This time of year is a hectic one for me as I work at a university and our annual cycle of work is often dictated by the arrival of students in September.
Although I've been pretty busy, out of curiosity I asked one of my colleagues if they knew how many Papua New Guinean students there are studying here. We certainly see a lot of international students but I had no idea how many (if any) were from PNG.
I was disappointed to learn that over the last few years there have been no more than 6 people from PNG registering and only some of those actually arriving to start their studies here. It is certainly a long way to travel, and to be so far from family and friends would definitely put me off.
There are several universities in Papua New Guinea and lots of career specific colleges to study at too, as you can see from this list of approved Institutes of Higher Education from the Office of Higher Education. Even if you were looking for a world class institution then there are 9 of the top 50 by reputation that are much closer than coming to the United Kingdom.
So really I should not have been so surprised!
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Monday, 8 September 2014
Amazing Earth: Mount Tavurvur
Apparently Papua New Guinea is experiencing a lot of seismic activity at the moment. I'm not sure whether this is standard for the area, but as an island situated on the meeting point of two major tectonic plates, the Pacific and the Australian, then it's perhaps not a surprise!
Here is a fantastic video of the eruption of Mount Tavurvur volcano on August 29th, 2014, captured by Phil McNamara. The camera was about 4.5km (2.5miles) away from the explosion and the shockwave can clearly be seen, even blowing away the clouds!
As far as I can tell everyone living locally received plenty of warning and there were no casualties, which is excellent news but it is still a scary thing to happen on your doorstep.
Here are a few more amazing pictures of Mount Tavurvur taken a few years ago by Flickr user Taro Taylor.
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Supporting the little team with the big heart
The new football (soccer) season has just started here in England and with it comes the excited chatter of fans from around the country. My favourite type of supporter (and perhaps it's no surprise my husband is one of these) is the often resigned fan of a team that doesn't always do well, but always tries to be the best it can be. I feel as though national sport in Papua New Guinea is a bit like this team.
The more I read about the country as a whole, the more I hear of the corruption of big business, institutions and politics. I've also become aware of inherent inequalities such as access to healthcare in remote areas and the status of gay relationships. There is no doubt an external bias that skews my viewpoint here, but despite these issues, I still feel like championing PNG, especially in sport. My travels over the internet exploring Papua New Guinea haven't all been doom and gloom. I've also found out about the many organisations that are doing great things in communities across PNG, especially those related to sport.
Cricket PNG not only has a grand program of school cricket that has been touring schools since 2010, but also a range of initiatives called Kriket Blo Olgeta which includes disability cricket, women's teams, international matches and village and traditional games. Cricket PNG promotes all these through it's Facebook page right alongside the first team events, which shows how important the grass-roots game is to the national organisation.
Other sports are also involved in encouraging participation across the country. Rugby PNG run schools and community work in tandem with international organisations. Athletics PNG, who have been going for over 50 years, run athletics events in more than half of the 15 provinces, and aim to expand that even further so that all up-and-coming sports stars have the opportunity to get involved.
Wherever you are, when a sports team profile is raised it often means that there will be more funding for the projects that help get ordinary people engaged. I can see that sports organisations in PNG find it important to bring their games to everyone and that is something I can firmly cheer on.
If international sport is like the Premiership then to me PNG is the little team that may not win the cup, but that I'm proud to support because it's heart is firmly in the right place.
The more I read about the country as a whole, the more I hear of the corruption of big business, institutions and politics. I've also become aware of inherent inequalities such as access to healthcare in remote areas and the status of gay relationships. There is no doubt an external bias that skews my viewpoint here, but despite these issues, I still feel like championing PNG, especially in sport. My travels over the internet exploring Papua New Guinea haven't all been doom and gloom. I've also found out about the many organisations that are doing great things in communities across PNG, especially those related to sport.
PNG Women's Cricket team winning their latest trophy. Photo: Skerah
Cricket PNG not only has a grand program of school cricket that has been touring schools since 2010, but also a range of initiatives called Kriket Blo Olgeta which includes disability cricket, women's teams, international matches and village and traditional games. Cricket PNG promotes all these through it's Facebook page right alongside the first team events, which shows how important the grass-roots game is to the national organisation.
Photo from the Cricket PNG Facebook page
Other sports are also involved in encouraging participation across the country. Rugby PNG run schools and community work in tandem with international organisations. Athletics PNG, who have been going for over 50 years, run athletics events in more than half of the 15 provinces, and aim to expand that even further so that all up-and-coming sports stars have the opportunity to get involved.
Wherever you are, when a sports team profile is raised it often means that there will be more funding for the projects that help get ordinary people engaged. I can see that sports organisations in PNG find it important to bring their games to everyone and that is something I can firmly cheer on.
