Volume 41 2025
M A G A Z I N E PNG Air
PNG ART PRIZE Top entries from PNG’s first major contemporary art competition P8
Amelia Earhart inspires PNG pilot P24
Birdwatchers’ delight in Kavieng P32
www.pngair.com.pg
• PLACES • PEOPLE • INFLIGHT NEWS
In business, flexibility is everything. BSP is an international bank operating in the South Pacific region. We are the bank of choice for customers across PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga. BSP offers commercial and retail lending, banking, foreign exchange as well as life insurance products through its subsidiaries BSP Life Fiji and BSP Life PNG. We’re determined to earn your business and connect the region to the world with our global expertise and local knowledge. Pacific Strength, Global Connections!
www.bsp.com.pg
BSP Financial Group Limited 1-4815
WAYS TO BANK
Manage your banking online or at any of our ATMs. We’ve got options that work for you or your business.
Internet Banking
Corporate Online
Bank anywhere, anytime 24/7 Check balance Download statement Intra-bank transfer Interbank transfer - BSP, ANZ & KINA Bill payment Secure o nline b anking
Secure online banking for businesses Fast & reliable 24/7 access Regional connectivity Customi s e user access levels Perform a range of banking activities Direct entry payments
Our network of ATMs
Mobile Banking
55 ATMs across PNG Available 24/7 Withdraw funds Check account balance Change PIN
Bank anywhere, anytime 24/7 Check balance Download statement Mobile t op-up Bill payment Interbank transfer - BSP, ANZ & KINA Secure o nline b anking
Call us on 322 0888 or visit your nearest branch to find out more and get started.
Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141. The liability of its members is limited. Westpac is represented in Papua New Guinea by Westpac Bank - PNG - Limited.
Dedicated Account Manager
Vodafone offers a comprehensive package solution that includes migration and setup services. Our engineers have extensive experience in migrating large organisations with hybrid setup options. Enjoy a seamless transition to Microsoft 365 services, boosting your organisation’s productivity. Let us migrate your old mailboxes to Microsoft 365, allowing you to keep your contacts and continue critical business communications without interruptions. With our direct partnership with Microsoft, Vodafone can help elevate your organisation’s productivity to the next level. MICROSOFT 365 AT A GLANCE
MOBILE DEVICE, MAC/PC, TABLET • Personalised/Dedicated Service • 24 x 7 Call Center • After Sales Support/Project Management • ICT Consultation MAILBOX MIGRATION
PREMIUM SUPPORT
REMOTE END USER SUPPORT
DOMAIN SETUP & CONFIGURATION
Contact us to explore possibilities. Contact us to explore possibilites.
MAGAZINE PNG Air
Wishing all our loyal customers and their families a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous year ahead.
Thank you for choosing to fly with the people’s airline.
PUBLISHED BY Pacific Islands Publishing Editor Margo Nugent m.nugent@moore.com.pg Airline Editorial Contact Dalai Thomas dalai.thomas@pngair.com.pg Sales and Distribution Maiyola Steven pipsales@moore.com.pg
A lot of changes have taken place over the past few months as the airline slowly works on refreshing our brand and adding more aircraft to our fleet. We have been working very hard preparing for these changes so I take my hat off to the hardworking staff who have tirelessly worked around the clock to prepare for all the new things to come at PNG Air. We see these changes as an opportunity to look at the services we offer to you, our customers, and determine how we can better position the airline for tomorrow and beyond. From a customer perspective, we are also working on introducing a range of initiatives designed to make your travelling experience with the people’s airline easier, more convenient and more rewarding. The airline’s focus is on our customers and your needs – which are the driving force guiding the decisions we make in all aspects of our business. While many things are changing, quite a few remain the same. Our staff have been our greatest strength and this will continue. Throughout the brand refresh process, our staff have been involved in helping to shape the strategy, and their input will continue to be a fundamental part of the business to ensure our service and the products we offer meet your needs. While more aircraft and a brand refresh are major steps forward for us, our strength will always come from our people. Their flexibility and desire to provide the best possible service will be the point of difference for the airline as we continue to further improve our service delivery and customer focus. We appreciate your choice to fly with PNG Air. Whether you are a first-time traveller or one of our regular passengers, we hope your travel experience with us is nothing short of amazing. I would also like to acknowledge the ongoing support of our contract partners, Newmont and St Barbara mining, both in New Ireland Province, and also K92 Mining in Morobe Province. As always, PNG Air will continue to strive to satisfy our customer expectations of transporting you safely from where you are to where you need to be. We look forward to welcoming you on board soon as we continue to connect Papua New Guinea.
