I wanted to live here because every day out here is paradise to me and the nights overlooking the sea towards Port Moresby’s Toguba Hill and vicinity gives me a feeling of renewal and serenity, Mr. Heau Solien.
Mr. Heau Solien, a retired soldier in his early 50s is a
local from Vabukori and he owns part of the beach front on Manubada island
through his mother and father’s side.
After spending 16years in PNG Defense force, he resigned to
live in the village with his three (3) daughters, two (2) boys and his
beautiful wife whom he met at Aiyura National High School days.
Living on an island within the city of Port Moresby sounds
exciting but isolated from electricity and water supply systems of Port Moresby city
is one of the biggest challenge Mr. Solien and his family has to face each day.
His elder son has become a good fisherman and he manages to catch fish each day
for the family while his two daughters works in the city and the other one is
still in school. The family live an isolated life on the island but
self-sustaining.
The Mr. Solien family fetch water from the mainland and
bring to the island on a family owned dinghy for their needs. A 20 minute of commuting between the
mainland and island is costly but the family have no regrets and manages to
live there for nearly two years. Mr. Solien regrets of never saving enough money to develop the area to attract tourist interest but he is always on the island
to accommodate needs for picnic or camping out on the island. The bigger
picture is of potential in tourism is there on the island but Mr. Solien is starting the
tourism business in a small way. It will be a hotspot tourism hub within the city after the installation of the necessary tourism amenities on the
island and change the idea of isolated island to island of tranquility and fun
for those who need a break out of the city.
When asked of why he made the decision to live on the
island; Mr. Solien says, ‘’I wanted to protect my island’s land which some
people think its there without anyone’s ownership. I’m scared of the land
grabbing trend in Port Moresby so I have settled here to protect my land which
I own through my mother and father’s side.’’ I might not have the money to pay
for my children’s school fee but I have the land here that my children will
settle and live here with their families when Im gone. I want to teach them and
show them the importance of living on our own land.
Despite the hurdles in life each day on the island, the
family lives a content life on the island with natural see breezes providing
coolest atmosphere by the local winds known to the Motuans as Laurabada
(South-East) and Lahara (North-West) . The winds sometimes appear bad for the
island which is also same to the coastal Motuan villages but at times it brings
firewood to the shores and fish as well. The Solien family have been surviving the two
winds on the little bay under their makeshifts and adapted to the island life
despite either wind being test to their lives.
Manubada Island is a rocky island and located few miles away
from Ela Beach or Vabukori with a little impressive bay which has a white sandy
shoreline frequent by Port Moresby local residents on weekends for a day’s
picnic.
I was invited to attend a colleague’s son’s birthday and had
a chance to met with Mr. Solien who is calm and never speaks a lot but always
have something funny to share. Whilst looking around, the island exists within
the fringes of Port Moresby but most of the people do not know how to get there
and who to inquire before going there. The Yacht Club, individuals and other
business houses in Port Moresby which owns boats do go there on their boats and
anchors near the shore to use the beach but that has damaged the coral and the
reefs which is the biggest concern for Mr. Solien and he wanted to have a jetty
installed on the island before boats can be allowed to the island.
Anyone interested to visit Manubada Island or to help Mr.
Solien to install tourism amenities on the island then call Mr. Solien on Phone
76762250;
Pictures;
1.(L-R) Mrs. Solien and Mr. Solien and Nathan Lati on
Manubada Island Beachfront
2. Children on Manunada Island Beachfront
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