- Nature has respect for Grand Chief Sir. Michael Thomas Somare more than the people of PNG -

If ever in life, someone has dedicated his/her entire life to be with the people as a leader, there he/she will die restless for the love and affection he instilled with the people. Grand Chief Sir. Michael Thomas Somare, you have connected the lives of PNG into your heart. 

While it was time to bid farewell to the founding father for the nation of Papua New Guinea, the nature has led the day with the farewell. The precedence rainy and cloudy weather in Port Moresby have taken the toll to farewell you (Grand Chief) before the program from your loving and devoted citizens of this nation.


Our respect and gratitude was persistent for the set day, we waited for the nature to end its part of the program to farewell you but never gave us a way off to showcase what we have prepared for the day you bow down to politics. Our hearts sank too low and emotions were running all over as if it was your last day with us in PNG.

You were the native boy, yet with sheer determination, passion and love of this beautiful nation, you have taken the bold stand with courage to make the critical decision for PNG on the 16th of September, 1975.


We have observed the very day for 41 years with you and you still able to leading us on. You have sacrificed your family time and your personal life to ensure that your dreams from the first day of 16th September, 1975 were into reality.

Now you will be retiring from politics of this nation to be with your family and loved ones but the love that every citizens of this nation have  for you is endless as you'll be deeply remembered in our hearts each day or when 16th September clock ticks. As time goes on, we will be devoted to you with admiration and respect until you are called home and legacy will be living with us forever.


This time we bidding farewell to you but we know you will be living among us. You have connected each and everyone to your life and that will ever make you restless when you retire to be with your families. The devoted followers of you  will still keep you a good company and make you restless for it has always been your normal life and we do not want to miss you too soon.

Farewell and have a good rest Grand Chief Sir. Michael Thomas Somare.


Photo: PNGTPA Staff at the rooftop of Pacific MMI Building with their farewell banner.

The Survival of the Engan Traditional Dance – An Analysis of the Mali

By: Nathan LATI
BTHM, DWU 
_________________________________
ABSTRACT
The traditional Enga dance (Mali) is one of the traditional rituals that is gradually dying away at present due to non recognition of its significance from both modern and traditional context and there is a shifting phenomenon in cultures and languages. Previously, the traditional Enga dance (Mali) was hosted for reasons that cannot match today’s purposes. 

Furthermore, the importance of Mali from both modern and traditional perspective is not understood by majority of the Engans at present due to the current trend existing between  modernity and cultures, traditions or customs. Currently, Mali is one of the major tourist attractions in Enga getting popular with the annual Enga Cultural Show with its bandwagon ‘Sili Muli’, an all women dance (Mali) group. However, there are certain shifting cultural factors that have influenced the Engans to overlook the significance of the Mali and the authenticity of the associated cultures, traditions and customs or such of the Mali does no longer exist. The interest and eagerness to participate and learn has been minimal among the youths and the Mali is losing its purpose and authenticity. The shifting in the cultures and languages seems to have highest impact in the lives of the younger Engan generations and the focus in cultures traditions and customs get minimal attention. 

As a unique culture and tradition the Mali needs to be maintained and preserved at these times through promotion by engaging tourism and creating awareness in the best possible ways to sustain and create interest among youths to rejuvenate and protect Mali from losing its values. Enga Province has minimal economic activity and with the support of the Provincial Government with fundings in awareness, cultural promotion and preservation through tourism activities. There are possibilities of encouraging younger generations to learn how to preserve and sustain the Mali
Dance and help understand and values of the cultural and traditional aspects of Engan life. Thus significance of the traditional dance is distinguished from the modern and contemporary dance to ensure the discussions and findings of the research to propose certain mechanisms to help maintain and sustain Mali from dying away silently through modern influence.

Overview
It is interesting to see that through the influence of the one language spoken throughout the province, the cultures and customs practiced in the traditional societies are same throughout also in Enga Province unlike other provinces in the country. However, through church, education, employment and rural to urban migration have much influence on the Engan Mali and its unique cultures, customs and traditions. Hence, among the cultures, traditions and customs, Mali is one of the significant part of the Engan tradition and culture which is silently dying away. 

