Breaking Barriers in PNG: Caroline Evari

By World Bank

For International Women’s Day 2020, we’re getting to know the pioneering women across the Pacific and Papua New Guinea who are breaking barriers and creating change for the decade ahead. Caroline Evari began writing at the age of six. She is now the author of 28 children’s books and has published her own book of poems, Nanu Sina: My Words, all while supporting the World Bank and it’s nine projects in Papua New Guinea and raising two sons.
What inspired you to start writing at such a young age?

After I had completed first grade in school my family moved from Port Moresby back to my father’s village in Oro Province. I was supposed to continue on to grade two, but there weren’t any schools nearby so I spent my childhood days writing. I would just walk around the village with a notebook and describe whatever I could see. It was my way of keeping myself in school.

Did you eventually go back to school?

Yes, I moved back to Port Moresby in 2001 and started school again. I realized I was doing so well in English compared to other subjects because I spent my time away from school writing. So, I was able to catch up quickly.

Later on, when I attended Marianville Secondary School, we were required to keep school journals every year, and that’s how I discovered my talent for writing poems. At the end of grade 12 I had written a total of 60 poems and they now make up the majority of my book, Nanu Sina: My Words.

What do you love about writing poetry?

For me, poetry is the best way to express myself. Most of my published poems were written when I was growing up, at a stage when I was living away from my parents. I missed them, but I wanted to achieve something with my life so I had to somehow let go of those emotions and thoughts. I find poetry a really good way for people to let go of any stress, anxiety, depression or anything that may be pulling them down.

How did you get into writing children’s books?

In 2017, I wrote two children’s stories titled Zuki the Crocodile and Old Mulga and the Pawpaw Tree for the organization Library for All. The stories were then developed into picture books in 2019 and distributed to schools around PNG.

Given that I work with the World Bank, I could see that we shouldn’t just advocate for Papua New Guineans to learn to read, we need to also write our own stories and have them published into books. The majority of the books in schools are not written by us, they are written by people from other parts of the world.

I had this idea: what if we started teaching our people to write their own stories? Or what if we started teaching each other to express ourselves through poetry? That would have a big impact. I started reaching out to schools and teachers and motivating them to encourage their students to write their own stories. I give free talks in schools on why writing is so important and I hold children’s story writing workshops.

You’ve been lucky enough to be mentored by popular PNG writer, Rashmii Amoah Bell – what was that like?

Yes, in 2016, along with 45 other PNG women, I contributed to the My Walk to Equality anthology that Rashmii edited – it was the first ever collection of writing from Papua New Guinean women.

Rashmii then mentored me for the first six months after I published my book of poetry. It was really important for me because Rashmii is someone that I look up to as a role model. We don't often have Papua New Guinean women as  professional mentors. We are always looking outside PNG for inspiration and motivation. But, in this case, I was very privileged to receive that mentorship from her, and it was really inspiring for me.

Do you think there will be more female PNG writers in the future?

Yes, and I do believe we already have a good number of Papua New Guinean female writers. There’s a lot of change and positive responses from communities with women being more vocal, and it's really a good thing to see. So I hope that this momentum of women writers gaining support will continue to increase.

What are your hopes and plans for the future?

I'm already working on another book of poems, but my hope for the future is to write more; not just poems, but more children's story books. I want to help capture our culture and languages that are dying away.

I also hope that my two sons will grow into responsible men that are able to respect and understand women. I want them to accept women as they are; seeing women as equals in society. I think that’s my biggest aim for my sons’ future.

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Go to this link for more: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/02/28/caroline-evari?fbclid=IwAR3WKp2UBlbHyccDCzIGvbV1cPEfhj5ef7mwkjtIvl4tNR__2sK35DLKpjk

How I was able to share my blessings

By DOMINICA ARE - PNG Attitude

GOROKA - It was Tuesday 8 October during the lunch break. Everyone went out and I was alone in the office with my thoughts.

It was serene. The air crisp and cool. The fresh smell of roasted coffee floated by.

And I stared hard at the blank page before me, pondering on what I would write.

The task was a poem for the 2019 World Food Day Poetry Competition organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in PNG.

I glanced at the World Food Day theme, 'Our Actions are Our Future', and the key messages associated with it. Thousands of ideas buzzed through my head but the word 'share' buzzed loudest.

My thoughts drifted gratefully to all the kind people I have crossed paths with. The people who gave me their time, made sacrifices so they could tend to my needs, listened and encouraged me, shared the little and best they had, shared their skills and knowledge.

All this had at least made life bearable. I also try my best to do the same to others. No one should feel and suffer alone. It was a spur of the moment inspiration to come up with my poem, 'Share your blessings'. I emailed my entry that afternoon.

Access to healthy food is a basic human right but how can I as an individual contribute to a zero hunger and healthy society?

I believe that small acts of kindness like sharing our resources and skills with people who are less fortunate and less informed is a way forward.

So, if you are blessed with land and enjoying the fruits of your labour, promote and encourage others to do the same.

If you are blessed with food, share with your neighbour

If you are blessed with skills on land cultivation or preparing nutritious meals, share your skills and experiences with others.

Share your good eating habits. It will go along way in helping others to live a fulfilling life. Healthy diets keeps the doctor away and we can walk away unscathed by the cruel hands of lifestyle diseases.

I would like to thank my friends on Facebook and Instagram for voting for my entry and for their uplifting comments.

Also my immense gratitude to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in PNG for selecting me as one of the finalists and for the opportunity to travel to Port Moresby to witness and take part in the World Food Day Celebration on 16 October at the UPNG Forum Square.

