A Christmas Eve in the Far South Seas

 

Listen to the story here

 

Iin the islands, by some unspoken agreement, we never talked about Christmases or birthdays. As my best friend Noel once confided, "Talking about them makes them more real", and so we never celebrated them either. It was our way of coping with loneliness and being far away from home. Not so in this story by Louis Becke, "A Christmas Eve in the Far South Seas":

"Donald MacBride and myself were the only Britishers living on one of the North Pacific Island lagoons when Christmas of 1880 drew near, and we determined to celebrate in a manner that would fill our German and American trading rivals throughout the group with envy. MacBride was a bony, red-headed Scotchman, with a large heart and a small, jealous, half-caste wife. The latter acquisition ruled him with a rod of iron, much to his financial and moral benefit, but nevertheless agreed with me that we - Donald, she and myself - ought to show the Americans and the 'Dutchmen' how an English Christmas should be celebrated. But as Sera was a half-caste native of the Pelews, and had never been to a civilised country, she also concurred with me that Donald and myself should run the show, which, although I was not a married man, was to take place in my house on account of the greater space available. Donald, she said, wanted to have a 'hakkise'; so we bought a nanny-goat from Ludwig Wolfen, the German trader at Molok, and one evening - the 23rd of December - I helped Sera to drive and drag the unsuspecting creature home to her husband's place to the slaughter. (I may as well say at once that MacBride's nanny-goat haggis was a hideous failure, and my boat's crew, to whom it was handed over, with many strong expressions about MacBride's beastly provincial taste, said that it smelt good, like shark's liver, but was not at all so juicy.)    Continue reading here ...

Louis Becke ends his story thus, "... we raised our glasses and drank to the memory of those who had gone before". I shall do likewise, raising my glass of Pino More to dear and absent friends who, however briefly and whether still alive or not, shared those lazy island days with me: [in no particular order] Noel Butler, Des Hudson, Roy Goldsworthy, Peter Logan, Graham Ward, Ian Paterson, Frank Joslin, Chris Jeffries, Dave Richardson, Hubert Hofer, Brian Herde, Neil "Jacko" Jackson, Bob Green, "Bulldog" Malcolm Baker, Urs Christen, Merv Nightingale, Ian Paterson, Colin Cowell, Werner Seifert, Volker Leidner, Urs Christen, Bill Brown, Brian Darcey ... and the list goes on

We've made it home safely, so it's safe to wish us all a Merry Christmas!

 

 

We were all citizens of the world

 

 

Why is it that whenever I hear Rick declare his nationality as "I'm a drunkard", I immediately think back to my character-forming years spent on the Bougainville Copper Project?

Of the thousands of men that worked there, and the scores I knew, there was only one who did not drink - alcohol, that is! - but then he didn't do much of anything else either. As for the rest of us, we were all citizens of the world and drinking responsibly meant not to spill it.

I've always thought that all of us should have been commended for our services to the Australian brewing industry, and I can think of at least one who should have lived out his days as Sir Osis of the Liver. I won't mention his real name as a show of respect for the dead which he must be by now as no liver could have taken all that punishment for long.

All that was almost fifty years ago, and while I still enjoy the occasional glass (or two) of wine, my liver has never ceased to be surprised by the sudden stream of lemon-and-ginger tea it's been metabolising ever since I settled down. Speaking of which, remember the rumours about the stuff they put in our tea in the camp to keep our mind of it ...?

Well, fifty years later, I think mine is showing signs of beginning to work!

 

Bougainville Before the Conflict

 

A very interesting read - click here.

 

Sean Dorney's book "Papua New Guinea: People, Politics and History Since 1975"

 

Sean Dorney has been reporting on the Pacific (with a particular focus on Papua New Guinea) for over four decades. His book "Papua New Guinea: People, Politics and History Since 1975" deprives Australians of their best excuse for not knowing about what goes on in Papua New Guinea.

 

 

It begins with an overview of the country's history until Independence in 1975, and then traces the major themes that have resonated through its first twenty-five years as a nation: corruption, rich resources, political volatility and uncertainty, lawlessness, a troubled border with Indonesia, and - of most interest to me - the war on Bougainville, which led to the extraordinary engagement of the Sandline mercenaries.

 

Four Corners program "Preying on Paradise"

 

Not long after the ABC made Sean Dorney redundant in 2014, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. It has severely limited his ability to type. Whereas once he was a ten-fingered typist, he is now down to two fingers, and even that is laboured. However, his legacy, "Papua New Guinea: People, Politics and History Since 1975", will live on - and so does he, aged 72, in Townsville.

 

Rex Brooks emailed from Townsville:

 

Hello Peter,

I was randomly browsing and came across your blog. I was amused by the photo of you in the article "The die was cast", as it could have been a photo of me from that era, similar age and build, identical glasses and same dress sense. It brought back memories of a time of my life I won't forget.

I was recruited in Cairns by Ken Phillips for a job with CRA Exploration. We arrived in Kieta in April 1964 and commenced geochemical sampling around Kupei mine. The team consisted of Ken, myself (field assistant), Ian Wilkie (field assistant), Edgar Mucenikas (geochemist) and Neville Robinson (Mines Dept. liaison).

We moved across to the western side of the range and set up a base camp in Panguna valley, see above photo. This spot is where the BCL Admin, warehouse and workshop later stood around 1970.

I did many and varied jobs and managed to see many areas in PNG, all the while being paid for the experience. I gradually drifted into Supply and worked with Ken Nelson for several years. After three years I thought I was missing out on "life" in Australia and left, but within 6 months I was back, with a new bride, and stayed until 1970.

Rex Brooks with second child in 1970

Anne and John Barnham were our next-door neighbours at Panguna. My first daughter was born in this period and I can remember my wife being swamped at the markets by the meris wanting to touch the baby's fine white hair.

I followed Ken Phillips to Ok Tedi with Kennecott Exploration but two years later, now with three daughters, I settled at Greenvale Nickel Mine for 20 years!

The day Greenvale mine closed I was on a flight back to PNG for 10 years of FIFO at Porgera.

My last job in PNG was with Morobe Mining at Hidden Valley in 2012. I am now retired on a small property outside Townsville and have become adept at doing absolutely nothing.

In the time I spent in PNG I often came into contact with many ex-Bougainvilleans. Without exception they all portrayed the "bug" that seems to get into your blood after a stint up there. Bougainville was home and you went to Australia on leave.

I am gradually reading through all the old posts but sadly age seems to be cutting down the ranks.

All the best to you, Peter, for keeping the memories alive.

Regards
Rex Brooks
Email: sandrex@activ8.net.au
Mobile : 0406398743

 

 

Papua New Guinea: Initiation and Independence

 

To continue reading, click here.

 

A Message from Rene Pogel, BCL's Employee Relations Manager:

AFTER years of reporting "there has been no production since 15th May 1989", things may appear to be improving for Bougainville Copper following the election of a new autonomous government last year and recent meetings with the PNG Government discussing the possible resurrection of the massive Panguna copper-gold mine. If you are interested in re-applying for your former position with BCL, please email me now. But hurry as there is STIFF competition for the jobs!!!