Though there are some Mali dance performances in the events with contemporary costumes, the authenticity and pride on the Mali dance seems to have lost its value. Out of the Mali analysis thesame detrimental factors are identified to have greater impact on the traditions and cultures of Enga and there is no exception to other cultures and traditions of PNG amid the 800 plus language groups that are dying away in the similar manner. Traditional dance or Mali is seen as a cultural event but its purpose and significances to host this event varies. This view is sported by Akii Tumu’s views on his book titled ‘View of The Enga Culture’ which stated that, in the past most singsings (Mali) took place to gather people to discuss upcoming
feasts or exchanges, but today they are held primarily to raise money for the public facilities, to celebrate holidays or other important events (Akii Tumu et al, 1989:47). That means Mali is losing its cultural values and significance but into commercialization with contemporary costumes which simply means imitating the authentic Mali Dance but of no substance of pride and cultural values into the Mali.

Background and Context
PNG Cultures and its Shifting Cultures and Languages 
Today in most PNG Societies seems to have the oral tradition as a historical source but the reality of the full traditional ways of life are dying away silently as we all shifting our focus to modernity and developments in the country. The concept of imparting skills and knowledge, learning and imitating of traditions and customs from the great ancestors of the tribes or clans seems not to exist these days. The children are living far away from their villages, parents and families for education or work and unable to participate in few of the cultural activities that happen in the village to learn and understand. The language seems to be one main barrier to learn as most of the people now seem to communicate with English, Pidgn and Motu. 

The chances to teach the traditional cultures and customs to the younger generation seem to be narrow leaving a gap for most of the traditions and cultures which can be helped revived and sustained. In Enga, the way of doing things which were passed down the generations to generations are at risk of bridging and living through these days when everyone’s focus is into modernity (Wiessner & Tumu, 1998:27). Thus the Enga traditional dance followed the same pattern of sharing, teaching and imparting knowledge to save and preserve the historical and traditions values, genealogies of historical narratives which became the basis of its existence but the current shift in cultures and languages will have much influence on the younger generation to lose their focus into the traditional values which need to preserve and own by virtue or lose it entirely forever. Yet the practical sides of most cultural and traditional ways of doing things in the country are diminishing as a result of shift in the tradition cultures and languages into modernity and Enga is no exception to losing its cultures and traditions which dominates the province as a monolingual society which is significant to the Melanesian cultures.

PNG Tourism Promotion Authority’s View on PNG Culture from Tourism Viewpoint
The PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) identifies cultural tourism as a significant source for national tourism growth due largely to the fact that authentic cultural experiences are Papua New Guinea’s biggest selling tourism product.The UN World Tourism Organisation stated that cultural tourism accounted for 37% of global tourism and forecasts a growth rate of 15% per year. This is particularly true for Papua New Guinea as travel statistics show increased arrivals during the months of July to September as a result of cultural festivals staged in various parts of the country, especially the Mask Festival, Hagen Show, Hiri Moale and the Goroka Show.Cultural festivals, village tours and stays that are worked into travel itineraries always prove attractive for tourists and are a common feature in many successful tour operators’ packages. PNGTPA’s major challenge in cultural tourism has been aligning the modern or ‘Western’ concept of tourism as a business with the Melanesian cultural practices of shared resources and land ownership. Hence, PNGTPA works closely with tour operators, and tourism associations to help reinforce, support and preserve the local communities and their culture. Partnerships in tourism are vital for Papua New Guinea especially in the preservation of culture and the natural resources of a particular community. PNGTPA’s most successful partnership projects have been the Surf Management Plan headed by the Surfers Association of PNG (SAPNG). This project aims to ensure the village communities where surfing tourism takes place receive shared benefits through fees and implement rules that limit the number of surfers to protect the environment. 

The Perceptions, Experience and Lessons on the Research
As a passionate citizen on cultures and traditions of the country, I was always interested to learn and discover the various cultures and traditions in PNG. Reading from the books, hearing and learning from schoolmates or by visiting places have always inspired me to know a bit of different culture and
tradition but those seemed to have been only stories to me. I have intended to know in detail if those cultures do exists in its full contexts today and still being practised. Sadly, the values on cultures and traditions have changed and the contemporary cultures have dominated what used to be a way of life and authentic culture, tradition and customs. I have came to known that, throughout the verbal interviews for my research most of the youths I met could not speak any native languages from either of their parent’s side but English and Pidgn were the only languages most of them know.
Undeniably, most of the traditions and cultures are native and the ways of teaching, learning and imparting is only with native languages because some of them are scared and to understand full, one should be native and fluent with the native languages to know and understand better. It was a good lesson to discover that native languages plays pivotal role in maintaining and preserving cultures for it is the only channel to know and understand cultures, traditions and customs. Hence, the language is part of the cultures and traditions of most people in PNG and losing the language knowledge is directly loosing the tradition and cultures.