It was amazing to see the high level of student participation and to listen to inspirational messages from advocates like Ryan Pini and Chef Golonzo .

The importance of having a healthy diet and healthy living should be taught at an early age. Our children may grow up in good health, happy and wise and surely will pass this on.

It was truly a memorable and wonderful experience.

Share your blessings

We have been blessed abundantly with land
So fertile, anything can grow and blend
Till it, and watch in awe at its produce
Hungry no more, now others can deduce

We have been blessed abundantly with food
Now let’s go out and share, a deed so good
Your brethren cannot starve, even to death
Too late to feel pangs of guilt and lay a wreath

We have been blessed abundantly with skills
Now let’s show others, till their cup fills
About food security, so they’ll have enough
They shouldn’t be alone in conditions so tough

Start with our neighbor, little by little
Through this mighty deed, this example
Surely and gradually this flame will spread
To live in hunger, no one will now dread

We have been blessed with good wellbeing
Now let’s show others, let good health reign
Start with in our circle, our family
Have home cooked meals, prepared lovingly

Our daily three meals should be healthy
Fruits, vegetables, lean meat and fish are worthy
Replace sugar drinks with blended fruits and water
Share your blessings, human race may live longer

Go to this link for more: https://www.pngattitude.com/2019/10/how-i-was-able-to-share-my-blessings.html

Ancient land of inventions, discoveries

By BETTY WAKIA - The National

IN PNG and other Pacific Island countries, China plays a significant role in providing both investments and development aid. More than 40 of its firms are established in PNG’s infrastructure development and property construction, while the Ramu Nickel and Cobalt mine leads China’s resource extraction.
Chinese firms contribute to PNG in investment and development helping make PNG the fastest growing economy in the Pacific region today. Currently China is trying to connect itself to the Pacific Island countries through the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative by pushing more of their university students to study some of the Pacific Island languages.
Because of those investments between the two countries, every household in PNG has products ranging from store goods to material goods from China.
One thing that we in PNG don’t realise is that those products in one way or another have been invented or discovered in China.
As we all know China has changed faster in the last 20 years than any other country in the world. With its high speed economic growth, it has impacted the world, increased its global reach and participation in international organisations.
It created a worldwide unbeatable manufacturing and export empire and its products can be found in houeholds the world over today.
As the economy, science, technology, society and culture make rapid progress, people around the world fix their eyes on this great ancient nation that may provide clues to the driving forces behind the current rapid economic growth.
As time went by the skills and materials improved the quality and type of tools available at that time.
Chinese are known for several important inventions that later spread around the world.
Although China may currently export a large number of products, it once was exporting very valuable information, and without it, the rest of the world would have lost it.
China is known as the land of inventions and discoveries, which the whole world are eager to learn about its past that has led the world and given birth to a brilliant ancient science and technology.
The development of science and technology in those times was based on the concept of ‘integration of nature and man’ which was observing and studying of the human body, the objective world, the heavens and earth which nourished Chinese culture and civilisation and contributed greatly to mankind.
For centuries China stood as one of the world’s oldest and leading ancient civilisations, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences.
China can trace its culture back to a mixture of small primitive tribes that have expanded to become the great nation it is today.
For over 40 centuries, they have created a culture with a strong tradition, values, and philosophy that was included in the orthodox version of the traditional religion called the Confucianism.
This was taught in the academy, and tested in imperial civil service exams.
These values are widely used throughout Chinese society, and are characterised by a secular emphasis on society and administration.
The Ancient Chinese are known to be the pioneers in many fields and very clever civilisation, innovative and creative people and were able to utilise the materials they had available to make tools that they found useful. Many of the things that we take for granted today were first invented or created by the Chinese.
Prime examples of their creativity and inventiveness are printing technology, paper, compass, clock, gunpowder and small things like the tooth brush or tooth paste that everybody uses every single day.
The Chinese are also best known for their creative muscles in various forms of artistic practices ranging from literature to pottery and music to painting.
Today the Chinese have managed to preserve their traditions that have attracted worldwide attention.

•  Betty Wakia is a – freelance writer and blogger

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/ancient-land-of-inventions-discoveries/

SPOTLIGHT ON AUTHOR CAROLINE EVARI

I started writing as early as when I was in elementary school. One thing that I realized I was good at was describing my environment. Because I spent my early years growing up in my remote village, the village had a huge impact on my writing- CAROLINE EVARI.

By Isabella Pennings – LFA

Caroline Evari is from the Milne Bay and Oro provinces of Papua New Guinea. She studied Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Papua New Guinea, however she was unable to obtain her degree when she was faced with financial constraints in 2012. She is now married with two sons and works with The World Bank Group as a Team Assistant.

When she is not working or caring for her sons, she spends her free time writing poems. She has just published her first book titled Nanu Sina: My Words. Caroline started writing children’s stories in 2018 when she discovered Library for All and has written over 25 stories; many of which have now been published and sent to children in Papua New Guinea.
Caroline kindly took some time to answer a few questions for us about her life and work.
Library For All works with authors and illustrators from around the world to create our responsive, relevant and diverse library.

Q. Library For All is going to publish some of your beautiful stories in our digital library. Have you always enjoyed creative writing or is this a new venture?
A. I’ve always loved creative writing. I remember in school my stories were used as examples for others to follow in writing.
Q. We’d like our readers to get to know you better. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
A. I started writing as early as when I was in elementary school. One thing that I realized I was good at was describing my environment. Because I spent my early years growing up in my remote village, the village had a huge impact on my writing. Then eventually, keeping a school journal boosted my writing hobby. So, when I discovered additional platforms where my writing could be exposed, I jumped on board, and Library For All is one of them.
Q. Can you tell us what benefits you think Library For All will bring to elementary schools and the PNG community?
A. One huge benefit would be providing reading materials that are relevant to our cultures and traditions. Most of the reading, writing and learning materials in our schools today are foreign materials that do not really resonate with us. Our culture is slowly fading and soon it will all be gone. LFA in a way is helping to preserve them.

