Papua new Guinean literature

Papua new Guinean literatureDiversePapua New Guinea has morelanguagesthan any other country, with over 820 indigenous languages, representing 12% of the world's total, but most have fewer than 1,000 speakers.Pre-Written Literature(Oral Literature)Written Literature

Pre-written Literature

Myths And Legends- Many myths deal with two fundamental issues: where people came from and what happens after death. Certain characterssuch as snakes, monsters, and twinscan be found in legends from numerous islands.Myth Of Mans OriginsBelief about man's origins were many and varied. Some myths say he came into the world fully grown either from the sky or from underground or was released from a tree. Other myths say he was created from clay or sand or that he was carved from wood. These mythical beings who acted as creators were not the sole creators, for each clan or sub-clan within the group had its own view. For example, some Kiwaians believed that their "father" was the crocodile and a modern account of the story had been written by Mea Idei from Boze near the Binaturi River. He tells how a being called Ipila carved a human figure out of wood and brought it to life by painting the face with sago milk. First the eyes open, then the nostrils quivered and the "man" made a noise like a crocodile. His name was Nugu but he was not satisfied until Ipila made three more men as companions for him. These men refused to learn the things Ipila wanted to teach them and turned their backs on him. After a while, two of them became tired of only eating sago and started to kill animals for food. Almost at once, they turned into half-crocodiles. Neither the animals nor Nugu and the other man wanted any more to do with them so they tried to make some of their own kind. But they found that they could only make men because Ipala sequently altered their work. From these new men are descended the people who claim the crocodile as their father. Ipala was so angry with his first creation, Nugu, that he condemned him to hold the earth on his shoulders for ever. The narrator concludes that these events explain why his people only know what they know - not why they are alive, nor what is happening beyond their part of the world.In some places these beings descended from the sky. The Ayom people of Papua New Guinea, for example, say that Tumbrenjak climbed down to earth on a rope to hunt and fish. When he tried to return to the sky, he found the rope cut. His wife threw down fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers that became women. The offspring of Tumbrenjak and these women became the ancestors of different cultural groups

In other places, the first beings came from the sea or emerged from underground. Among the Trobriand islanders, the ancestors of eachclanemerged from a particular spot in a grove of trees, or from a piece of coral or a rock. The Keraki of Papua New Guinea believe that the first humans emerged from a tree, while others say that they came from clay or sand, blood, or pieces of woodTheKaluli creation mythis a traditionalcreation storyof theKalulipeople ofPapua New Guinea. In the version as was recorded by anthropologist and ethnographerEdward L. Shieffelinwhose first contact with them took place in the late 1960s. The story begins in a time the Kaluli callhena madaliaki, which translates "when the land came into form." During the time ofhena madaliakipeople covered the earth but there was nothing else: no trees or plants, no animals, and no streams. With nothing to use for food or shelter, the people became cold and hungry. Then one man among them (alternative accounts give two) gathered everyone together and delegated different tasks. He directed one group to become trees and they did. He directed another to becomesago, yet another to be fish, another banana and so forth until the world was brimming with animals, food, streams, mountains and all other natural features. There were only a few people left and they became the ancestors of present day human beings.The Kaluli describe this story as "the time when everythingal bano ane" which means roughly "the time when everything divided". This concept of all world phenomena as a result of a "splitting" has many echos in Kaluli thought and cultural practices. In the Kaluli world view, all of existence is made from people who differentiated into different forms. Animals, plants, streams and people are all the same except in the form they have assumed following this great split. Death is another splitting. The Kaluli have no concept of a transcendent, sacred domain that is spiritual or in any fundamental way distinct from the natural, material world; instead death is another event that divides beings through the acquisition of new forms which are unrecognizable to the living.The Kaluli are an indigenous people whose first contact with contemporary western civilization began in the 1940s. Following extensiveChristian missionary efforts in the region, variants of the traditional creation story have adopted a few Christian elements. Prior to contact, the Kaluli story described creation as a pragmatic solution to problems of cold and hunger, and the efforts were initiated by one or two ordinary and unnamed men rather than any deity or deities. The Kaluli have since tended to identify one or both of them as "Godeyo" (God) and "Yesu" (Jesus Christ).The Birth of the Sea

explain the creation of the sea, an important feature in the lives of island peoples. A myth from Dobu Island in New Guinea says that when the sea was released, all the beautiful women were swept to the Trobriand Islands and the ugly women were carried inland on Dobu. People in southern Vanuatu have a myth in which a woman became angry with her son because he disobeyed her. In her fury she knocked down a wall that surrounded the water of the sea. The water broke free, scattering people and coconuts to other islands.Afterlife