Contribution of Research Paper and Recommendations
The research contributes to the remarkable work done on the Enga culture and traditions by Aki Tumu, Alome Kyakas, Associate Professor Roderic Lacey, Polly Wiessner, SVD Missionary Philip Gibbs and few others who have done a tremendous research into the unique cultures of Enga. Their early efforts and contributions have set foundation for a lot of quality research in the field of Enga culture and traditions. Hence, my research is also a contribution to their endless efforts as they paved the way for such specific research into traditional Enga dance (Mali) to occur. This specific research on Mali contributes towards the aims to preserve the traditions and cultures of Enga initiated by some of the mentioned authors and researchers. My research was broad in nature but  other researchers in the future will have to focus into specific cultures, customs and traditions to uncover the underlying factors of its extinction and find solutions to rejuvenate and set up a concept that helps not only Enga but other dying cultures in Papua New Guinea as well.

Portrait of the writer

Link to the LinkedIn for Naith N. Lati

Gulf Provincial Government keen to ascertain its tourism potential

Gulf Province has unique tousim products that is suitable to all tourism segments and available throughout all seasons. All we need is to make the tourism products market ready. James Hasu, Deputy PA - Gulf Provincial Administration 

Gulf province’s Kerema town is one of the least developed provincial townships in PNG with all basic infrastructures that been developed during the colonial era with historical evidences of early missionaries landed at Moru Bay 109 years ago. 

Despite the LNG investment and exploration activities are ongoing in the province; the local villagers’ lifestyles have never changed.  The usual trade of buai (betel nut) with the people from Port Moresby who commutes to Kerema for buai trade brings money for local people’s basic needs of the day and life is usual for the Gulf of Papua dwellers.

Gulf still has an endless prospective to venture into tourism and agriculture while its shores are used as exit points for the lucrative oil and gas fields of the Southern Highlands. 

The location of Gulf Province is logistically ideal for trade and business with accessibly via road; sea and air are practically convenient. Despite the strategic location and ease of accessibility, there are not major economical activities in the province apart from the ongoing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exploration and investments in the area which is connected to the upper level beneficiaries. The livelihoods for the Kerema people revolve around usual activities like fishing, hunting and gardening. Although the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) project is happening at the doorstep; the Gulf people continue to remain passive spectators and with the tourism being introduced to the province, it will set some light into sustainable tourism investments for Gulf people. Hence, the Gulf Provincial Tourism Workshop hosted in Kerema town on November 04^th was intended to set the light for Gulf business owners, community leaders and resource owners to shift their focus into tourism and was overwhelmingly supported by the participants.

The province being located on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea is dominated by highland mountains and terrains with lowland river deltas and wide expanses of seasonally flooded grass plains. The Turama, the Kikori, the Purari and the Vailala are just some of the great rivers that flow into the swampy, delta-land of the Papuan Gulf from the mountains as far as the highlands of PNG.

Generally Kerema has the complex environmental landscape that accounts for unique flora and fauna species and marine biodiversity. The vegetation within the gulf differs and not vastly covered by one particular vegetation. The complex vegetation consists of savannah to swamp that connects with lowland rainforests to the high mountain rainforests that connects with nearby Highlands and Momase Provinces.  The vastness of the complex vegetation and landscape for Gulf of Papua is home to the world’s biggest Black Bass and Catfish as well as Barramundi. This has been confirmed by Gulf Provincial Tourism Office from the statistics gathered with National Game Fishing Association. The Game Fishing is currently, the only tourism activity in the Gulf Province and benefits at the community level are said to be tangible.

The Gulf Provincial Government though its Commerce and Tourism Division having greater interest to tap into the tourism potential after not seeing any benefits towards the communities out of the LNG projects and investments in the province. Hence, the first Gulf Provincial Tourism Workshop at Hotel Kerema was the opportunity for the Gulf Provincial Government, stakeholders and resources owners to discuss the way forward to make the tourism potentials of Gulf a reality. The PNGTPA official have been invited to the workshop which has more than thirty (30) participants; especially the community leaders, councillors, resource owners, tourism business operators and general business operators in the province.