Go to this link for more: https://libraryforall.org.au/2019/09/03/caroline-evari/?fbclid=IwAR0MJJwIjLKBPtXI9-7f9UR0lTj7Qi1i0rcETbs0DGgB6x4zC-b773-1mxI

Taking risks – is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Alphonse Huvi - "We have the choice of putting those doubts where they belong  - out of the way"

By ALPHONSE HUVI - PNG Attitude

TINPUTZ - The meaning of the word ‘risk’ is the possibility that something bad may happen.  As in, ‘it’s a risk’.

Author Mike Murdock has written that “most people choose to sit as spectators in the game of life rather than risk the arena of conflict to wear the crown of victory.”

I guess it comes back to each individual as to whether one is willing to take the risk of pursuing something they’re interested in and capable of doing.

So many times we ask ourselves a question starting with, ‘What if…’?

What if I do this and others think badly of me?

What if I do that and others disapprove?

What if I do the other and create enemies?

The ‘what if’ question troubles many people because it expresses the fear of facing the challenges that lie ahead.

We seem to allow low self-esteem to rule rather than tell ourselves we are capable of doing something.

We do have the choice of putting those doubts where they belong  - out of the way.

So taking risks can offer us benefits to enjoy. However, it also has the disadvantage that things may not go as we want. Then we have to face the consequences.

Of course, if we consider first what those consequences might be, and take steps to avoid them, we are better prepared to overcome the risks.

It comes back to making good choices. We make wise decisions and are likely to reap from them if we minimise the risk.

So taking a well thought-through risk can be beneficial.

So why are some people risk takers and other people not?

I don’t know. I guess it depends on who we are and what we’re prepared to do.

And on how carefully we work out what the risks might be, and how we can avoid them.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/07/taking-risks-is-this-a-good-thing-or-a-bad-thing.html

Women’s road to parliament can start with 50% of the bureaucracy

Tanya Zeriga Alone - "Hard to change men stuck in a culture that dictates women have no space in decision-making"

TANYA ZERIGA ALONE | Em Nau PNG Blog

PORT MORESBY - It was just 80 years ago that the hausman [men’s house] ruled.

Some of those men have just transitioned from the village hausman to the national hausman, also known as our parliament.

In Papua New Guinea’s paternalistic society, no woman sits in the hausman with the men.

This current generation of women is just one generation removed from PNG’s cultural past, and women in this age and time are still bound to the cultural roles of women, no matter how educated they are.

It is hard to fix culturally indoctrinated women and men. The present push to get women into parliament has never worked in the past – it is hard to liberate women who still live beneath the shadows of a culture of deferral to men.

It is hard to change men who are still stuck in a culture that dictates that women have no space in decision-making.

Our hope for change is in the next generation. Our hope rests on our girls and boys.

The real measure of an equal society is when girls can go to school and have same privileges as boys: when young women can run for the office of student representative, the same as young men; when women can stand up and speak their minds at a big meeting.

The strategy going forward must be to build confident girls who are assertive; while at the same time building confident boys who accept that women are as good at leading as boys are.

In time, confident boys and girls will transition into confident adults and function in an environment where women are judged on their leadership potential and not on their gender. That is the transition we should be pushing for as a 15-20 year strategy.

An immediate activity that may fast-track positive change right now is that the parliament, by law, should ensure that half of the senior, decision-making bureaucrats’ positions go to women.

In government, the rubber hits the road at the bureaucratic level not in politics. Politicians tend to be rubber stamps. The real decisions-makers and implementers of government programs are in the bureaucracy.

When a woman is in a decision making role, she will be inclusive - that’s a women’s trait. After all we run households and we are aware of and cater for all the people in our households.

Even if parliament is 100% men, decision-makers including 50% woman will be more considerate of the plight of women.

Women bureaucrats can change the society in five years; we don’t have to wait for 20.

And in time, it will be easier for a senior woman bureaucrat to transition to parliament because she will be good in what she is doing and she will know the working of the government.

She will have the respect of her male colleagues and she will be confident in her wisdom and knowledge.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/07/womens-road-to-parliament-can-start-with-50-of-the-bureaucracy.html

Crocodile Prize launches 2019 short story and poetry contests

The last Crocodile Prize awards in 2017 were hosted by writer Martyn Namorong, himself one of the first award winners in 2011

By KEITH JACKSON - PNG Attitude

PORT MORESBY – Poets and short story writers can fire up their computers and blow the dust off their notebooks now that Crocodile Prizeorganisers have announced the launch of the 2019 awards in both these important genres of writing in Papua New Guinea.

Both awards have a tight deadline for entries of Saturday 31 August and offer large cash prizes as well as publication in the prestigious 2019 Crocodile Prize Anthology.

The winning short story will be awarded to the best original, narrative-based prose by a Papua New Guinean author.

There no strict word limit but judging will be based on quality ahead of quantity.

Contest organisers say creativity and originality are important and highly considered will be the relevance of the perspectives presented as well as style, coherence of ideas, form and structure.

Previous short story winners were Jeffrey Mani Febi (2011), Charlotte Vada (2012), Leonard Fong Roka (2013), Agnes Maineke (2014), Hazel Kutkue (2015) and Alison Kult (2016).

