PNG Traditional Herbal Medicine - undiscovered mystery

Among the thousands different tribes, cultures and traditions in PNG do exists the mysterious ways of curing illness and diseases by using plants from the natural habitats with generational skills and knowledge.

In PNG, we often get ourselves confused between herbal medicines with witchcraft. They are two separately different topics and witchcraft seems to connect with superstition for better or worse, depends on the user and purposes of its existence. On the other hand, the traditional herbal medicine practice is a set of skill and knowledge passed on from generation to generation to cure diseases and illness.

Leaving out the controversial issues associated with witchcraft, let me discuss the significances of how much I understand the traditional herbal medicines. I'm not a practitioner of the traditional herbal medicine but my grandmother does as well as others I've been with and saw them doing it.

In reality, the lives of the PNG indigenous people are connected to the natural environment one way or the other. Hence, anyone from the family, tribesmen or friends knows one or two plants in their natural habitats that have medicinal values and its uses. One might have lo learnt the skills to prepared and knowledge to apply on specific illness or diseases.

The methods involved in preparation of the traditional herb could be a special generational tradition. It could involve some sort of traditional spells or without it depends on the traditional herbal medicine practitioner, the value and purpose of the medicinal plant and illness types.

Some people in PNG still value to use the traditional herbal medicines to avoid development of modern medicine resisting illness in their body and side effects that could have or they shifted to traditional herbals medicines after developing serious resistant side effects in their body with medical drugs.

Somewhere in PNG, a traditional herbal doctor can help a snake venom victim to live again, mend and heal a fractured bone or joint, heal a terminal illness like cancer, asthma, leprosy, tropical ulcers, TB and others.

It is believed that, those illnesses that ever existed with our ancestors have a traditional herbal cure but we prefer modern medications and treatments for various reasons.

Undeniably, our ancestors have lived through the sicknesses like diarrhea, pneumonia, headaches, joint pains, fever, etc. with the use and application of traditional herbal medicines. There is no good reason to run into pharmacy and hospital all the time with these common sicknesses in PNG. We need the help of our traditional herbal doctors to manage such sicknesses easily.

Sadly, we are loosing the skills and knowledge of the traditional herbal medicine practices because of our own ignorance or we the PNG people want the easiest turn around in life with modern medicines and treatments.  The modern medicines and treatment are modern lifestyle convenience but cost is another considerable factor in the situation with costly side effects in some cases. Hence, the substitute or alternate option is to seek the help of the traditional herbal doctors on the common diseases or illness and those that are manageable by traditional herbal doctors.

There could be conflicting ideas from Christians on the application and use of traditional herbal medicines but all we need is healing and recovery from the illness or diseases just like after receiving treatment from the modern hospital with their medicines.

As mentioned earlier, some of the traditional herbal medicines might accompany special spells and customary observation rules during and after treatments - its no different to hospital treatment requirements and restrictions on the treatment.

Seen the Chinese, Indians and other Asian countries practicing traditional herbal medicines and its a thousands of decade old tradition which we PNG too can do it. The Asian traditional herbal doctors works closely with modern practitioners in medicines and medical doctors. They have traditional herbal pharmacy as well and treatment room for patients. (I might have seen one of those in Taiwans old city in 2018 during a stint with TICA).

In PNG its sad to see or hear of someone dying from curable illness and diseases. Only if our legislators can make some reforms that gives opportunity to traditional herbal doctors to work with modern practicing doctors and pharmacist would make some biggest difference in PNG societies where hospitals are unreachable in a day.

We never know but let's believe in our trade mark expression - Expect the unexpected. A traditional herbal doctor might have the secrets of curing cancer but tucked away somewhere in the inland and remotest parts of PNG or on an isolated island in PNG with his or her traditional knowledge and skills on the herbal medicines to cure cancer. 

How can we bring such person out of reach to ease the costly thermal therapy and other associated cancer treatment costs ?

Through the government reforms and legislation, it will present an opportunity for someone in the areas such as inland Rigo, remote islands off Samarai and hinterlands of Netyam Yalaim to commercialize his/her Traditional Herbal Medicine skills or knowledge to save a life when modern hospitals are beyond their reach.

One of them from the remotest parts of PNG can be brought into save a life of a patient in a hospital which modern treatment and medicines cannot help recover. This will be amazing and wonderful to acknowledge and appreciate but how to make it happen is far from reality with legislation and other aspects of laws surrounding health and medicine needs to accommodate the traditional medicine practice.  

We need to sustain our ways of doing things that are suited to living our lives the PNG way. Most of our traditions are unique and have values that will be lost if not practiced by emphasizing its importance like the traditional herbal medicines practicing skills and knowledge.

If PNG has more than 800 different cultures and traditions that fascinates the visitors and citizens too, then among them are our traditional herbal medicines that can do unbelievable wonders if we can legislate to protect and value them.

It does not require intensive lab tests and research skills to discover a traditional herbal medicines. It is our value, our tradition and our way of life that have sustained and protected the lives of our ancestors for ages.

In conclusions, if a legislated reform permits  herbal doctors to practice traditional herbal medicines, one might surely have the secrets to healing Covid19 and other diseases like HIV AIDS too.

raonraonpng
change4better

A turmeric plant which has many medicinal uses.
Source. Internet 

PNG's founding Chief's unsettled chiefly farewell and tribute amassing.

 

A hero is someone who has given his life to something bigger oneself. _Joseph Campbell_

I was born after 1975 but growing up hearing stories of my dad and older people, the Late Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare (GC SMTS) was one profound leader who led with pure gold coated heart to unite a country that would have been into fragments if it was late 80s or 90s if we did vied for independence.

