his wife Lilly. Jerry has developed PNGs largest processing facility (taking coffee bean and converting it into green bean ready for export) right in his home village at Chuave. He buys directly from small farmers who produce around 8 - 10 bags a year of some of the world's most sought after coffee.



There was something extra sweet about drinking Kongo Coffee with Jerry & Lily in the middle of the processing facility. Coffee will never taste so good. It was strong but not bitter and a little bit chocolaty.



Possibly the luckiest dog in PNG having a rest, obviously has a nose for coffee too!

The trip back was nerve racking...not enough room width ways for everyone...I admit I shut my eyes (tightly).

There is not a clear photo but we even saw some green, leafy material for sale. The driver told me it was K1 about 35cents for a small joint.  The ladies below were simply selling the equivalent of a Maccas burger and minties for the road trip.



We went through three police checks to make sure we were travelling for all the right reasons.



I had another two meetings in Goroka and then headed back to Moresby. All in a days work. The check in at Goroka is not high tech but it works. My plane up and back was perfectly on time. Better than a lot of flights in Oz.

Here is one of the three guys who were my personal protection for the day...maybe a bit extreme but I felt safe and was able to power through my work without having to worry. The only problem was they are all blues supporters.



My apologies the images are poor quality but I was supposed to be here for 3 days and so far its day 13 and counting. I didnt bring my camera just using the camera in the Blackberry Torch.

Take care and big hugs and smiles to all those back home. I wish I was there to pitch in.

Carolyn.

Violence

I know Port Moresby and more broadly PNG has a dreadful reputation as a violent place. I know this and still choose to be here (and now bring Shane and the kids too). My experience is different though.

I thought I might use this blog to once a week or thereabouts, have a look through my lens on the world at violence - PNG style and abroad.

So to kick off week 1 here is a story of gang rape in England


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'Gang rape of 17-yr-old was filmed'
A TEENAGE girl was gang-raped by four men who took videos of her ordeal on a mobile phone,a court heard.
The 17-year-old was attacked after being lured to a flat where the rapists were lying in wait, it is claimed. They used the same ploy to prey on another 18-year-old woman two days later, Inner London Crown Court heard on Tuesday. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named, sobbed as she described how friend Idris Adeokun, 21, known as Jermaine,called her that day wanting to meet up.He picked her up in a car before taking her to his cousin Emmanuel Garrick's home in Tessa Sanderson Place, Clapham, where four men were waiting.
She said: "He [Jermaine] said he wanted to have sex with me. I said, 'No, I've got a boyfriend and I'm happy'. He said I didn't have a choice. I told him I wanted to go home."
The teenager described how she was then raped by all five men and filmed until she managed to escape and call police.Jurors heard that two days later three of the gang lured another 18-year-old to the flat after offering to help with her CV.She was then raped by Adokun and Garrick before fleeing the flat, it is claimed.

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and now for PNG

Chinese businessman Hacked


A BUSINESSMAN of Chinese origin may lose both arms after he was attacked with a bush knife in a holdup at Kokopo yesterday.

The middle-aged man, who operates a trade store in the town, was attacked as he shut his shop between

9.30 and loam yesterday.

Bystanders in the quiet area said the businessman was attacked as he got into his utility.

"There were three of them, all wearing caps which they pulled low over their faces," a woman resident told the gathered crowd only minutes after the holdup.

"One had a bushknife and did the chopping. He cut him on the left arm ftrst: and then on the other arm. They pulled him out of the car, got inside and speeded away."

Nearby resident John Simon said he came along moments after, to see the wounded man standing but with his body and arms shaking as large amounts of blood poured trom the wounds.

"We got him into th~ back of a utility, tore off some sheets and tied up his arms to try to stop the bleeding," Mr Simon .said. "By the time we reached Vunapope Hospital, I thought he was dead, the way he was lying there."

The victim's wife was inside the store at the time, according totriends ofthe businessman.

"He is longtime here," said a young Chinese man. "He has been here for· more than 10 years."

Police later found the stolen car in bush near a local transport company on the outskirts oftown. The thieves had fled on foot, bystanders said.

It is believed the store owner's condition stabilized during the day.
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Its a bit dour I know but I feel strongly that the media that leaves PNG is tainted and one sided and NEVER shows the true PNG.

And just to lift the mood a little, here is a pretty picture - the pool and view at our new place in Moresby.