Design and Layout Anthony Lingnonge pipart@moore.com.pg Correspondence to the airline:
All rights reserved. © Copyright 2025 by Pacific Islands Publishing, a division of Moore Business Systems (PNG) Limited. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Statements, opinions and viewpoints expressed by the writers are their own and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher, editor or the airline. Information contained in this publication is assumed to be correct only at the time it was originally obtained by the writers and may be subject to change at any time without notice. Any material accepted is subject to revision as is necessary in the publisher’s sole discretion to meet the requirements of this publication. While all care will be taken, neither the publisher nor the airline will accept responsibility for accidental loss or damage. Marketing Manager PO Box 170, Boroko, N.C.D. Papua New Guinea Ph: +675 302 3100 Fax: +675 325 2219 E: pngair@pngair.com.pg Editorial correspondence to: The Editor Pacific Islands Publishing PO Box 7543, Boroko, N.C.D. Papua New Guinea Ph: +675 321 0000 Fax: +675 321 0002 E: m.nugent@moore.com.pg Printer Moore Printing Scratchley Road, Badili N.C.D. Papua New Guinea Ph: +675 321 0000
Enjoy your flight.
Best regards and God bless,
Brian Fraser Chief Executive Officer
Cover photo One of the Akis Art Prize’s top 30 entries is this untitled acrylic & biro on paper piece showing the contrast of modern and traditional dress in PNG by 15-year-old youth category finalist Faustina Kwaimani “ Artists’ Dream of a Bright PNG Future” Page 8 Photo: Arts Society of PNG 4
VOLUME 41 2025
TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS
Contents
08 Artists’ Dream of
a Bright PNG Future PNG’s first major art competition – the Akis Art Prize – attracted more than 2000 submissions from right across the country, with schoolchildren through to seasoned artists showing through what their dreams and aspirations are for the future. Here we reveal the winners and a selection from the top 30 entries in the junior, youth and open categories. their drawings, sketches, illustrations and paintings
8 “Artists’ Dream of a Bright PNG Future”
24 Women take to the Sky Like the aviation trailblazer who PNG’s new Amelia
Earhart Trust commemorates, the first scholarship recipient, Deborah Bidang, is a female pilot defying gender boundaries
46 PNG Air – Where We Fly
Helen Rose discover a bird and wildlife-watching side to Kavieng beyond its fame as a diving and surfing mecca.
A map of Papua New Guinea and PNG Air flight routes, plus airline contact information, transfer information, and Inflight Games’ puzzle solutions.
by training to fly helicopters for medical rescue missions into some of the country’s most remote and forgotten places. 32 Birdwatchers’ Delight in Kavieng From eclectus parrots and kingfishers to black sunbirds and megapodes only found in this part of the world, Nigel Marsh and
42 PNG Air – News
PNG Air news bulletin and updates. 45 PNG Air – Inflight Games Exercise the mind with
48 PNG Air – Inflight Comfort A few health tips and easy
exercises to help make your PNG Air flight as comfortable as possible.
Christina Lovatt’s crossword and puzzles for your enjoyment.
