Sorcery, Murder,Things Falling Apart and Melanesian Attutudes . A Plea to PNG's Educated.
By JOHN FOWKE
Press reports around the world indicate that "sanguma meris" are being burnt alive in Mount Hagen City. A spectacular departure from the usual method of murder
involving dragging the alleged sanguma behind a vehicle, then arrowing and drowning him/her
after rape and/or torture. This latter method of murder weas the fate of the mother of an old friend of mine near Suave about five years ago. The old lady, a widow and alone in the village of her late husband, was accused of using sanguma powers to kill a young man of the village, the subject of investment by relatives and a rising star in his course at UPNG.
There were no investigations . The matter was ignored by empowered officials despite pleas from my friend,
who was in a position to provide petrol and "lunch allowance" in the manner usually demanded. It was suggested that the old lady's murder had been justified in traditional terms. It was said that the officials themselves felt threatened.
Another horrifying case I remember near Goroka ten years ago was where the unfortunate
person who was judged to be the "sanguma" agency in the death of a woman had his hands and feet chopped off, then his heart was cut out whilst he writhed on the ground. The heart was cut into small pieces which were eaten by every clan-member including children so that they would all posess a part of the
"sanguma"s" evil power and thus be proof against its future malevolence in their midst.
As a minor-courts magistrate in my youth in the Gulf I gaoled many black-magic practicioners of various sorts including those known as mea-mea and vada men. Vada is simply sanguma under another name, a belief that a sorcerer can implant death within a living victim and cause the victim to die at a time and at a place of the sorcerer's choosing.
I myself, already, at a relatively young age, had abandoned superstition including the Anglican faith in which I was brought up and schooled, and I was confident enough of my own faith that superstition is based upon the fear of the unknown and the misunderstood, to challenge the sorcerers of the Purari . I suggested that they might put me to death with their powers.
Of course no sorcerer made it known that he would try. Despite a couple of bad bouts of malaria and the periodic ill-health I suffered from the effect of heavy and lonely consumption of Negrita Rum as my only means of social outlet at the long-abandoned post of Beara, I did not of course succumb, if indeed any efforts to do away with me were made.
The laws against the practice of sorcery still exist. It is not a valid comment to say that "the Government must do something " as it is up to those in control of a very sad and sick police-force and a similarly-ineffectual and corrupt lower-court magistracy, to use the powers they already have without fear or favour. They know this.It may well be valuable to increase the severity of existing penalties, of course, and perhaps this will be done.
This is what I meant when I recently wrote.. " for PNG to show itself to the rest of the world as a self-confident and fair and humane modern society is a far bigger job than most commentators, PNG intellectuals, or the nation's political leaders seem able to contemplate or articulate with any profundity."
The missing factors, olgeta lain ol PNG, are courageous and dedicated, active leadership, and lots of real reform and arse-kicking throughout the public service and the provinces. Hard, honest, fearless men and women are needed. Leaders like the late Sir Anthony Siaguru and Jack Karukaru come to mind. These are needed urgently. Before all the forests are levelled and all the minerals and petroleum resources are gone and receipts frittered away in unplanned and maladministered loan-funded projects.and subsequent repayments.
One has to ask the question - is PNG up to the task, or is it doomed to become little more than an undercover colony for money-hungry foreign entrepreneurs? The time of The Melanesian Way is long over, as we see every day in terms of poor and inappropriate performance ; the almost universal underachievement of its many adherents.
In one way or another, and sooner or later, PNG will modernise. But my fear is that the Papua New Guineans, the majority of them, will become an underprivileged, impoverished underclass in their own country. The New Mastas are already in place even though they are not sanctioned and hailed as leaders.
Today, the MelanesianWay is no more relevant than the land-tenure and class-systems and wealth-distribution existing in Scotland before the Highland Clearences and the creation of the industrial slums of Glagow. Modern-day Scotland has good government, moderate general prosperity,good health and education services. On New Year's Day and other anniversaries all Scotland celebrates "lon pesin blon tumbuna" and the wearing of colourful kilts and the music of the pipes and drums are known throughout
the world.
Lets do the same with PNG, but without the tragedies and impoverishment which was part of the process in Scotland. There is something to aim for, ol lain saveman. What is necessary is idealism and strength in leadership, and full commitment to the common good. Surely this can be evoked? You, ol saveman lain, mai aonega taudia, you all ll have a debt to repay and an obligation to your lain. Wanlain PNG.
Its up to you. I may have about ten years left to enjoy. Please let me die smiling.