The acting District Administrator, Mr. James Hasu officially opened the Gulf Provincial Tourism Conference with the emphasis on tourism being one of the sleeping giant for Gulf Province which have been hidden by the perception that LNG investment and developments will generate more spin-off and improve livelihood of the people but it never eventuates as such economy operates on the upper level economy and never scales down to the individuals at the village level like tourism investment can deliver.

Being the TPA officer on the ground, I visited the selected tourism product sites that were presented at the Gulf Provincial Tourism Workshop by the Gulf Tourism Officer (Mr. Vincent Ehari) and without doubt I admitted that Gulf of Kerema has the tourism products that can be offered to tourists all year round from and water sports to trekking and relaxation on the nice and peaceful beaches like Pariva and Iokea which have vast stretch of beach that breaks the waves which sweeps the beach clear. The beaches in Kerema area ideal for board and kite surfing or camping and lazing by the beach while quenching the thirst with a young coconut juice (kulau) and wait for the sun to wade off over the breaking waves to get a glimpse of the striking sunset off the horizon sending out the rays to the sky, the sea below that reflects the rays on the surface naturally colouring the sky, sea and the beach.

The Gulf Province has already triggered the tourism interest domestically and to some extend internationally by Iokea villager and self-talented singer/song writer Robert Oeka with his 90s hit song ‘Kerema Yu No Save.’ The video clip, lyrics and musical composition have created interests for many people in PNG and overseas enticing them to visit Kerema by themselves.  The song literally mean to listeners to go and explore Kerema, a place you have not known yet, now it is time to explore Kerema and tourism will pave the way.

Thanks to Gulf Provincial Administration for inviting me to visit Kerema, now it makes me realize that the province truly has its unique allure. Kerema is a place someone has to visit to know better than the curiosity out of the song from Robert Oeka’s ‘Kerema yu no save’ and it’s truly a gulf with vastness of beauty and attraction. It is certain the name ‘Gulf of Papua’ derived as the provincial name and gulf has what it envisages of Kerema.

Pariva Conference Room - Hotel Kerema

  

Sunset at Pariva Beach - Kerema 

Canoeing at Lake Kamu Basin

Words and pictures by;Nathan LATI- Product Development Officer (PNGTPA)

Tourism and tradition – can they co-exist in a modern PNG?

THE Engan dance, the Mali, is one of the traditional rituals that is gradually dying away due to non-recognition of its significance in the modern and traditional contexts.  

Previously, the Mali was hosted for reasons that cannot match today’s purposes. Furthermore, the importance of the Mali from both modern and traditional perspective is not understood by majority of the Engans due to the current trend towards modernity and the weakening of culture, tradition and custom.

Currently, the Mali is one of the major tourist attractions in Enga and has gained popularity at the annual Enga Cultural Show with its Sili Muli, an all women Mali dance group.

However, there are shifting cultural factors that have influenced Engans to overlook the significance of the Mali and interest and eagerness to participate and learn has been minimal among youth with the Mali losing its purpose and authenticity.

As a unique tradition, the Mali needs to be maintained and preserved through promotion and creating awareness and interest to rejuvenate and protect it from losing its values.

Enga Province has minimal economic activity and the support of the provincial government is required in funding awareness, cultural promotion and preservation through tourism activities.

There are possibilities to encourage the younger generation to learn how to preserve and sustain the Mali and to understand and value the cultural and traditional aspects of Engan life. Thus we may help maintain and sustain the Mali from dying away silently as a result of modern influences.

It is interesting to see, through the influence of the one language spoken throughout the province, that the customs practiced in traditional societies are same throughout Enga. However, religion, education, employment and rural to urban migration have much influenced the Mali.

Although there are some Mali dance performances with contemporary costumes, the authenticity of and pride in the Mali dance seems to have lost its value. The same detrimental factors can be seen in the other cultures and traditions of PNG amid the 800 plus language groups - they are dying away in a similar manner.

Akii Tumu’s book, ‘View of The Enga Culture’, states that, in the past, most Malisingsings took place to gather people to discuss upcoming feasts or exchanges, but today they are held primarily to raise money for public facilities, to celebrate holidays or other important events. This commercialisation with contemporary costumes imitates the authentic Mali dance but is of no substance in terms of its cultural values.

Today, most PNG societies seem to have an oral tradition as an historical source but the reality of traditional ways of life are dying away as we shift our focus to modernity and development.  The concept of imparting skills and knowledge, learning and imitating traditions  and customs  from great tribal or clan ancestors seems not to exist these days.

