WE were granted political – not economic – independence, by Australia, on this day, 16 September 1975.
Over 30% or more of you reading this … weren't born yet. I am alive, you're alive, we're alive … and living in a Pacific paradise called Papua New Guinea …
Largely coz we were given nationhood on a silver platter … WITHOUT shedding a pint of blood. For that we gotta give the Aussies a 41-gun salute.
And since then … we've come a long, long way, in a short period of time!
We kinda leapfrogged from stone-age into the cyber and space age … in under 100 years max.
We may not have it all … but we, as a nation, are far better off than many other countries – both developed and developing – around the world.
There's a lot of good going on for PNG … which we often take for granted, fail to appreciate or simply overlook.
We're a nation of thousands of tribes … but mipla still tight as 'Wan Pipol, Wan Solwara, Wan Kantri.'
Elsewhere in the world … there are endless wars, bloodshed, terrorism, mass migration … but mipla still tight as Wan Pipol; in spite of our intense diversity.
Elsewhere in the world … there is mass starvation, hunger, famine, and millions on lifesupport (food stamps and food aid) ... but mipla still tight as Wan Solwara; coz we're blessed with fertile soils, raging crystal clear rivers, deep blue oceans, endless sandy beaches, rolling green valleys and high mountains, and plenty of sunshine …
And most important of all …
We have each other's backs! Our traditional (wantok) system of looking after our kin, our neighbor, our tribesperson has worked wonders and, stood the test of time, in the main.
Elsewhere in the world … countries are ravaged by religious wars, resource wars, and territorial wars … but mipla still tight as Wan Kantri; coz we're blessed with 'having ownership & rights to mama graun – our Lands."
Our lands define us, mould us, feed us, bury us. Without land, a PNGean is soul-less.
So let us count our many blessings as sons and daughters of Papua New Guinea.
And on this day, 16 September, we WILL 4get our political allegiances, and be colour blind to our ethnic, provincial and regional differences …
We will come, as free people, under one God of the Bible … and do everything PNGean;
Paitim kundu, paintim face, bilas, putim kumul gras, singsing, danis, kukim nus, karim lek, waipa waipa, mumu kaikai, kaikai buai, pulim kanu, paitim gita, Hi5 everyone … and have family fun.
While the Red-Gold-Black Kumul flag flutters high … as it did, on this day, 41 years ago!
Happy Birthday Papua New Guinea.
From United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
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| Amos T. Wama |
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