This native PNG bloke with teaching interests, a radio personality turned politician was a brilliant tactician behind PNG's Independence. 

He presented precisely to the people at the rallies to inform people of self governance and independence. As a former radio announcer, he did tremendously well on the airwaves to bring awareness to the wider PNG audience. 

He was loved, admired and followed by many PNG people those times because of his ability to lead the nation into independence was a dream bigger than himself.

The radio announcements and rally presentations in major townships were never enough for GCSMTS, he flew to the provinces and walked miles, rode the rough seas on the boats or hiked to the mountainous districts in the Highlands.

His Highlands tours includes remote Baiyer in WHP and Laiagam in Enga including parts of Simbu. My dad met up with him when he was a translator for Kiaps in Laiagam and told me of this Wanwara Sepik dude. He was open, transparent and charismatic in all his approaches, a rare Sepik personality. He always reference him with Late Malipu Balakau whom my dad had close relations back those days. 

88They were blokes who could lead as true leaders because they grew up in Hausman and Chieftaincy genes were naturally instilled whilst  the Western leadership traits (Westminster) were learnt and blended well for a PNG's own style of leadership to take the country forward.

A unique kind of leadership that can negotiate for power between our European colonizers and more than 800 different tribal leaders of PNG. A daunting task without the support of modern luxury and convenience. Late GCSMTS took the bull by its horn to win a battle with personal sacrifice and the ultimatum goal was won on 16th September, 1975.  

So looking back to the historical data, GCSMTS visited the Highlands (including Laiagam) in June 1972. Then on, I do not know when again the now Late Grand Chief set foot in Enga or Laiagam. I grew up hearing stories from my dad about him, his province during his Kiap patrol duties to Strickland River and Sepik boarder areas.

I began reading his profile when I was in Grade Six through a Oil Search Magazine and I was his great follower. At times, I paused to understand how he was born and his parents took care of him during the WWII days. If there's anyone that GCSMTS does shares his childhood growing up experiences and memories, my curiosity will settle at ease because he is no longer around to tell me and others himself of his childhood days.

A village kid has had the destiny and dream set straight on his mind that no-one knew but the Man above knew and planned that he would be one day significant leader of the nation of many tribes and his people shall happily called him Grand Chief (Papa bilong PNG), yes I'm one of his fortunately an independence child.

As his fan and follower, I've never lost focus on him with his active leadership as MP and Prime Minister of PNG or after he retired from politics in 2016. I do not know how it felt like to quit on a fatherly role over his sons and daughters of PNG. I'm for sure, he made a very difficult decisions ever in his life which could be another lesson for us to learn and follow.

An agony that has been never settled in my life is the time when some young immature leaders have shown no respect for him and took the PM portfolio by force in 2011 when he was on the sick bed in Singapore. A total disgrace with no show of respect and empathy over the situation a father of PNG was in - how can such be forgive?

That was never enough, they called him stranger in the Parliament when he attended Parliament sessions after the illness.
For GCSMTS, he forgives and forgets, that's his unique and gold coated leadership trait. However, for me as a follower of Late GCSMTS, I've never forgiven those people yet.

For now, I'm seeing and reading various tributes and sentiments expressed by PNG sons and daughters towards our late GCSMTS as well as from fellow foreign colleagues, friends and diplomats during this time of grief and sorrow but there's nothing satisfying yet for nearly 80% of the PNG population to agree or disagree about his burial site at Kreer Heights in Wewak.

The late GCSMTS prepared himself to rest at Kreer Heights in Wewak some 5years back which most people of PNG did not know and the MPs of Parliament knew but seems like an intentional oversight by the MPs.

The late GCSMTS planned for himself to be buried out of Independence Hill and at Kreer Heights in Wewak which none of the MPs talked about it earlier or debated in the floor of the parliament when he was alive because this is of national importance too.

Now, it's too late for the MPs or other concerned parties to talk about the change in burial site because a Will is before his coffin.
Any debate now will not have effect on the change of the burial site, hence the Will needs to be honored now.

If I were one learned MP then I would have planned and invited late GCSMTS (when he was alive) to my district or province to give him a fitting farewell when he retired from politics. Kudos to Hon. Pila Ninigi, the MP for Imbongu who knew what he was doing by inviting the Late GCSMTS to Imbongu on September 2019 for celebrating the District Cultural Show. 

The Imbongu people hosted late GCSMTS and bided a fitting farewell and now they should be proud of what they did for the Grand Chief.

Credit also to Hon. Sir Julias Chan for hosting the Late GCSMTS for the 45th Independence Celebrations in New Ireland Province.
I'm sure the late GCSMTS honors you and Hon.Pila Ninigi's efforts to host him as a special guests during those events in your provinces.

I only wish if my Governor of Enga or Lagaip/Pogera MP did something similar to what Imbongu MP or Governor Sir. Julias Chan did for late GCSMTS so he could touch and feel the 20th century Enga and Laiagam when he was around to reminisce the 1973 memories.

Now, the request for flying late GCSMTS dead body over to 22 provinces seems higher wish for people of PNG but this won't make any significant impact for our wish to see him alive and well. We all missed his lively presence to smile and hand wave us once and for a lifetime farewell - not over his coffin.

My only hurtful feeling combined into my sorrow and grief over GCSMTS is that, why didn't he scheduled with those MPs and revisited the highlands places of 1973 he visited as a young Sepik fellow - I know, its too late now.

Rest in Eternity GCSMTS, Enga's Laiagam bai still stap Wanwara bilong Sepik olgeta taim.