32 “Birdwatchers’ Delight in Kavieng”
24 “Women take to the Sky”
VOLUME 41 2025
6
MANAGED Wi Fi
Words & Photos: Compiled with the help of Lani Auvita Scott and Katherine Curtis of the Arts Society of PNG
Artists’ Dream of a Bright PNG Future
Open category finalist, Untitled, Acrylic on Canvas, by Alexandrea Mullo
VOLUME 41 2025
8
I n the busy line drawing (right), of Akis Art Prize junior winner Ngaire Leka, men, women and children crowd every available space, portraying different aspects of PNG life – but it is the words that jump out from the lively scene. Written on protest placards, on books, t-shirts and signs, words such as, ‘More churches’, ‘More schools’, ‘Make PNG safe!!!!’ and ‘No rape, no violence, no anger’ show what is uppermost in the mind of this 10-year-old PNG schoolgirl. Explaining her entry, Ngaire wrote of her hopes for a clean “not smelly” environment, a country with an economy dependent on agriculture, and where culture is preserved and celebrated. She finished with, “I want to see peace not war, I want to see many churches in the area where tribal wars and crime exist, and for people to become God fearing.” The thoughtful youngster’s hopes for tomorrow, expressed in art form, were among more than 2000 works entered last year in PNG’s first major art competition, the Akis Art Prize. These included drawings, sketches, illustrations and paintings that depicted everything from visions of trains connecting the country and futuristic cities, to an astronaut planting a PNG flag on the moon. The subject matter chosen by the artists in their entries was also remarked on by Lee Dula, representing the competition’s major sponsor ExxonMobil PNG. As well as providing an artistic window into the dreams and aspirations of Papua New Guineans, Lee said that for donors and philanthropic partners such as Exxon, the entries were also really instructive. “They provide insights into areas where investments can be made that will help accelerate these aspirations on those canvases,”
Akis Junior Art Prize winner, “Unreachable Future”, Biro on Paper, by Ngaire Leka, 10 (below)
the public and government affairs manager said. “Some of those themes were certainly the road-building, the strengthening of schools or teacher housing, expanding scholarships, access to books, and even rural electrification. Those are things as a donor I take away.” From young children taking their first artistic steps with colouring pencils, to established artists “I want to see peace not war”
VOLUME 41 2025
9
Open category finalist, “Modern Canaan Land”,
Cartridge Paper, by Dennis Nanuk
with seasoned brush strokes, all the entries reflected a shared
hope for a brighter, prosperous future in accordance with the
LEFT & BELOW: Son and daughter of the late artist Timothy Akis, Joseph and June Akis, flew to Port Moresby from Madang as special guests for the Akis Art Prize exhibition launch at the National Museum and Art Gallery on October 4. Image below taken from a film by Temuera Samuel
VOLUME 41 2025
10
Youth category finalist, “Papua New Guinea on the Moon”,
Pencil and Texta on Paper, by Danroy Davis Mova, 13
“Submissions depicted everything from visions of trains connecting the country and futuristic cities, to an astronaut planting a PNG flag on the moon”
and Art Gallery in Port Moresby on October 4, attended by many of the finalists along with two of Timothy Akis’ now grown children, first-born daughter June and son Joseph, who flew in from Madang. Addressing the crowd, Joseph said he was only eight months old when his father died in 1984, aged just 45. “I never saw his face, I saw his drawings as a memory of his work,” he said. “When he died it was a great loss for us, out
the competition is named after the late Timothy Akis, recognised as a pioneer of contemporary art in this country for his imaginative pen and ink drawings and batiks inspired by his country’s wildlife that he developed in the
1970s while working as a translator with an anthropologist at his home in the Simbai Valley of Madang. awards ceremony and launch of the top 30 art pieces in an exhibition at the National Museum The competition culminated in an
theme of “Looking Forward – Dreams & Aspirations for the Future of PNG”. Organised by the Arts Society PNG,
VOLUME 41 2025
11