Among the Kiwai of Papua New Guinea, the land of the dead is known as Adiri; in Vanuatu one of its names is Banoi. The god of the dead also has various names; in parts of New Guinea he is called Tumudurere.

In Vanuatu people say that humans have two soulsone goes to an afterlife while the other takes the form of an animal, plant, or object. The route taken by souls to the land of the dead is often well defined. The people of the Fiji Islands believe that this path is dangerous and only the greatest warriors can complete the journey. In other places, the success of the journey depends on whether the proper funeral rites have been carried out.

Souls that go to the afterlife often visit the land of the living as ghosts by taking on human or animal form. Ghosts sometimes help the living, but they can also frighten them and interfere with certain activities. Some places have special types of ghosts, such as beheaded men with wounds that glow in the dark or the ghosts of unborn children.

Some deity and Mythic Heroes and CharactersAbeguwois a goddess ofMelanesian mythology in the area ofMelanesiaandNew Guinea. She resides in the sky, and when she feels the urge to urinate, does so onto the Earth in the form of rain.

Papareis thelunar deity.

Afekis a mythic heroine in the religion of the Min peoples living in theSandaun ProvinceofPapua New Guinea

Humans were believed created in a multiple birth of the cultural heroine Afek, emerging immediately after the first dog. Afek gave the bush to the spirits right before birthing humans so that they would clear out the villages for the humans to dwell in.

Since as such dogs are spirits (and the "older brother" of man),Urapmindo not kill or eat them (unlike some neighboring tribes), nor do they let dogs breathe on their food. (This contrasts with humansthe Urapmin previously had nocannibalismtaboo, but they can share food with them.) In fact, the taboo on eating dogs is one of the few still widely observed

Malara, in themythologyof theOrokolo*, of the south coast ofPapua New Guinea, is the god of the planetVenus. The myths indicates that Malara was looking for wives. He found the Eau and Havoa, the daughters of the sun-godMaelare, and married them.

According to the Kiwai people of New Guinea, the trickster Sido could change his skin like a snake. He was killed by a powerful magician and then wandered the world seducing women and children. After losing his human wife, Sido transformed himself into a gigantic pig. Finally, he split himself open so that the pig's backbone and sides formed the house of death, the place where people go when they die.

Another mythological figure of New Guinea is Dudugera, known as the "leg child" because he sprang from a cut in his mother's leg. The people of his village mocked and bullied Dudugera, who one day told his mother to hide under a rock because he was going to become the sun. Dudugera soared into the sky and shot fire spears, which burned vegetation and killed many living things. To stop Dudugera from destroying everything, his mother threw mud orlime juice at his face, and it turned into clouds that hid the sun.

Written Literature

The emergence ofwritten literature(as distinct fromoral literature) is comparatively recent inPapua New Guinea. It was given its first major stimulus with the setting up ofcreative writingcourses byUlli Beierat theUniversity of Papua New Guinea(established in 1966). Beier also founded aPapua Pocket Poets series, as well as the literary magazineKovave, the first of its kind in the country. Some of Papua New Guinea's first noted writers, includingJohn Kasaipwalova,Kumalau Tawali, Apisai EnosandKama Kerpi, were first published inKovave.In 1968,Albert Maori Kikis autobiographyTen Thousand Years in a Lifetimewas the first major work of Papua New Guinean literature published outside a magazine. In 1970, Vincent Eripublished the first Papua New Guinean novel,The Crocodile.