The children live far away from their villages, parents and families and are unable to participate in village cultural activities – they do not learn and understand them. The loss of the vernacular language is also an important barrier as most people now communicate in English, Pidgin and Motu.

The opportunities to teach traditional customs to the younger generation are narrow, leaving a gap which needs to be helped if it is to be revived and sustained.

In Enga, the way of doing things which were passed down the generations are at risk in these days when everyone’s focus is on modernity. Thus the Enga traditional dance, which followed the same pattern of sharing, teaching and imparting knowledge to preserve the values, genealogies and narratives which were the basis of its existence, is losing its influence and, without great care, may be lost forever.

The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) identifies cultural tourism as a significant source for national tourism growth due to the authentic cultural experiences that are PNG’s biggest selling tourism product.

The UN World Tourism Organisation has stated that cultural tourism accounts for 37% of global tourism and forecasts a growth rate of 15% per year. This is particularly true for PNG where travel statistics show increased arrivals in the months of July to September as a result of cultural festivals staged in various parts of the country, especially the Mask Festival, the Mt Hagen Show, the Hiri Moale and the Goroka Show.

Cultural festivals, village tours and stays that are worked into travel itineraries always prove attractive for tourists and are a common feature in many successful tour operators’ packages.

PNGTPA’s major challenge in cultural tourism has been in aligning the modern or Western concept of tourism as a business with the Melanesian cultural practices of shared resources and land ownership.

Hence, PNGTPA works closely with tour operators and tourism associations to help reinforce, support and preserve the local communities and their culture. Partnerships in tourism are vital for PNG especially in the preservation of culture and natural resources.

PNGTPA’s most successful partnership projects have been the Surf Management Plan headed by the Surfers Association of PNG. This project aims to ensure that the village communities where surfing tourism takes place receive shared benefits through fees and that rules are implemented to limit the number of surfers so protecti.ng the environment.

As a passionate observer of cultures and traditions of our country, I am always interested to learn and discover more about the various cultures and traditions of PNG. I am eager to learn in detail about our cultures in their full contexts and whether they are still practised.  Sadly, the traditions have changed and contemporary culture has dominated what used to be our authentic way of life.

I have come to known that many young people cannot speak any native languages from either of their parents’ tribes and clans. Language is part of culture and tradition and to lose language is to lose culture and tradition.

This is the source link:  Tourism and Tradition - Can they co-exist in modern PNG ?

Successful Inland Super Tilapia Fingerlings and Fresh Water Prawns Farmer and Distributor at Sirinumu Dam

Jonah Bobogi is a self taught aquaculture expert who started the inland Super Tilapia Farming at Sirinumu Dam and now distributing fingerlings throughout PNG. His hard work and sheer determination have paid him off and now a proud owner of a semi-modern and improvised nursery and hatchery for Super Tilapia and Fresh Water Prawns on his Bausaka Island.

‘Our livelihood of the past in the valley have been tormented and we moving on after the water has taken over our dwelling places’; Jonah.

Jonah Bobogi is currently into a village based fisheries business from Bausaka Island located on the southern edge of the Sirinumu Dam. He comes from Berebai village and moved on to the island to try out his local expertise in inland Super Tilapia fish farming. According to encyclopedia, the Super Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish inhabits the shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes and less commonly found living in brackish water.

With little knowledge about the breeding procedures of Super Tilapia from his training stints with National Fisheries Authority (NFA). The local Koari villager has overcome the obstacles in illiteracy and remoteness of his location with a determined heart to achieve what he has dreamt of in his life.

Apart from rest of the Sirinumu Catchment area hamlets and villages which are connected with electricity, his island is far from the main PNG Power grid line that connects the surrounding villages. Jonah on his small and remote island uses solar panels that he ordered from China though some friends and he uses them to pump water into the breeding ponds and light up his area. From the dugout ground ponds for breeding to now he has two NFA donated 4x4 platoons with 12 cages having five thousand Super Tilapia in each cage. Apart from Super Tilapia he also breeds Freshwater Prawns that are really doing well with the help of University of PNG Marine and Biology Department serving with hatchery toil and providing incubation support. The breeding of Golden Curb species has also been a successful story in the trial phase and his clients from all over PNG have started ordering from him.