2025. Some of the finalists had travelled from other provinces, carrying with them not just their artwork but the support and pride of their communities. For most, it was the first time their work had been recognised on such a grand scale. The air was electric as the winners were announced, each name met with cheers and pride. The grand prize and K25,000 cash went to Abednego Meoree, who spent 50 hours over five weeks painstakingly rendering a delicate charcoal piece titled “Seeker of the Promises”. Inspired by his four- year-old daughter, the work depicts a young girl with a book in her right hand and a candle in her left. “It tells the story of a generation poised to illuminate the path forward,” Abednego wrote. “Far from mere illumination, the candlelight is the embodiment of resilience, hope and the enduring spirits of Papua New Guinea.” A lawyer, Abednego also used the opportunity of his acceptance speech to challenge the government to invest in the art industry more – “not only in terms of finance but in legislative reforms and policies to protect creativity and support our artists, right across the length and breadth of our nation. “I take this very unique opportunity to encourage artists to be creative and express through art… We have tonnes of talent, I always believe in our potential to tell our stories to the world and share it so I encourage every individual interested in our stories, our legends – these have to be narrated within and beyond our shores. The successes, the failures, the hopes, can only be told in art.” Winner of the Youth Prize (13-17 years) was 15-year-old Brooklyne Stegman, who travelled to POM from Goroka to receive K5000 in cash plus K5000 in art supplies
Akis Open Art Prize winner, “Seeker of the Promises”, Charcoal Pencil on Paper, by Abednego Meoree
of that we got nothing and we struggled very hard.” However Joseph said he was thankful of the recognition the competition had given his late father, and flagged that the Akis family would be launching their own art-related project in Madang in
Akis Art Prize inaugural winner Abednego Meoree, accompanied on the podium by his daughter, spoke of the need for PNG people to tell their stories to the world through art
VOLUME 41 2025
12
people had to become better educated about and more accepting of each other’s cultures. “As a people if we toss aside our differences in cultures and beliefs we can progress and develop as one. That’s like, not completely tossing aside our culture – no! That’s very important to all of us! But to not let it get in the way of our unity and our togetherness as one country,” she said. “Art is expression and if we can’t tell each other, let us show each other, let us lead each other.” She likened PNG to a rainforest where millions of species co- exist, “but unlike a rainforest we are still learning to embrace the differences in each other’s cultures and coexist in co- dependent harmony. The knowledge of our ancestors has been passed down through generations not to create disputes and harm others but instead, to bring people “Instead of fighting one another for our differences, we must embrace them and share our ancestral knowledge”
Akis Youth Art Prize winner, “Tabu Taku”, Digital Art, by Brooklyne Stegman, 15 (pictured above right)
for the Goroka school where she is school captain, the Australian International School PNG. The talented teen, who now has a second-degree black belt in the Korean karate-based martial art of Tang Soo Do – one of the first people to reach black belt status in PNG in 2022 when still only 13 – thanked her parents for supporting her “through everything, through my hobbies, from martial arts to crochet!” Her digital art piece portrays a young woman reading a book and being filled with inspiration – depicted by the cultural and wildlife images flowing from and
above her. “I chose a blue-green colour palette to represent nature and the earth, a yellow kolos (meri blouse) to represent hope, and a book to represent education and knowledge,” Brooklyne wrote in her entry. At the awards night, the articulate young woman said the name she chose to explain the message in her art was “Tabu Taku”, which means “one family, all united as one” in her Bola language of West New Britain’s Talasea District. She said unity and peace for PNG was her dream for the future, and to achieve that
VOLUME 41 2025
14
School, and gave a simple thank- you speech, to God for giving her the gifts and passion, and to her parents “for encouraging and protecting me for all these years”. Finally, the People’s Choice award went to Dian Neah, whose piece, “Dreams of Tomorrow,” shows a young girl envisioning herself as a university graduate – an image that resonated deeply with the public who voted on social media. Dian, who has been passionate about drawing since he was a boy, has had his PNG designs such as a striking bird of paradise printed on a Jack’s of PNG clothing range after being one of the winners of the department store chain’s 2020 Design PNG talent search. At the awards ceremony, guests enjoyed performances from 2024 hip-hop world dance champions Wan Squad, as well as drama performance group Knack Studios, brass band Raun21 and legendary musician
Open category finalist, “PNG’s Dreams, Future and Aspirations”, Oil on Canvas, by Ryan Bono
together and allow them to survive and thrive. Instead of fighting one another for our differences, we must embrace them and share our ancestral knowledge as it contains wisdom
that has been developed over millennia.” Junior Prize (under 12) winner Ngaire Leka, 10, also received K5000 cash and K5000 in art supplies for her POM Grammar
Next-Generation MEO Satellite Constellation
+675 71784156 NOW BOOKING CAPACITY IN PNG
www.kinect.com.pg enquiries@kinect.com.pg
VOLUME 41 2025
