KEITH JACKSON
A final word on one of PNGAttitude’s big issues this month: the withdrawal of Australian support from the Crocodile Prize national literary contest.
It wasn’t just the money; it was the symbolic significance of the abandonment of involvement by the Australian High Commission without explanation or excuse.
We're deeply grateful to those entities and individuals whose backing of the Prize means it can exist; and also that a thousand anthologies of PNG writing can reach readers, schools and libraries across the country.
That’s where the Australian $3,000 was being spent – on books.
When organisations like the UK-based Commonwealth Foundation say of the Prize, as it did earlier this week, “Your pioneering work to encourage and publish Papua New Guinean writers is much admired", you really wonder what the Australian diplomats were thinking.
That said, we do understand when sponsors and supporters tell us they’re unable to move with us into another year.
But when they cut and run as the Australian High Commission to PNG did in November, and as Steamships did earlier in the year after months of promises, one can speculate whether the behaviour is symptomatic of some deeper malaise.
Ah, for the vision, energy and intellect of Ian Kemish – the Australian High Commissioner who saw the potential, understood the need and provided the support.
Without him, there is no way the Crocodile Prize national literary awards would have begun, let alone be now enjoying their fifth year.
And thanks to my colleagues at the ABC, Radio Australia and Radio New Zealand International for their coverage of this issue.
MOST COMMENTED UPON PIECES IN NOVEMBER
19 comments - Australian High Commission withdraws Crocodile Prize funding (Keith Jackson. Readers were perplexed at the High Commission’s action and made their views very clear.
13 comments - Dr Anastasia Sai, the great literary mentor of Divine Word Uni (Bernard Yegiora. Buried in this story was the news that Divine Word University has abandoned its Literature strand. Readers were annoyed by this and full or praise for Dr Sai, who had introduced many of them –including some prominent PNG writers – to creative writing.
13 comments – China’s soft power – turning around the negative perceptions (Bernard Yegiora). Bernard studied in China and understandably has a soft spot for the country. Other PNG Attitude commentators expressed views that were not so benign towards China’s charm offensive.
12 comments - M16s & no rules of engagement: Hela in grip of tribal warfare (Fr Nicholas Yambu). “In the past, rival enemies were not allowed to burn houses when their enemies were inside. It was also a taboo to kill women and children or to hunt and kill an enemy in other people’s territory. Only people who are directly related to the fight were considered enemies.” But times have changed….
10 comments - Home sweet home is beside my father's bed (Charlene Nii). In this entry in the Rivers Prize, Charlene tells the story of how she has grown up in the hospital ward accommodating her father, the author Francis Nii. Home sweet home can be anywhere, she says.
10 comments - How Leo Kuman, vandal & carjacker, became an agent of change (Jimmy Awagl). Another Rivers Prize story. A young criminal from the Dom area of Simbu has his life turned around by the actions of Ware Mukale, a wise teacher who believes in the therapeutic effects of education and learning.
10 comments - How Gough Whitlam’s self-interest sank Papua New Guinea (Geoffrey Luck). “In all the words written about Gough Whitlam, little has been said of one of his greatest ideological and opportunistic initiatives, one of which he was inordinately proud, yet inevitably became one of his many disasters. We know it as the failed state of Papua New Guinea.” Well that view provoked some pushback.
9 comments - Numbers game: If Peter O'Neill goes, who will be prime minister?(PNG Maths Blogspot). With Peter O’Neill to face a Leadership Tribunal, speculation is mounting in PNG about his position if things don’t go the prime minister’s way. This article, not entirely objectively, canvasses some of the options for a replacement.
8 comments - Multi-million kina Chinese project could be a disaster for university (Bomai D Witne). Bomai has been observing a Chinese aid project to build a massive array of student dormitories at the University of Goroka. In his view, the multi-million kina project is a disaster because Papua New Guineans haven’t been involved in its management or execution and because of doubts that university funds will be available to maintain the buildings.
MOST LIKED PIECES IN NOVEMBER
114 likes - Dr Anastasia Sai, the great literary mentor of Divine Word Uni (Bernard Yegiora)
75 likes - Australian academic says aid has made PNG’s situation worse (Keith Jackson)
47 likes - With Dame Carol gone, our women parliamentarians are failing us (PNG Maths Blog)
30 likes - Where to for Bougainville? A polemic, a plea & a plan (Chris Overland)
18 likes - Bougainville alerts Australia to actions of ‘prejudicial’ NGO (Keith Jackson)
17 likes - PNG voices raised in anger in new Crocodile Prize Anthology (Drusilla Modjeska)
17 likes - LLINs: The mosquito nets that both protect & destroy (Manuel Hetzel)
14 likes –Hey Mr Luck, I do not feel like I am living in a failed state (Jack Klomes)
14 likes - Death penalty for crimes against women may threaten women (Fiona Hukula)
14 likes - Crocodile Prize books feel at home in DWU’s Friendship Library (Bernard Yegiora)