Australian university introduces first ever course in Tok Pisin

By KEITH JACKSON - PNG Attitude

CANBERRA - An online undergraduate course in Tok Pisin has been introduced by the Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific this year.

Tok Pisin is an official language of Papua New Guinea and is the most commonly and widely used language in the country with about four million native speakers.

The College says that by learning Tok Pisin, students will gain a deeper understanding of the rich cultures, histories and societies of the people of PNG and surrounding areas of the Pacific.

In this introductory course, students gain a practical command of beginner spoken Tok Pisin and an elementary capacity to read various types of texts in Tok Pisin with the help of a dictionary.

By the end of the course, students should have an active vocabulary of approximately 1,000 of the most frequently used and useful words in Tok Pisin.

They will have also covered the main features of Tok Pisin grammar and will have a command of pronunciation.

Upon successful completion of the one semester course, students will have the knowledge and skills to recognise and pronounce all Tok Pisin vowels and consonants with appropriate intonation and produce basic phrase and sentence structures to allow short conversations and the reading, writing, and translation of short basic texts.

They will also be able to communicate in speaking and writing Tok Pisin, using simple phrases and sentences to greet, give and understand instructions, and ask questions and provide answers about personal things and what they encounter in everyday life.

They’ll also understand the culture and everyday life of PNG including work, travel, and family relationships.

All in all, a great initiative and a well thought-through introductory program.

Go to this link: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/02/australian-university-introduces-first-ever-course-in-tok-pisin.html

Two years on: reviewing the anthology, ‘My Walk to Equality’

TANYA ZERIGA-ALONE | Em Nau PNG’s Blog

PORT MORESBY - The theme for the 2017 International Women’s Day was ‘Be Bold for Change’.

The launching of the anthology, ‘My Walk to Equality’, on that day was a bold step toward putting the spotlight on women’s issues  in Papua New Guinea.

The anthology is a 280-page book containing 84 entries from 40 women writers – both established and emerging. The stories, poems and essays contain accounts by women striving to create a better and stronger PNG for women. Their words are immortalised in this book.

With brutal honesty, the women tell their stories. They give their solutions and ask pertinent questions to probe further thinking that requires honesty and humility.

Rashmii Amoah Bell, the editor, says in her essay, ‘Embracing the dark future to see PNG emerge into the light’, that change can happen through literature. She advocates the use of writing as a tool, to explore new ground – including taboo subjects – as a means for starting conversations and looking for solutions.

This is one way PNG women can create a better and stronger PNG, by just telling our stories. Our stories may be accepted or they may be rejected but they will exist as beacons in our walk to equality. Through our stories we walk into the dark future to emerge into light.

Be bold because courage is contagious

Being bold in the face of challenges is one way women can create a better and stronger PNG because courage is contagious.

Caroline Evari relocates with her family from Port Moresby to Oro and, after a while, she returns alone to Port Moresby.

She goes through a lot of struggles but comes out a victor. She says “your mind is your greatest enemy, not the people around you.  Reach for the stars and keep running until you have achieved your goal.”

On the walk to equality, we have to be bold and courageous, because there are eyes watching.

As women, we ask for permission to do a lot of things, but the first thing we need to do is to give ourselves permission to be great.

In Madlyn Baida’s story, a village lass wants to learn to read and write and get an education. She allows herself to dream. Once she knows her dream, she sees the opportunities. Her husband provides support and enables to achieve her freedom.

Be good at what you do because that is the currency that will take women’s voice to the table for negotiations

To create a better and stronger PNG, we need to get more women into decision-making positions so that they may show favourable consideration to women as they walk to equality.

There is an adage that says, ‘if you are good at what you do, you will serve before Kings’. Do something with your life.

Be good at something. It does not matter what you do or whether you are as young as Iriani Wanma, the author of the grasshopper story, or middle aged or somewhere in between. If you are good you will be favoured. And when you are recognised, make use of your position to address the plight of the sisterhood.

We already have many role models who have done just that. Women can always match the stride of the society.  Some of these prominent PNG women include Winifred Kamit, Finckewe Zurenuo, Jane Mogina, Betty Lovai and the late Judge Davani, whose tribute can be seen in the anthology.

I am as proud of the sisterhood at the Division of Education in Simbu as told by Roslyn Tony. Despite a lot of pushback from a paternalistic society, these women acted with integrity and transparency and were eventually accepted as leaders in their communities.

We have to be responsible for the sisterhood

Even if women make up 50% of the population, we are treated as a minority due to our positions in the community. We have a duty of care to stand up for our sisters.

“If only I could save you, you’d still have a heartbeat.”  This eerie phrase from Vanessa Gordon’s poem ‘Drum Beat’ is haunting. It is full of regret. We have to take action to help a sister and the children and the helpless.

To help our sisters we have to know our rights.  Dominica Are tells the story of how Pauline saved her life by walking away from a bad situation because she knew her rights. Not many women have that knowledge.

It is our duty to teach as well as mentor other woman to be the best.  Alurigo does that with the ‘XOX: We are Champions’group. It does not have to be on the national stage but at our own little spheres of influence.

We have to support any form of education. The most inspiring story I read was by Alphonse Huvi from West New Britain.  Her father was against her education and did not make resources available.

But, through support from her auntie Oripa, Alphonse became a teacher and was eventually accepted by her father. We have a duty to support our girls to get an education.

Too big a work for women alone – patriarchy can help

Patriarchy can play a big role to helping women build a better and stronger PNG.

In the anthology, there are six stories that pay tribute to patriarchy for being the source of strength for women. This shows the important role of the male gender in helping women in our walk to equality.