There was no short story award in 2017 and no Crocodile Prize contest in 2018.

The award for poetry is keenly contested and in previous years this category has always had by far the most entries.

Many exceptional poems have been written and judges have never found it easy to select the most outstanding.

Winners in previous years were Jimmy Drekore (2011), Michael Dom (2012), Lapieh Landu (2013), Diddie Kinamun Jackson (2014), Philip Kaua Gena (2015) and Wardley D Barry-Igivisa (2016) and Annie Dori (2017).

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/07/crocodile-prize-launches-2019-short-story-and-poetry-contests.html

An extraordinary book that goes beyond the headlines

An extraordinary book that goes beyond the headlines

SUSAN FRANCIS | Good Reads

My Walk to Equality: Essays, Stories and Poetry by Papua New Guinean Women, edited by Rashmii Amoah Bell, Pukpuk Publications 2017, paperback, 278 pages. ISBN-10: 1542429242. Available from Amazon, paper US$10.53, Kindle US$0.93

MAYFIELD, NSW - First let me say this is an extraordinary book. I learnt so much.

Sometimes I was confronted, most dreadfully, by choices demanded of the individuals depicted, and at other times my heart swelled with hope.

In a collection of short stories, poetry and essays edited by Rashmii Amoah Bell, women describe and discuss their relationships, complicated gender issues and the idea of legacy in contemporary Papua New Guinea.

Reading the texts, I was profoundly moved by the significance education holds for the individual writers and the importance attached to a sense of place, faith and family.

However, what affected me most was the recognition that the women writers all shared a strong, unbreakable ethical framework.

Their values- resilience, patience, determination and purity of action were highlighted consistently across the collection - despite the sometimes tragic boundaries life imposes on women in PNG.

The stark reality of separateness between men and women - there was a tactile sense of it practically rubbing off the pages onto my fingertips - certainly should not have surprised me, nor the violence.

But because most of the stories were written in first person and the experiences expressed clearly and honestly, the challenges existing between genders confronted me at a visceral level.

I knew it. I’d watched it. But the narratives provided me with a fresh, individual perspective.

Finally, the overwhelming take away for me was the strength forged in PNG women.

I recommend this small, modest, very special book if you want to read beyond the headlines and be reminded of what is important in life.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/07/an-extraordinary-book-that-goes-beyond-the-headlines.html

Author wants more PNG books written and read

By ALPHONSE BARIASI - The National

AN author and mother of two from Northern has just published a collection of poems following her success in writing more than 20 children’s story books.
Caroline Evari says the poetry in Nanu Sina: My Words is divided into four themes: Conflict (fear, doubt, anger, worry, disobedience); relationships (love, heartache, violence, regret and loneliness); hope (the future, persistence, determination, struggle and survival); and family (advice, mothers, siblings, children and a celebration of life).
“My main message portrayed in the book is freedom of expression through writing,” the mother of two boys says.
“I find that when it comes to expressing themselves, most people find it difficult. One way of expressing yourself is through writing and I find poetry to be an ideal platform for me.”
Evari plans to publish several other books soon.
She draws her inspiration from her experiences and surroundings.
She says a lot of students today are spending more time on their phones than in reading books.
“As a result, there is less interest in reading or writing and I see that the literature level is decreasing. If you go on social media such as Facebook, you will find a lot of grammatical errors, this itself is a reflection on the country’s literature.
“Papua New Guinea is land of oral story tellers, we should be producing great writers too.”
Evari is the last of six children born to Alphonse and Margaret Evari from Northern. Her dad is a retired mechanic who was once the workshop manager for the NCD Parts and Services.
He retired in 1997 to contest the national election and the family moved to Musa, in Northern.
“There weren’t many schools in the village so even though I was supposed to be in Elementary 2, I ended doing Grade 5 in one year and spent the rest of the year in the village being an ordinary village kid,” Evari says.
“In 2001, my dad brought me over to Moresby and I was enrolled at the St Peter Channel Primary School in Erima in 2002 where I did Grade 5 and completed Grade 8 in 2005.
“I then passed to Mariaville Secondary School to do Grade 9 in 2006 and completed Grade 12 in 2009.
“I was accepted to do Science Foundation at the university in 2010 and after completing the third year in Computer Science in 2012, I decided to look for employment because my family could not send me back to complete my final year.
Evari developed a liking for poetry when she was 15 years old.
Nanu Sina: My Words is not her first published work. She had writer four children’s illustrated story books already.
The winner of awards under the Crocodile Prize competition, she recommends aspiring PNG writers to try entering it.
“This is a good platform for increasing interests in literature. The competition currently has prize awards for four categories: Women in writing; children’s writing; essay and journalism; and heritage writing.
“The prize for each category is K5,000 and I would like to call upon a potential sponsor for a “Schools Writing” category to get schools to compete. This is another way of generating interest.”
Evari has also embarked on a voluntary journey called “The NCD school talk series” as part of her book promotion drive.
“I will be speaking to students about:
My journey and experience as a Papua New Guinean writer;
The importance of writing and publishing as a Papua New Guinean; and
The platforms available for aspiring writers.
Evari encourages PNG writing because she says there are too many foreign materials in this country, including reading, writing and learning materials.
“Western culture is taking over and soon our culture will disappear completely.
I have been advocating for the need to preserve our heritage through writing and publishing. We need to instill in our next generation the importance of preserving our languages, traditional values and ways before it is too late.
“There is also a need for PNG authored books to be placed on every library in this country. We need our children to be reading our own stories.
Stories that are of relevance to our ways and those that they can resonate with and pick out practical lessons from.
“A country without literature is a country without identity. Hence, we need to take ownership of literature in this country.”
Evari has spent six years working as a team assistant with the World Bank Group PNG Country Office.
She has been writing since she was seven years old and has authored more than 20 children’s story books with the Library for All.
Her first four books developed into picture books are Zuki The crocodile, Old Mulga And The Pawpaw Tree, Zach And His Toy Truck and Let’s Go Up To The Mountain.
Evari is a contributing author to the My Walk to Equality anthology the first ever of writing from Papua New Guinean women. She has also written for the Crocodile Prize competition and spillwords.com and maintains a blog titled Every Battle on wordpress.com, Facebook and Instagram.
Her mission is to inspire a generation of aspiring writers to preserve our heritage through writing and publishing, produce reading, writing and learning materials relevant to PNG culture, traditions and surrounding, and one day have PNG authored books in libraries throughout the country.

