I spent the day wandering around a nearby rainforest... I spent the whole time with one of my dearest and closest Papuan friend whilst he continually told me to be quiet, to stop and look, to step away from and to make sure my centre of balance was alright....
We walked through some treacherous mud, and up and down some disgustingly steep inclines that some of us were spending more time sliding on our backsides than going forward to the top of the hill. We started to liken ourselves to the Australian Soldiers whom trekked from Moresby to Kokoda during the second World War. My friend soon became a "fuzzy wuzzy angel" in our eyes as he helped my stricken companions up each muddy climb...
But all along the way he would stop and say "Yumas lok wantaim antap long diwai, em i narapela Orchid bilong Dendrobium" to which I would look up at the tree he was pointed at, and see the grape-like cluster of ruby red orchids, each one no larger than half the size of the fingernail on my smallest finger.
On other occasions he would stop and make me listen to the call of the Bird of Paradise, but unfortunately, they were too alusive for us to see. We heard the calls of the Greater Bird of Paradise and the Sicklebill. He would tell me that the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo was making such a noise, because a Pig or a Wallaby was coming our way. We should prepare to kill it and perhaps cook it for lunch...
My friend's quietest moment came when we stood at 900metres ASL and looked out over the lowlands in front of us. I asked him "Mi laik save wonem yu tingting?" and he told me that he could see his home, the place were his wife was, where his children were, where they lived whilst he lived and worked in Moresby.
I have been to his village and met his last born son whom was sick at the time. I spent time with the kids at the school and saw their joy and amazement of being with a white guy. I saw the bridge that the Australians built which was destroyed in the last flood and I struggle to help...
What a tough and beautiful place to be.
We walked through some treacherous mud, and up and down some disgustingly steep inclines that some of us were spending more time sliding on our backsides than going forward to the top of the hill. We started to liken ourselves to the Australian Soldiers whom trekked from Moresby to Kokoda during the second World War. My friend soon became a "fuzzy wuzzy angel" in our eyes as he helped my stricken companions up each muddy climb...
But all along the way he would stop and say "Yumas lok wantaim antap long diwai, em i narapela Orchid bilong Dendrobium" to which I would look up at the tree he was pointed at, and see the grape-like cluster of ruby red orchids, each one no larger than half the size of the fingernail on my smallest finger.
On other occasions he would stop and make me listen to the call of the Bird of Paradise, but unfortunately, they were too alusive for us to see. We heard the calls of the Greater Bird of Paradise and the Sicklebill. He would tell me that the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo was making such a noise, because a Pig or a Wallaby was coming our way. We should prepare to kill it and perhaps cook it for lunch...
My friend's quietest moment came when we stood at 900metres ASL and looked out over the lowlands in front of us. I asked him "Mi laik save wonem yu tingting?" and he told me that he could see his home, the place were his wife was, where his children were, where they lived whilst he lived and worked in Moresby.
I have been to his village and met his last born son whom was sick at the time. I spent time with the kids at the school and saw their joy and amazement of being with a white guy. I saw the bridge that the Australians built which was destroyed in the last flood and I struggle to help...
What a tough and beautiful place to be.
4 comments:
A really good read, Steve, you make it live.I can feel the atmosphere almost. Lovely words, keep it going please.
:D
O40
Thanks O40.
I will update when things come to mind.
Cheers,
sb.
I'm just reading your blog for the first time and have decided to start from the beginning and you describe things beautifully... I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog..
Thank you PNG creature, I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoyed living them, and later writing about them :)
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