KovaveKovave is a ceremony to initiate Papua New Guinea boys into adult society. It involves dressing up in a conical hat which has long strands of leaves hanging from the edge, down to below the waist. The nameKovaveis also used to describe the head-dress.

Kovave Mask

There is a problemFRANCIS NIIA-a yes, that afternoonPeople waiting for the only transport, the urban PMV Bus.Small, big, fat, thin, tall, short.Mostly teenage boys and girls.All in uniforms of one kind or another.Blue, green, red, yellowAnd the combination of orange and white,Pen, pencils, rubber, rulers, bags, books held in hands.

Not very long and there it came.A beautiful 25-seat Coaster.Clean comfortable cushion seats.Stylish, dusty bearded man at the wheel.And next to him a man named Tarangu.Of the drivers identity and nature.Maybe from one mama or papa.Who knows.

Tarangu counted everyone so as not to miss a toea.The card-board said Gerehu.And all the uniformed boys and girls rushed in.Ge-e-ed-n-n Ge-e-e-ed roared the engine proudly.

The driver drove literally 60Whistling the typical drivers tune:The Highlands Highway tuneOf the Coffee Buyers.

Driver driver givim 60 way nambiriwaBiriwona Biriwa Biriwona BiriwaDriver driver givim 60 way nambiriwaHa-ha driver driver givim 60 way nambiriwa.

Hey! Stop driver, two red uniformed girls called.Off they got at Waigani, the Roots bingo marketing centreTwenty toea each to TaranguTen toea more pilis, said TaranguMipela students, said the girls.You students? You tupelo meri!You no look to me to belong students.You look to me marit 20 years before.

My meri no school.Stayin in the house. No like olsem you.My meri no putim uniform.Holim book in hand.My meri pay 30 toea for bus repair and fuel.You wastim time for maritAnd karim pikinniYou mas pay me 10 toea more.

Oi, wire lose or lasi?Mipela i no work for money. Mipela students.Sorry Tarangu, you keep insisting for 10 toea.Mipela sing out long police.

Poor Tarangu, poor uniformed peopleThe food price is shooting highGreat sympathy for you.

Long TomLOUJAYA M KOUZAA MorobeanOf stock and breedHe stood at 10 feet tall

And those he metFrom day to dayWere made to feel so small

Long TomThey called himAnd rightly soFor when they lined men all in a rowLong Tom stood outLike so and so

He was a farmer by trade and knewJust where the peanut butter grewAnd every lunchWhen time to munchLong Tom had Peanut Butter Crunch.

His wifeMarie was slim and smallLike Morobeans most arentHer specialityWas Sweet Cup TeaNot Peanut Butter Crunch

So come on homeTo Long Toms farmFor a drink or two and a yarn

The specialtyNo doubt youll seeIs Peanut Butter on Sweet Cupt Tea.

Kiki: Ten Thousand Years in a Lifetimeis the autobiography ofAlbert Maori Kiki, thePapua New Guineapathologist and politician.The book, first published in 1968, describes the author's childhood as a member of a semi-nomadic tribe, with vivid descriptions of rituals and customs. It recounts his first contact with western civilization, his further education, and his political awakening.According to the preface, the book was dictated onto a tape recorder, and was later transcribed and edited byUlli Beier.

Growing up in PapuaOrokoloInitiationEntering the White Man's WorldFijiFighting YearsThe Buka AffairGrowing TensionsPangu PatiElections

The CrocodileFirst published in 1970. Novel, set in Papua in the 1940s. Hoiri Sevese knows he must avenge himself on the sorcerers who have caused his wife to be eaten by a crocodile. He must also come to terms with colonial rule, with himself and with the crocodile.

Published in 1970, The Crocodile was the first novel written by a New Guinean. A simple, fast-paced, and surprisingly affecting story, it is set in PNG in the colonial era during WWII. The book follows the life of young Hoiri as he attempts to navigate the transition to adulthood and understand the new world of the white man

True marriage enabled the two partners to stand upright as properly formed human beings. Through the union, each partner acquired his missing leg. For anyone who had the experience of using two legs, life wasn't worth living if one had to manage on a single one.