Go to this link for more: https://www.thenational.com.pg/author-wants-more-png-books-written-and-read/

My journey as a writer – Part II

By CAROLINE EVARI - PNG Attitude

PORT MORESBY - My hands shake as I break open two boxes that have been collecting dust in my house.

Two years ago the generous Phil Fitzpatrick sent me two boxes of books after I made a plea for books to be donated for Safia Community School back in my home village of Musa, which was in dire need of reading materials, especially books.

Given the remoteness of the school with the only land access being by a bush track, which takes five days to walk, my desire to have the books delivered did not work out.

The last time I had been on a plane to Musa was in 1997. Chartering flights is expensive and sadly not an affordable option.

So I left the boxes in the corner of my house unopened and collecting dust.

But there had been a cost involved in getting the books to me, and my responsibility was to ensure that they reached the promised destination. I had to keep my word.

It was not until I started my series of school talks about writing and publication that the idea of distributing free copies of the books to the schools hit me.

I wrote to Phil asking his permission to distribute free copies to the schools in the National Capital District and he replied, saying “as long as some kids somewhere read them, it’s fine with me”.

The books are a collection of Crocodile Prize anthologies, books authored by Papua New Guineans such as Marlene Dee Gray Potoura, Daniel Kombun, Francis Nii, James Thomas, Leonard Fong Roka, books written by Phil himself, and a copy of My Walk to Equality.

I will also add five copies of Nanu Sina to this collection for the first 10 schools that invite me.

So, over the coming months, I will also be promoting these books, especially, the Crocodile Prize anthologies and My Walk to Equality.

The Crocodile Prize Anthologies speak volumes and if there is a sponsor out there who can put forward a K5000 prize for a school’s category, then this would be good.

One thing I would like to see come out of my visits is the participation of students and teachers in the competition. The prize money could go a long way in supporting the school.

The My Walk to Equality (MWTE) Anthology is another book that will play a major role in generating interests from female students to take heed of the Women in writing category of the Crocodile Prize this year.

As a female writer and author who grew her wings under the literary competition, I believe that is a way forward for boosting the country’s literature and increasing the involvement of female participation.

It enables them to perceive writing and publishing in a whole new perspective. There is also a need for additional copies of the MWTE anthology.

Three schools have already reached out to me and I am expecting more schools to respond. As I wrote in interview with Betty Wakia, if I can create a ripple effect from my achievement of having my book published, then I know I have played my part in contributing to a worthy course.

I am reachable at caroline.evari@gmail.com for schools who may like to contact me.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/06/my-journey-as-a-writer-part-ii.html

Combating gender-based violence must be a government priority

FIONA HUKULA | National Research Institute | Edited

PORT MORESBY - In his maiden speech as prime minister, James Marape, stated that Papua New Guinea’s economy will be the key priority for his government.

Mr Marape also reiterated the need to maximise local benefits from the extraction of the country’s natural resources.

It is important to note that a strong and resilient economy will have a positive impact on men, women and children.

However, a prosperous, secure and equitable society requires continued and concerted effort in addressing fundamental problems that affects women and children. Gender-based violence is a key issue which requires continued government attention.

All forms of violence against women and children such as rape, sexual assault and violence related to sorcery accusation affects individuals, families and communities.

Violence against women affects their mental and physical health; and their mobility and productivity.

In the case of children, violence in the home affects their education and general well-being.

Significant progress has been made in terms of instituting a response and raising awareness about violence against women, however there is still much to be done.

The National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence 2016-2025 was endorsed in December 2016 by the cabinet that now prime minister Marape was part of.

But to date the National Gender-Based Violence Secretariat has not been set up.

At present the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC) continues to champion the work in addressing family and sexual violence and gender-based violence.

A number of provinces have taken the initiative to address family and sexual violence and wider gender-based violence issues through provincial Family and Sexual Violence Action Committees.

Sorcery accusation-related violence continues to be an ongoing problem in certain provinces.

The national action plan to address sorcery accusation and related violence was endorsed in 2015 and the Department of Justice and Attorney General and the FSVAC provides leadership in rolling out the plan to selected provinces.

Better coordination and assistance for survivors of sorcery accusation and related violence is needed as it can lead to extreme forms of violence, displacement, stigma and social isolation.

Key target areas for attention include:

Government ownership of the gender-based violence agenda through high level coordination at the national level.

Adequate allocation of resources and increased support for referral pathways.

A holistic approach towards addressing the needs of survivors, perpetrators and their families.

Gender-based violence will continue to be a major social problem in PNG and it is incumbent that the present government continues to support the strengthening of the referral pathways so that survivors can access timely medical, social and legal care.