Apart from the successful journey that he is heading with skills in aquaculture, farming and carpentry, there were setbacks that affects his farming yet he is determined and a never give-up Koari bloke with 2 daughters, 3 sons and a grandson. Sadly his second son passed away for unknown reasons but he said; ‘I accepted the fact that the Man above is the provider of everything and that was His plan for my son,’ Jonah sobs off softly.

Few times his Super Tilapia nets have been broken into by crocodiles and freed the bulk of the fish in the cages but that was not the end of his fish farming project. His never give up stamina has given him the courage to get the remaining ones into the cage and continued with the breeding of the fingerlings and now he is more watchful of crocodiles to never intrude again.

He is a charismatic man of virtue and he talks from the start of the conversation to the ending to make people understand in detail, whilst into the depth of the conversation with anyone, he can stand, sit or walk or include jokes to make you understand the full message. You can start a conversation and he has the words to complete for you and makes it interesting with his soft gestures and never fading smiles. He is devoted and a serious talker and means what he says but others feel it’s too much for them to absorb. I had a chance chatting with him during my feasibility study tour of his island facilities and had a conversation for nearly three hours and should have continued but my research team with dinghy arrived to pick me up so I have to bid him farewell in the middle of the conversation and departed in the afternoon for the campsite.

While walking with him to the jetty he stopped me and said, ‘Son look out to the lake from here and what is the view like’; I replied, ‘it’s amazing and perfect million dollar view,’ and he smiled away when I spoke out the words that he has been looking to describe the view every time he sits under his Kunai Hauswin and takes a glimpse on the sun setting when sipping a warm cup of tea to ease off the tensions from working on his three trades each day.

During the tour of his facilities around the island with him, I found him to be one hardworking Koiari man with skills in agriculture, carpentry and aquaculture which does not require him to look for any expertise help, hence his survival is alone on his own island world that has potential to attract Super Tilapia lovers as well as tourists for site seeing, camping and picnic.  He told me, ‘he was alone developing the island and its facilities including the barbecue area, guesthouse and Super Tilapia breeding ponds since 2006 and now he expects visitors to come visit his Bausaka Island to buy fish or for leisure and use the available facilities. 

Even Jonah is isolated from the Sirinumu Catchment communities, he always had the heart for his people and through his own initiative he has trained some locals with inland Super Tilapia breeding skills and given off fingerlings to the local community for start up. His enthusiasm to teach and share knowledge with the Sirinumu catchment community was recognized by NFA and selected the locals under his project support training to go for further training under NFA viability training on inland fish farming.

Although the project seems so little on the remote island, he has a vision and dream that he is into a massive project that will link up with Sirinumu Cooperative’s Ecotourism Development which is progressing with feasibility studies by a combined technical team from Kokoda Track Authority, Central Provincial Tourism, NCDC Tourism Bureau and PNG Tourism Promotion Authority. Jonah has a keen interest to link his products into tourism and he has already existing facilities for tourist to go camping or for a weekend picnic and return. His facilities include a four room guest house, a big kitchen area, barbecue facilities, toilet and a shelter (Hauswin) to get a good view of the dam from the island.

Jonah is continuing to build a hatchery and nursery which he said to utilize his local expertise in water reticulation system to improvise what is on the island to ensure it delivers the expected result. He said he got the training from Thailand under NFA funding and he was the one who was more competent and he can actually put up the skills he learnt into use by constructing for himself a hatchery and nursery for his fish farming project.  In between the breeding pond and the nursery or hatchery he has proposed to build an office and a resource centre that will be opened to visitors to the island. He can do more by putting into use what he learns from NFA trainings but he needs funding support and technical advice; however he has progressed well on his own way up with little assistance from NFA.

In fact, Jonah has an impact project to the Sirinumu Catchment community since 1963 when all the good places for gardening, waterways and livelihoods went underwater when the Sirinumu Dam was constructed and water took over the place. From then on, everyone has adapted a new lifestyle by commuting on boats and dugout canoes to go to gardens on the hillside or to have access to the main road and schools which are closer through the water.  Jonah is one example of how he had chosen to live his life after the Sirinumu Dam and now has the opportunity to tap into tourism and fisheries project whilst other areas of game fishing, kayaking, trekking, camping and lodging remains potential for Sirinumu Catchment area which he has the existing products to sell.

 Photo 1: Jonah with is platoon at the background

Photo 2: Dr. Betty Laufa of NCDC Tourism with Jonah and a local at the platoon checking fish 

Photo 3: Jonah's breed of Golden Curb at Bausaka Island