If international sport is like the Premiership then to me PNG is the little team that may not win the cup, but that I'm proud to support because it's heart is firmly in the right place.
Thursday, 7 August 2014
PNG Nature - Papuan Frogmouths
Say "Gude" to the Papuan Frogmouth, a bird that is a native of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Australia.
The frogmouth may not be as pretty as the Kumul bird of paradise that graces the PNG flag, but it's not the most ugly bird in the world either*. Instead the Frogmouth's appeal is in it's rumoured method for catching prey which (if true) mean it is an awesomelylazy energy conserving creature.
While it can move from tree to tree catching small lizards, frogs and rodents it is suggested that it's also able to lie in wait for insects who simply fly into its open beak. Apparently it manages this by having a sort of intriguing halitosis that attracts bugs on the look-out for food. Instead of finding a tasty meal, the insects become one as the frogmouth closes it's huge mouth. Superbly efficient for the bird, a little bit disappointing for the bug.
If you think the Papuan Frogmouth looks smug you could be right - If I could attract pizza to my mouth just by opening it, I'd be pretty smug too!
For more pictures of the frogmouth visit http://beautyofbirds.com/papuanfrogmouths.html
*The accolade of ugliest bird surely belongs to the Frogmouth's cousin the hilarious Potoo from South America (go ahead and have a look, it's worth it!)
The frogmouth may not be as pretty as the Kumul bird of paradise that graces the PNG flag, but it's not the most ugly bird in the world either*. Instead the Frogmouth's appeal is in it's rumoured method for catching prey which (if true) mean it is an awesomely
While it can move from tree to tree catching small lizards, frogs and rodents it is suggested that it's also able to lie in wait for insects who simply fly into its open beak. Apparently it manages this by having a sort of intriguing halitosis that attracts bugs on the look-out for food. Instead of finding a tasty meal, the insects become one as the frogmouth closes it's huge mouth. Superbly efficient for the bird, a little bit disappointing for the bug.
If you think the Papuan Frogmouth looks smug you could be right - If I could attract pizza to my mouth just by opening it, I'd be pretty smug too!
For more pictures of the frogmouth visit http://beautyofbirds.com/papuanfrogmouths.html
*The accolade of ugliest bird surely belongs to the Frogmouth's cousin the hilarious Potoo from South America (go ahead and have a look, it's worth it!)
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
PNG at the Commonwealth Games - Glasgow 2014
Well, the Commonwealth Games is over for another four years, and though England topped the table, Papua New Guinea came a creditable 16 out of 71 nations.
Thanks to the disqualification of an Indian weightlifter Dika Toua's Silver medal was upgraded to a Gold, giving the country it's best finish in the Commonwealth Games ever. The last (and only other) time that PNG got 2 medals was in 2006 and that was a Gold/Silver combo, so this is another grand achievement by the the 90-strong team.
Both medals came in weightlifting - Steven Kukuna Kari getting a straight Gold in the first week of the competition - but there were many other personal bests picked up along the way.
I hope the athletes are able to bring back some of the excitement of the games to PNG and encourage more of the nations sportsmen and women to reach their world class standard. However for me, the thrill is of watching teams from all backgrounds working hard and challenging themselves on a positive platform like the one we saw at Glasgow 2014. I can't wait to see how Papua New Guinea manage to build on this in Australia in four years time.
Go PNG!
Friday, 1 August 2014
Rugby League World Cup - November 2013
Back in early 2013, we heard the great news that the Rugby League World Cup was coming to our local stadium. Then we found that the match was to be New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea and I jumped at the opportunity to take up the flag of my cousin's birthplace and wave it as if it were my own.
Headingley stadium is home to (amongst other teams) Leeds Rhinos and their fans were out in force on the Friday in early November when we went to watch the game. I'm not sure if it was the British "fair play" attitude of supporting the underdog, or the fact that PNG player Paul Aiton had just signed for the Rhinos that meant that the crowds were firmly behind the Kumuls that evening.
As we walked to the ground I proudly wore my flag on my shoulders, sweeping up the street with a flag (temporarily) tattooed on my cheek. In the stadium I saw song sheets being distributed and a few PNG scarves but it wasn't until the game was underway did the extend of the support become apparent. The chant going round the ground was "Oh Papua New Guinea" to the tune of the bass line from "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes. At times it filled the stadium and there would have been no doubt in the PNG players' minds that we were behind them all the way.
Despite the home crowd's support, PNG's first half was pretty poor against the might of the All Blacks, and by half time the score was a painful 40-0. When they returned to cheers for the second half however, the Papua New Guineans were determined not to lie down and fought hard to achieve 10 points that received spine-tingling roars from the fans. The game ended 56-10 but that second half was well worth the wait!