While there needs to be more research into the area of perpetrator programs, it is becoming evident that this is a gap in the provision of gender-based violence services available in the country.

A holistic, locally owned and driven response to gender-based violence will hopefully see more perpetrators being held to account for their behaviour and a decrease in violence against women and children in PNG.

Dr Fiona Hukula is Building Safer Communities Program Leader at the PNG National Research Institute

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/06/combating-gender-based-violence-must-be-a-govt-priority.html

Sheena’s writing journey: The hobby that became a way of life

Sheena Simololo - "When our traditions are translated to the written word, we are helping to preserve them"

By BEN JACKSON - PNG Attitude

Link here to Sheena Simelolo’s beautiful heritage story, The Kitoro

PORT MORESBY - Today Sheena Simelolo inspires a new generation of writers as an English literature tutor at the University of Goroka, but her own love of writing was sparked years before as a secondary student.

She was challenged by a teacher at Marianville Secondary School in Port Moresby, who had taken note of Sheena’s burgeoning literary interest and challenged her to put pen to paper.

“I started writing because of school,” Sheena said, “a defining moment was when I was in Grade 10 – my English teacher, Ms Rosa Kedarosi, made us write short fictional stories every weekend.

“She would either give us the beginning or the ending and it was up to us to complete the story.

“I was always interested in writing short stories – I was a great reader and most of my writing was inspired by the books I read.

“I loved reading books that were based on true stories or that depicted real-life situations.”

Sheena’s writing flourished and upon completing high school she decided to study for a Bachelor of Education, Language and Literature at the University of Goroka, where her passion transformed in to a way of life.

It was in her final year at university that Sheena first heard of the Crocodile Prize – the national literary awards – but was uncertain of whether to enter.

Nonetheless, she continued writing for her own enjoyment and became proficient at using fictional tales as a means to explore cultural and social issues.

After the completion of her studies, Sheena returned to Marianville Secondary – this time to teach year nine English and Social Science.

This was followed by a year-long stint at St Paul’s Lutheran Secondary in Enga and two years in Milne Bay teaching at Cameron High School.

In 2018, she moved to her present role in Goroka and this year, deciding the time had come to make her writing public, entered a short story, ‘The Kitoro’ ,in the Crocodile Prize’s Cleland Award for Heritage Literature.

The story is a reflection on her ancestry in the Rigo District of Central Province.

“Our unique cultures and traditions are mostly orally preserved – passed by word of mouth from generation to generation,” Sheena said.

“Writing is a new concept to our society.  When our traditions are translated to the written word, I feel it has a lasting impression and that we are helping to preserve our traditions.

“I wrote about how a young Rigo girl and boy would become a couple while performing the traditional dance called the Kitoro – my uncles told me it is a form of love dance.”

The piece struck a chord with many readers and received an overwhelmingly positive response, including from political science lecturer Bomai Witne who described it as “a very beautiful story of our purposeful art of dressing, dancing, building relationships and acknowledging the source of knowledge and inspiration.”

Sheena also believes that writing is a particularly important outlet for women in PNG.

In 2019, Abt Associates is sponsoring the Crocodile Prize Award for Women’s Literature, which will be given for the most outstanding piece of writing that reflects the distinct and diverse perspectives of Papua New Guinean women.

“It is very important to have a platform for Papua New Guinean women writers because most of us don’t have a voice,” Sheena said.

“Our voices are usually heard through our fathers, brothers, uncles, pastors…..

“We really are silenced, we are the scapegoats for the society’s wrongs and, thus, writing is a unique way to air our views and be heard as functioning members of our society.”

True to her instincts as a teacher, Sheena wants all young Papua New Guineans – women, men, girls and boys – to join her in documenting PNG’s past and present.

“I would like to encourage all young Papua New Guineans to make it their business to preserve their cultures and traditions by writing them down,” she said.

“Interview your grandparents or anyone who is knowledgeable about your way of life.

“Write the songs, chants, parables, fables and the way you build your houses, your canoes, make your gardens, go fishing – these are just some of the many things that you can document and preserve your cultures.

“If we don’t, we will become strangers in our land.”

Read Sheena’s story The Kitoro here

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/06/sheenas-writing-journey-the-hobby-that-became-a-way-of-life.html

My journey as a writer – Part I

By CAROLINE EVARI - PNG  Attitude

PORT MORESBY - Not knowing where my journey in writing would take me, I kept brushing away the idea of getting my long overdue collection of poems published. One reason: Fear.

Fear that people may not like my poems. Fear that I may not have the money to pay for publication. Fear of what other people would say about me.

I had a colleague who discovered my talent in writing and introduced me to the Crocodile Prize literary competition in 2013.  The journey from then gave me a whole new perception.

When I realised that people liked my writing, I became so determined to improve.

As I told in my recent interview with Betty Wakia, ‘Choose to rise above every circumstance,’ I tried networking with other writers.

It wasn’t easy because I had a demanding job, but I made every opportunity count. I wrote for websites, blogs, participated in writing prompts and created my own blog.

One of my favourite poems I submitted to the Spillwords website, ‘Slow Down’, is targeted at workaholics and busy-bees who stress themselves day in and day out as if their trying to save the world. I used to be like that too.

Through the Crocodile Prize and Keith Jackson, I was introduced to Rashmii Amoa Bell and ‘My Walk to Equality’, the first ever collection of PNG women’s writing.

My story of how I was once a village girl, ‘Run hard - & don't look back until you achieve your goal’, inspired a good number of readers and that was another wake up call for me.

I wanted to inspire more people, especially young girls and people who travel to city in search of education and better life. I wanted to show them that you don’t have to follow the crowd all the time.