John Fowke is a former Patrol Officer and Kiap in the Highlands of PNG.
Press reports around the world indicate that "sanguma meris" are being burnt alive in Mount Hagen City. A spectacular departure from the usual method of murder
involving dragging the alleged sanguma behind a vehicle, then arrowing and drowning him/her
after rape and/or torture. This latter method of murder weas the fate of the mother of an old friend of mine near Suave about five years ago. The old lady, a widow and alone in the village of her late husband, was accused of using sanguma powers to kill a young man of the village, the subject of investment by relatives and a rising star in his course at UPNG.
There were no investigations . The matter was ignored by empowered officials despite pleas from my friend,
who was in a position to provide petrol and "lunch allowance" in the manner usually demanded. It was suggested that the old lady's murder had been justified in traditional terms. It was said that the officials themselves felt threatened.
Another horrifying case I remember near Goroka ten years ago was where the unfortunate
person who was judged to be the "sanguma" agency in the death of a woman had his hands and feet chopped off, then his heart was cut out whilst he writhed on the ground. The heart was cut into small pieces which were eaten by every clan-member including children so that they would all posess a part of the
"sanguma"s" evil power and thus be proof against its future malevolence in their midst.
As a minor-courts magistrate in my youth in the Gulf I gaoled many black-magic practicioners of various sorts including those known as mea-mea and vada men. Vada is simply sanguma under another name, a belief that a sorcerer can implant death within a living victim and cause the victim to die at a time and at a place of the sorcerer's choosing.
I myself, already, at a relatively young age, had abandoned superstition including the Anglican faith in which I was brought up and schooled, and I was confident enough of my own faith that superstition is based upon the fear of the unknown and the misunderstood, to challenge the sorcerers of the Purari . I suggested that they might put me to death with their powers.
Of course no sorcerer made it known that he would try. Despite a couple of bad bouts of malaria and the periodic ill-health I suffered from the effect of heavy and lonely consumption of Negrita Rum as my only means of social outlet at the long-abandoned post of Beara, I did not of course succumb, if indeed any efforts to do away with me were made.
The laws against the practice of sorcery still exist. It is not a valid comment to say that "the Government must do something " as it is up to those in control of a very sad and sick police-force and a similarly-ineffectual and corrupt lower-court magistracy, to use the powers they already have without fear or favour. They know this.It may well be valuable to increase the severity of existing penalties, of course, and perhaps this will be done.
This is what I meant when I recently wrote.. " for PNG to show itself to the rest of the world as a self-confident and fair and humane modern society is a far bigger job than most commentators, PNG intellectuals, or the nation's political leaders seem able to contemplate or articulate with any profundity."
The missing factors, olgeta lain ol PNG, are courageous and dedicated, active leadership, and lots of real reform and arse-kicking throughout the public service and the provinces. Hard, honest, fearless men and women are needed. Leaders like the late Sir Anthony Siaguru and Jack Karukaru come to mind. These are needed urgently. Before all the forests are levelled and all the minerals and petroleum resources are gone and receipts frittered away in unplanned and maladministered loan-funded projects.and subsequent repayments.
One has to ask the question - is PNG up to the task, or is it doomed to become little more than an undercover colony for money-hungry foreign entrepreneurs? The time of The Melanesian Way is long over, as we see every day in terms of poor and inappropriate performance ; the almost universal underachievement of its many adherents.
In one way or another, and sooner or later, PNG will modernise. But my fear is that the Papua New Guineans, the majority of them, will become an underprivileged, impoverished underclass in their own country. The New Mastas are already in place even though they are not sanctioned and hailed as leaders.
Today, the MelanesianWay is no more relevant than the land-tenure and class-systems and wealth-distribution existing in Scotland before the Highland Clearences and the creation of the industrial slums of Glagow. Modern-day Scotland has good government, moderate general prosperity,good health and education services. On New Year's Day and other anniversaries all Scotland celebrates "lon pesin blon tumbuna" and the wearing of colourful kilts and the music of the pipes and drums are known throughout
the world.
Lets do the same with PNG, but without the tragedies and impoverishment which was part of the process in Scotland. There is something to aim for, ol lain saveman. What is necessary is idealism and strength in leadership, and full commitment to the common good. Surely this can be evoked? You, ol saveman lain, mai aonega taudia, you all ll have a debt to repay and an obligation to your lain. Wanlain PNG.
Its up to you. I may have about ten years left to enjoy. Please let me die smiling.
John Fowke is a former Patrol Officer and Kiap in the Highlands of PNG.