Visit the Rugby League World Cup website to read the match report.
Headingley stadium is home to (amongst other teams) Leeds Rhinos and their fans were out in force on the Friday in early November when we went to watch the game. I'm not sure if it was the British "fair play" attitude of supporting the underdog, or the fact that PNG player Paul Aiton had just signed for the Rhinos that meant that the crowds were firmly behind the Kumuls that evening.
Before the game.
As we walked to the ground I proudly wore my flag on my shoulders, sweeping up the street with a flag (temporarily) tattooed on my cheek. In the stadium I saw song sheets being distributed and a few PNG scarves but it wasn't until the game was underway did the extend of the support become apparent. The chant going round the ground was "Oh Papua New Guinea" to the tune of the bass line from "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes. At times it filled the stadium and there would have been no doubt in the PNG players' minds that we were behind them all the way.
Paul Aiton with the ball from the YEP match report.
Photo: Steve Riding
Despite the home crowd's support, PNG's first half was pretty poor against the might of the All Blacks, and by half time the score was a painful 40-0. When they returned to cheers for the second half however, the Papua New Guineans were determined not to lie down and fought hard to achieve 10 points that received spine-tingling roars from the fans. The game ended 56-10 but that second half was well worth the wait!
Three more PNG fans here!
Visit the Rugby League World Cup website to read the match report.
Wednesday, 30 July 2014
PNG medals at the Commonwealth Games - Glasgow 2014
Papua New Guinea's first medal was a Silver for weightlifter Dika Toua in the Women's 53kg on the 25th July 2014. There is still a chance that this may be upgraded with the gold medallist having tested positive for some substances.
On 29th July there was another weightlifting medal for PNG, with Steven Kukuna Kari winning a Gold in the Men's 94kg category. This moved Papua New Guinea up to 16th position in the medals table (as of 29/7/14).
Hopefully there will be some more to add to this list as the games go on. Go PNG!
On 29th July there was another weightlifting medal for PNG, with Steven Kukuna Kari winning a Gold in the Men's 94kg category. This moved Papua New Guinea up to 16th position in the medals table (as of 29/7/14).
Hopefully there will be some more to add to this list as the games go on. Go PNG!
What's in a name?
Like the All Blacks, the British Lions and the Springboks, the Papua New Guinea rugby teams have nicknames. The Rugby League teams are called "The Kumuls" after the bird of paradise that graces the PNG flag. The bird can be also seen on the team's badge.
The Rugby Union teams (including my much loved Sevens side) are nicknamed "The Pukpuks" which is the Tok Pisin word for crocodile. Their mascot animal appears on the team's badge as well.
Cricket is another huge sport in PNG and the nickname of their main team is the Barramundis, however unlike the teams above, the barramundi fish isn't on the cricketing logo. Instead it's a lovely stylised kumul bird of paradise blended with a cricket ball knocking the bails of three stumps.
Other teams have animal-based nicknames too, the Football (Soccer) team nickname is "The Kapuls" which is a type of possum and the Australian Rules team is called "The Binatangs". As binatang means mosquito in Tok Pisin, they are also called "The Mozzies".
Have I got all these right? Have I missed any? Let me know in the comments section below.
The Rugby Union teams (including my much loved Sevens side) are nicknamed "The Pukpuks" which is the Tok Pisin word for crocodile. Their mascot animal appears on the team's badge as well.
Cricket is another huge sport in PNG and the nickname of their main team is the Barramundis, however unlike the teams above, the barramundi fish isn't on the cricketing logo. Instead it's a lovely stylised kumul bird of paradise blended with a cricket ball knocking the bails of three stumps.
Other teams have animal-based nicknames too, the Football (Soccer) team nickname is "The Kapuls" which is a type of possum and the Australian Rules team is called "The Binatangs". As binatang means mosquito in Tok Pisin, they are also called "The Mozzies".
Have I got all these right? Have I missed any? Let me know in the comments section below.
Tuesday, 29 July 2014
Profile Pick: Dika Toua
A lovely video about the Olympic journey of PNG weightlifter Dika Toua who won Silver at Glasgow 2014.
Monday, 28 July 2014
Glasgow 2014 Rugby Sevens - The Experience
Despite the threat of rain, when my husband Richard and I arrived in Glasgow on Saturday morning for the Rugby Sevens it was gloriously sunny. Immediately after getting off the train we joined a queue for the Subway which looked worryingly long, though it moved at a fairly swift pace. Everyone on their way to Ibrox at this point was running late. The tournament started at 10.32 with New Zealand vs Canada and many people missed the legendary Haka that kicked off the event. The journey wasn't too bad, and I used the time to apply my Papua New Guinea attire - a flag transfer to my face and a large flag about my shoulders.