You can step aside, choose your own path, take your own journey, and write your own story.

The publication of my poetry collection, ‘Nanu Sina: My Words’, is by far my greatest achievement in my writing journey.

Apart from the publication of children’s story books I authored for Library for All, ‘Nanu Sina’ is very much my sweat and toil. If you ask me how I feel about it, my response would be, ‘it’s like I am living in my dreams’.

I want the same experience to be felt by more and more young people. I want them to know that you don’t necessarily have to be so smart and intelligent to be able to achieve something in your life. It takes courage and determination to pursue your dreams.

The little steps you take each day get bigger and bigger. And, for anyone who has a passion for writing, do develop it.

There is a great need for Papua New Guinean writers. School libraries need books that tell stories about our cultures, traditions, legends, myths, values and beliefs. Becoming a writer should be one of your dreams.

I had the privilege of sharing my stories with the kids at Koro International School at the school library last Wednesday. The response from the students was impressive and they wanted to know if there are other Papua New Guinean writers.

I will be reaching out to school principals in the coming weeks to do a similar presentation to all schools in Port Moresby.

You never know where your passion can take you until you start paying attention to it. Find it, embrace it, take the risk and run with it.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/06/my-journey-as-a-writer-part-i.html

Bare Feet In Heels

Betty Chapau - "I always believed that one good thing that came out of colonialism was education. Eventually education will break down the cage"

BETTY S CHAPAU | The Crocodile Prize
Abt Associates Award for Women’s Writing

The Southern Cross had advised the coming of the Trade Winds and the beautiful island women rose majestically from the platform of their outrigger canoes, lifting conch shells to mouths and blowing in unison. They were announcing the coming of the Trade Winds.

The Solomon and Bismarck Seas carried the melody of their voices toward the mainland. Guarding the coastline stood the women, swaying in vibrant-coloured grass-skirts.

They raised their hands to welcome this familiar voice and greeted it with smiles of gratitude. They strengthened the message of their island sisters with the beating of kundus resounding into the mountains.

Emerging from the mountaintop, radiant like the birds of paradise, stood the women of the mountains. They danced, sang and embraced this beautiful message of unity.

From islands to highlands stretched this unity of diverse beauty. Colourful bodies glowed with shades of red, black and gold. Despite the multiplicity of their languages, there was a common sense of pride that threaded through their tongues. These are us, the resilient women of Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinean women are blessed with a kind of strength that can stand the test of rough seas, fast flowing rivers and rugged terrain. Though the labour of the land has calloused our soles and palms, there is a sense of softness in the warmth and comfort of our embrace.

Our bodies carry the stories of our clans, intricately mapped onto our skin. We preserve traditional legends intertwined in the weaving of our baskets and bilums. We have curly, kinky and wavy hair that never wavers as we balance the weight of our homes on our heads.

An array of melanin amour embroidered on our skin glimmers every time the sun kisses the horizon and the moon rises. Our bodies embellished with scars from rebellious youth adventures make us sentimental every time we tell our stories.

These are the same stories that have grounded and seasoned us into strong Papua New Guinean women. The stories with an underlying message of how, so often, we dimmed our own light so the men would shine brighter. For a long time we have felt misunderstood.

Chimamanda Adichie writes in ‘We Should All Be Feminists’: “A thousand years ago. Because human beings lived then in a world in which physical strength was the most important attribute for survival; the physically stronger person was more likely to lead.”

This I believe to be one of the main factors of how our traditional hierarchy was designed, one where men are often leaders of clans. On the other hand, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution teaches us that, for life to continue and for us to survive, we must learn how to evolve and adapt to a changing world.

Thus traditional cultures and gender responsibilities continue to evolve with time. However, in Papua New Guinea, we seem to believe differently and we are deeply rooted in the ways of our ancestors.

This may be admirable but most of the rules that governed our ancestors were made by men. This unwillingness to adapt with the passage of time has caused ripple effects that have left Papua New Guinean women disadvantaged relative to our male counterparts.

So today the world is moving on and we are trying desperately to adapt while trapped in a cage.

This cage had been built according to the instructions of a manual written in the time of our ancestors and it makes us feels so helpless that its bars will take a long time to be broken down.

Even before we are born, our society has made a pedestal for us and God forbid that we fall down or go against the grain. Instead, we become the pedestal and hurt our edges fitting into a mold that wasn’t customised for us.

The stagnant Papua New Guinean culture sees women as a liability with the exception of our bride price.

To be born female in this country is to inherit a mostly foreseen future, to bear a fatherless child or endure an abusive husband or perhaps be so lucky to embrace a wonderful husband. But the worst scenario is to be unmarried.

The quality of our life, it seems, depends on the kind man we settle with and is rarely about the kind of person we are. We are conditioned into believing these are the only options we should aspire to.

The opportunity for education is most often not guaranteed but falling pregnant has always been expected. We are required to learn how to cook, clean and keep a house hospitable. It is important for us to learn these skills for survival. Shouldn’t our brothers be taught the same?

We grow up disciplined in a manner that makes us feel we’re always wrong. Is this the reason we often say “sorry” even for little things not our fault?

We are taught to respect everyone around us and never talk back. Consequently, we don’t know if we should speak up because of fear to be disrespectful if we do. Our society questions and scolds our decisions when we don’t follow their social rules.

Most often our society blames us first when we find ourselves in unfair situations because we are always expected to know better. Yet, our society never seems to question the social norms and cultural lifestyle that gave them their beliefs and perspectives.