Helen Anderson in her essay, ‘Mixed-race Meri Markham’, pays tribute to her male relatives for helping her fit into society. Emma Wapki also pays tribute to her male relatives for being fair, loving and supportive

The fine story by Alurigo on ‘Sir Dawanicura’ is an example of leaders leading by example. He has brought a family friendly atmosphere to the PNG Olympics Committee.

Family is the basic building block of society if we do not lead with wisdom and flexibility in these changing times, we will contribute to the breakdown in family, which will lead to breakdown in society and eventually breakdown in the nation.

The society will not change until the family changes

Families are the cornerstone of societies.  We learn how to be function as members of society by learning from within our family circles. We build from strength to strength when we have a stable roots.  A stable family can be the base for creating a better and stronger PNG.

Florence Jonduo  talks about parenting children says that the children are innocent, they are brought up without their permission and that is why, adults we have moral and legal obligation to look after them.  And whatever we teach them when they are young, sets them up for life.

But sometimes children turn out wrong. Whose fault is that when we observe generations of young people who have no plans for life, “the lost men” as Marlene Dee Gray Potoura describes the situation. Marlene asks a pertinent question, “Are the lost men the fault of women?”

Rosyln Tony also asks some hard questions about why things are falling apart in our society. If we honestly answer the questions, we may find that it will lead us to families and that is where we may come up with long-lasting and meaning full solutions for the problems we see in our society.

Conclusion

No women or group of women can fully address those pertinent questions single-handed. We need the help of society through policies and laws.

As we look at shaping policies for the future, I hope we all take those important decisions from the perspective of young mothers.

Lapieh Landu in her poem ‘Fear Unbearable’ writes about her fears for her baby as she contemplates the future. 

If all people responsible for creating laws can make those laws from the position of new mothers, looking at her helpless infant, then we would take all the necessary steps to secure a better future for the generation yet to come.

For we are fighting a cause that is not for us but for the future generation.

‘My Walk to Equality’ is still available from Amazon Books for $US10.53 plus postage. You can link to the page here

Go to this link: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/02/two-years-on-reviewing-the-anthology-my-walk-to-equality.html#more

Making Oil and Gas a Woman’s job

Posted on The National

It takes passion, drive and hunger to be the best, according to Gloria Arabagali.
With a background in computer science and business, Arabagali became the first woman and citizen staff at Oil Search to nationalise the Sydney-based PNG Oil and Gas reporting analyst’s role in 2016
According to Oil Search, Arabagali did not stop there and has recently been promoted to financial planning and analysis supervisor with the business unit in Port Moresby.
From the Juha clan in Hela , Arabagali joined Oil Search in 2014 through a graduate development programme and said a defining moment in her career was the opportunity to present the annual budget at a joint venture Partners Technical Committee meeting in 2016 and ’17.
“That was definitely a highlight for me,” she said.
As the financial planning and analysis supervisor, she’s now responsible for each of the business unit financial reporting cycles such as the monthly and quarterly forecasts and annual budget.
She is also responsible for reviewing and coordinating all joint venture financial data in collaboration with the business unit planning team and looks to identify and execute projects that are focused on continuous improvement opportunities.
Arabagali enjoys the work environment at Oil Search and says she feels privileged to work alongside highly skilled individuals in the fields of science and business.
“Oil Search provides an environment for employees to learn and grow in the oil and gas industry irrespective of gender,” she said. “It has an amazing pool of leaders from Peter Botten, the CEO right down to the managers who have this deep sense of commitment to develop future leaders for the company and for PNG. It’s all about having the passion, the drive and hunger to be the best in any profession.”
Has she any advice for women?
“Take an aggressive approach towards learning and never limit yourself,” she said. “Science is for all and I encourage young women and girls to conquer and dominate.”

Go to this link: https://www.thenational.com.pg/making-oil-gas-womans-job/

Digicel Foundation Appoints New CEO

Digicel PNG Foundation has announced the appointment of Serena Sasingian as its new chief executive officer, with immediate effect. 

Commenting on her appointment, Ms Sasingian said: “I am proud to join an organisation that has contributed to huge transformational change in the country since its establishment just over a decade ago.

“The footprint of Digicel PNG Foundation is evident all over Papua New Guinea through the classrooms that have been built, the mobile health clinics that have been purchased, and the lives that are being changed through many of its social programs. “The next decade marks an exciting new opportunity to build on the solid foundations that have been laid and I am honoured to lead this dynamic organisation to further its mission to make sure nobody gets left behind.”

Ms Sasingian is a lawyer by profession. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Papua New Guinea and a Master of Business specialising in philanthropy and non-profit studies from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia. She has over 10 years of experience in the field of development and public policy where she has worked in government, the private, and the not for profit sectors.

Before joining Digicel Foundation she was the head of gender and leadership with the oil search foundation. She has also worked for the Department of Justice and Attorney General as a senior policy lawyer where she was in charge of the implementation of domestic violence legislation and the governments action plan to address sorcery and witchcraft related violence.

Before this, she worked as the executive director for a non-profit organisation she co-founded whilst at the University of PNG called The Voice Inc. which focuses on citizens led development through its centres for leadership established across the major state run universities in the country.

Her work in the non for profit sector in PNG was recently recognised with her appointment as the Asia Pacific representative to the esteemed board of advisers for the international institute of democracy and electoral assistance in Stockholm, Sweden. She was also a former independent committee member to Oil Search Ltd’s health, safety and sustainability board sub-committee. Ms Sasingian succeeds Beatrice Mahuru who resigned as CEO in June 2018.

Go to this link: https://postcourier.com.pg/digicel-foundation-appoints-new-ceo/