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.