The way our society defines us Papua New Guinean women is like looking at an optical illusion. Are we the beautiful statue on the pedestal or are we the pedestal instead? And what if we don’t want to be either?

I believe as human beings we become products of our own environment. We continue cultural practices that have been passed from one generation to another and that we know to be right and just. Our people are so comfortable with what they know that change seems to have a stigma attached to it.

I am fortunate to have had the opportunity of education that has given me the chance to see Papua New Guinea through a different lens than the one I grew up with.  My mother’s exposure to western culture has also taught her how to balance two very different worlds.

She often reminded me that if I wanted to walk in high heels, I should also be able to walk bare feet on the ground.

Even though I am fortunate to express my true self, it is only limited to being within my immediate family. When I’m outside my home, I no longer have my freedom to express my individuality or my human rights. I have to confine myself to this cage because society will judge and criticise me.

The part I fear most is that I could get physically, mentally and emotionally hurt just for wanting to have the freedom to be myself. I can’t express myself through fashion because society sees what I wear as an invitation to be catcalled or raped.

I can’t speak up for myself without fear of being physically attacked or verbally abused. I’ve been told to accept that being abused by my boyfriend or husband is normal because it’s part of being in a relationship.

I’ve seen our PNG women candidates lose in elections, a major factor being that our gender is stereotyped as incapable of leadership.

Each of these is an unfortunate reality I’ve experienced and observed. They are a discomforting reflection of our society and where we stand in this world.

Our parents and guardians and their parents and guardians before them raised us as best as they knew. They unintentionally continued with the same rules from one generation to another, despite that they may not have been appropriate in a world continuously evolving. This does not discredit the value of the disciplines and manners they used over time.

I always believed that one good thing that came out of colonialism was education. We should focus more on improving the quality of education in our country. The opportunity of education helps us filter out cultural traditions and ignorant beliefs that are no longer healthy.

Education teaches and guides us on how we can preserve our culture and create new ones that are appropriate for the time we are in. Education also helps us to see our cultural lifestyle from a new perspective where we may not always divide our roles and responsibilities in terms of physical strength and gender.

More importantly, quality education enables Papua New Guinean women to avoid letting our lights stay dimmed. It allows the freedom to express our individuality without fear.

Eventually education will break down that cage that keeps us from finding our vocations and living our true authentic selves. Ergo, I beg you to change the lens from which you view our country and allow good change for a better Papua New Guinea.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/06/bare-feet-in-heels.html

My words on a poetic tour de force from Caroline Evari

Caroline Evari poses with her new collection of poetry, Nanu Sina

RASHMII AMOAH BELL

BRISBANE - I had the good fortune to mentor Papua New Guinean writer Caroline Evari who has just published a new collection of poetry, ‘Nanu Sina: My Words’.

It is an exciting time as Caroline celebrates this success, and in the interview with Betty Wakia that follows, she reflects on how she maximised the sparse moments between the manic juggling of career, life demands and motherhood.

In these moments, Caroline created, drafted redrafted and refined her manuscript before submitting it to Port Moresby-based publisher, JDT Publications, run by Jordan Dean.

It is also a joyous time as family, friends, colleagues and fellow writers have been forthcoming in praising and admiring the book’s publication.

Amongst all this, Caroline continues to diligently attend to the significant task required of published authors - promoting and marketing her work to engage with a wide audience and, of course, sell books.

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are accessible, low-cost and wide-reaching social-media platforms available for effective online marketing. And PNG Attitude was quick off the mark with a first review of the book which Keith Jackson described as “a collection of sublime Melanesian verse from a poet of perception.”

And, at Caroline’s invitation, I offer a few comments about ‘Nanu Sina’, focusing my thoughts on her poetry contained within section III of the collection and themed ‘Hope’.

Perhaps reflective of my own motivation for advocacy writing, I was interested to learn how Caroline would define ‘hope’ and how she would visualise it within herself, in front of and around her, and how she would convey this through poetic prose.

The section begins with a clarion call for ‘Success’; believing in oneself, taking ownership and leaving nothing to chance. Such are the daily motivations one might need.

But it is Caroline’s insistence that there are “so many dreams waiting to be realised” in which hope is crystallised as the universal notion it ought to be.

Hope is something for everyone, to be envisioned at any time and in any place. It is especially significant for the Papua New Guinean reader.

The gift of parenthood and its blessings are narrated through ‘Words of Life’, which offers an insight to Caroline’s experience as a mother-of-two. I feel only appreciation and admiration for her willingness to share her personal life-changing moments that succeeded in renewing what had been a fast-fading hope.

‘Acceptance’ is Caroline’s prescription for active gratitude, an assertion of resoluteness and determination, a marching onwards as the crux of a positive outlook in life. Whilst ‘A Man's Struggle for Survival’ is every writers anthem (if not hourly mantra) for doing what they do and to keep returning to do it the day after, and all the next days beyond -

“I write on full speed
I write with great heed
My work is a need
To bring good deed.”

It is the words of ‘Act’ in which Caroline provokes the reader to contemplate the potential of both cultivating, but enacting hope.

“The earth will not rotate unless you speak / The rain will not fall unless you fight,” she insists.

These words seem indicative of Caroline’s definition of how we need to take a stand against those who would rob us of feeling of hope, the type of people I distance myself from, in a life driven and navigated through by hope.

They are words through which Caroline inspires hope within me.

In support of this wonderful book, I invited fellow Papua New Guinean writer and staunch women’s rights advocate, Betty Wakia, to interview Caroline. The interview follows below.

Go to this link for more: https://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2019/05/my-words-on-a-poetic-tour-de-force-from-caroline-evari.html