We left after their win, and headed on foot back towards Glasgow feeling like we'd had a good dose of good rugby. When we applied for our Sevens tickets in 2013 we weren't sure which teams were participating, never mind which sessions they were to play in. To have a double helping of PNG games on our Sevens ticket was very tasty indeed!
Postscript: On the walk back a family of PNG fans said hello and asked if I'd been the person singing in the stadium. I couldn't deny it!
By the time we arrived there had already been two matches and we settled in to watch Kenya vs the Cook Islands. It was a very one-sided game that ended 28 - 0 but my excitement came from spying three PNG fans sat a few seats in front of me. I ran down and asked them for a quick photo and happily they agreed.
Next up was our beloved Papua New Guinea (or Pukpuks) playing a strong Samoan team. A gentleman behind us commented that this was the first evenly matched game so far that morning and although they didn't win, PNG notched up a creditable 14 against Samoa's 33. Billy Torea and Hensley Peter scored tries, one in each half and Emmanuel Guise converted both.
Image: BBC. Watch the clip (UK Only)
Throughout the day the queue for the bar at Ibrox was much shorter than the one for the food stand, so by the time the second PNG match came round I was a little tipsy. The game came after England and Scotland played their only morning matches (against Sri Lanka and New Zealand), and some people had started to drift off home. Determined to boost the atmosphere in our bit of the stand I shook out my flags and even tried to start a chant of "Oh, Papua New Guinea" that I'd picked up at the Rugby League World Cup. Only a few people joined in, but I think I made some people smile with my antics. I even had a couple of requests from people wanting my photo, which made it all worthwhile!
I'd like to think that it was my support that won PNG this game, but in truth they were a better team than Malaysia, who had also been trounced by Wales earlier that day. I was glad that the crowd didn't turn against the Pukpuks as they had two players sin-binned which could have made them out to be the "baddies" of the game. Fortunately they won the game 36 - 7 with 31 of those points coming in the second half, making for an exciting seven minutes for me!
I'd like to think that it was my support that won PNG this game, but in truth they were a better team than Malaysia, who had also been trounced by Wales earlier that day. I was glad that the crowd didn't turn against the Pukpuks as they had two players sin-binned which could have made them out to be the "baddies" of the game. Fortunately they won the game 36 - 7 with 31 of those points coming in the second half, making for an exciting seven minutes for me!
We left after their win, and headed on foot back towards Glasgow feeling like we'd had a good dose of good rugby. When we applied for our Sevens tickets in 2013 we weren't sure which teams were participating, never mind which sessions they were to play in. To have a double helping of PNG games on our Sevens ticket was very tasty indeed!
Postscript: On the walk back a family of PNG fans said hello and asked if I'd been the person singing in the stadium. I couldn't deny it!
Glasgow 2014 Rugby Sevens - The Facts
The first weekend of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games saw the Rugby Sevens tournament at Ibrox. Usually home to Glasgow Rangers Football Club, the stadium was host to 45 games over two days - and hosted fans from all 16 of the competing countries. In brief, Rugby Sevens is a game of Rugby Union, where two teams of 7 players battle on a full size pitch for two seven-minute halves. In this tournament the teams were as follows:
Pool A New Zealand, Canada, Scotland, Barbados
Pool B South Africa, Kenya, Cook Islands, Trinidad and Tobago
Pool C Samoa, Wales, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia
Pool D England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Uganda
The Glasgow 2014 website has the Team Sheet and Results of the PNG Rugby Sevens team
Sunday, 27 July 2014
How PNG came into my life.
Papua New Guinea has always had a fascination for me as it was the country in which two of my cousins were born. For my sister and I, branches of two very English family trees, this was exotic and exciting, and expanded our connections to the big wide world in a way that just reading about a place never could.
Although our cousins moved to Australia at a very young age, it felt to me that their new home was less in need of my allegiance. As I started paying more attention to international sporting events, where these divisions are emphasised, it was obvious that Australia had enough support, it was PNG that needed to be championed.
In 2013, I bought a couple of the glorious red, black and gold flags, and some matching temporary tattoos, and set out to support PNG in the Rugby League World cup game at Headingley. That was the start of my journey, and a story for another time...
Although our cousins moved to Australia at a very young age, it felt to me that their new home was less in need of my allegiance. As I started paying more attention to international sporting events, where these divisions are emphasised, it was obvious that Australia had enough support, it was PNG that needed to be championed.
In 2013, I bought a couple of the glorious red, black and gold flags, and some matching temporary tattoos, and set out to support PNG in the Rugby League World cup game at Headingley. That was the start of my journey, and a story for another time...
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