If I have to recall any childhood memories then it takes me back to my days in Pimaga Station in Lake Kutubu.
I have my two best buddies, we call ourselves Wames now but they are Wamenes by blood grew up eating Kui in the land of Pimaga Station. Most of our teams have left Pimaga to pursue opportunities or because of work and other commitments in their lives but Kensa and Heysala still lives where they used to be.
I could remember everything we did as a child growing up in Pimaga Station. It was a surprise visit to where we grew up as kids after two decades. I went there for some work with WWF on their project and our base for the week happens to be the place that I grew up.
As a child growing up in Pimaga, we could never end a day without visiting Wara Sura. If we could not catch up near the DPI station or at the end of the airstrip for a swim then the next stop would definitely be Bumsusu for play Peggy Touch over the water. We could tease each others ability to swim and play same time. So to avoid going home with a "meriman" nametag we could play a fair game over it and that was our highlight each time we visit Wara Sura
Among us the SBD boys were big guns like Sibi Kai who is a boss and a leader in his own right, Vincent Vege still living in Pimaga, Willie Sese lives in POM with dad and his families, Philipmon Sese is still in Pimaga and others.
On the other hand, Damaiyu Village boys like Disibu Waiya still hanging around in Iputapa village, Maraiyu Sawage lives in Goroka now and facilitates negotiations for Kandobo landowners, Manasa Bogo is now a Pastor with ELCPNG in Morota Church, Port Moresby were our good mates to team up.
During our childhood adventures, we all could hang around because we from the eastern end of Tanuga Primary School and follows the one main road to and from school. Whilst on the western side boys from Borotage areas I could remember are Kuiboi, Kolex a local businessman now and Awamena or Albert who was the tallest boy in our class and now a contractor to Digicel PNG in Kutubu area.
From 1994-1997 we had best of our memories recorded with Tanuga Primary School and appreciate the mentors and teachers like Mrs. Jonathan Tai, Mr. Fasinambo retired and lives in Daga Village now. Mr. Esamabo of Yobob Island also retired and lives on the island. Not forgetting the headmaster; Mr. Guguambo for the leadership, he has also retired and lives in Orokana station and works for ELCPNG now. I owe it to these special people whom one way or the other played a part in my educational journey from Tanuga Primary School and on.
Few of the female schoolmates from Pimaga Station those times have excelled in life and working elsewhere in the country or became public servants like my sister Roslyn Minape is teaching again in Tanuga. Lyn Nick is a Policewoman now in Pimaga while Linda Gumong is teaching at Mubi Primary School near Mubi river.
I still remember others like; Hersely Haro who is a Secondary School teacher now, Rose Ware was married to one of my countryman from Enga, Shahabo Tebia is working with Oilseach Moro, Tracy Itonu whose parents where DPI officers in Pimaga and from Samarai but is out of reach at the moment and details are sketchy. Gracelyn Tai lives somewhere in Port Moresby and working with a government department.
Whilst visiting some of those childhood dwelling places in Pimaga weren't the same used to be before, it brought tears into my eyes. One of those special places for us was the Pimiga Council Chamber where I used to live with my family. There used to be a small mango tree on a well looked after lawn. That is the place where I used to learn how to balance myself on bicycles lend to me by Heysla and Kensa.
I will never forget Heysala as he was a specials person in our group and was our DJ master. He could easily sneak into the classroom with him a mini radio/ cassette player (those times without boombox). We could take turns to rewind or forward the tape with sticks and pens to select the best song during lunch break or while walking home from school in the afternoon.
Heysala could even bring his big stereo to school when there is a school term holiday closing picnic in the school. We could try all our best ways to utilize the used batteries to backup the power supply so that we keep the party momentum going with music. Living up to his hobby, now he owns a DJ set in his house and is the best place for station boys and friends to hangout having few restricted beers anytime - provide your own fuel for his genset and you have the DJ with best music.
I remembered that; we were best mates within our class and respect for each other meant so much for us. None of us could even try a nib or bottle of beer those times, even we had money, music and freedom on term holiday party at our disposal, we never tried beer in our lives. I tasted my first beer after university in 2010 and I do not know when they tasted their first beer.
Looking back to these days, there's always a primary school drunkard during the school term holiday closing parties or loud music everywhere from their many boombox when group of classmates walking home or to school. Chewing buai and smoking cigarettes are norm these days for primary school students but for us, it was totally different and when I look back, it was the sense of respect that played a major role in our lives as primary school students those days. We have had respect for our teachers with fear and classmates were our best secret keepers in anything at all. We do real boys staff and not men's stuff (looking for drugs or home brew.
Back in Pimaga station and nearby villages like Daga and Iputapa , most people I knew have grown old and some could not remember me well but when Heysala and Kensa took me over to Daga village for a community gathering and when we sipped in our cash contribution for a community obligation; there came the introduction of wonder boy Nathan David Minape, he is our son, who grew up here and attended Tanuga Primary School with us and lived here in the village with us most of his times.
Now everyone could remembered me as a small skinny whiteman that hangs around at Bumsusu and at the end of the airstrip on weekends with my late mum fishing.
It would have been more fun and interesting only if more of my classmates from Tanuga Primary were around so we could track and trace those I'm missing out on this script.
If Kensa Lavare and Hesala Lavare cannot remembered all of our classmates then I will be interested to trace the student roll book of our days at Tanuga Primary Schools and produce an interesting piece out of the different pathways we took after Tanuga Primary School.
Pics: (L-R ) Kensa Lavare , Nathan David Minape & Hey Lavare at Daga 1 Village