15
People’s Choice Art Prize winner, “Dreams of Tomorrow”, Mixed Media – Pencil, Charcoal, Colouring Pencil, Micron Pen & Super Marker on Paper, by Dian Neah (pictured right walking up to get his prize)
and mentors. Artists, curators and educators from both PNG and abroad came together to make the Akis Art Prize a success. The judging panel included respected figures such as Dr Michael Mel, former Pacific curator of the Australian National Museum, and Ruth McDougall, Pacific curator at the Queensland Art Gallery. Their passion for PNG’s art and culture brought not just expertise but also global recognition to the young artists’ works. In fact, at the time of press, there had been a number of flow- on results, including two commissioned collaborations with a fashion boutique and a sporting apparel company, two commissioned artworks by private individuals, and international exposure with German art museum Iwalewa- Haus, which houses modern art from Africa, Asia and the Pacific at the University of Bayreuth, exhibiting the PNG finalists in its entryway. For arts society
founder and president Lani Auvita Scott, one of the most heartwarming aspects of the competition has been the involvement of families and communities. “For some, it really was a family affair,” she said, “where the ‘bubuman’ (grandfather) was helping his grandkids develop and submit their artworks alongside his own, to teachers in remote villages organising ways for their students to participate.” A critical part of the
Pius Wasi, with food by acclaimed PNG chef Julz Henao. In her speech, arts society patron Winnie Kiap shared experiences from her time as PNG High Commissioner to the
UK and spoke of the global community’s fascination with PNG’s artistic heritage and the arts’ role in shaping PNG’s identity. Behind the scenes, the event was the result of a network of supporters
Ngaire Leka receives the Junior Art Prize from judge Dr Michael Mel, director of the Melanesian Institute of Arts and Communication
Arts Society PNG founder Lani Auvita Scott
VOLUME 41 2025
16
On the ball with sport support!
Kumul Petroleum supports many sporting codes in Papua New Guinea at many levels – including golf, tennis, squash, rugby league and cricket.
Level 6, Kina Bank Haus Douglas Street, Port Moresby CBD
www.kumulpetroleum.com
+675 320 2253
KumulPetroleum
kumul-petroleum
Youth category finalist, Untitled, Acrylic on Canvas, by Hannah Sumac, 17
LEFT: Youth category finalist, “Railway through PNG”, Acrylic on Paper, by Emmanuel Visser, 13
ABOVE: Open category finalist,
“Elders’ Knowledge”, Watercolour on Paper, by Cornelius Yalamu
LEFT & ABOVE: Junior category finalist, Untitled, Acrylic on Canvas, by Shekinah Simonare Yakham, 5 – the youngest of the 30 finalists
VOLUME 41 2025
18
Youth category finalist, “Powered up PNG”, Acrylic on Canvas, by Reava Tadabe, 15
competition was the involvement of Arts Activism, an arts association that partnered with the society to host school visits around Port ABOVE: Open category finalist, “The Transition”, Mixed Media – Acrylic Paint & Marker on Canvas, by Kyliemera Kapiri
Moresby and create digital workshops, equipping students, with the tools to explore art as a medium for social change. Post PNG extended
its support as well by sending art materials and competition flyers to schools in every province, ensuring even the most remote regions could take part.
Lani’s decision to start the society stems back to January 2019 when she was working with an NGO in PNG and noticed a surprising gap: although there
VOLUME 41 2025
19
raised in Madang with a strong sense of community. Her mother Sayah Karukaru, the first Miss PNG after independence, was also a spokeswoman for the Red Cross, a role she continued beyond her pageant years. Lani recalls how her family would bring soup to Madang Hospital each week – a simple act that instilled in her the values of compassion and service from an early age. Her father’s efforts to unite communities in Cooktown (Queensland), where he created a local football competition that eventually became a feeder for the NRL, further demonstrated the power of community work. “Art is a powerful force in preserving stories, recording cultural evolution, building identity and fostering social cohesion,” Lani said. “We were touched by the participation and engagement we saw with the competition this year. This spirit, which saw so many people wanting to take part and express their creative visions for the future of our great nation, was reflected in the incredible breadth of work we saw – each submission a representation of our unique perspectives as well as our hopes and dreams.” • You can view all 30 of the 2024 Akis Art Prize finalists online through Arts Society Papua New Guinea’s Facebook and Instagram @artssocietypng Youth category finalist, “Port Moresby: A vision of the future”, Acrylic on Paper, by Relvie Bue, 13
Junior category finalist, Untitled, Acrylic on Paper, by Jarvis Druken, 10
were numerous development programs, few incorporated the arts. Yet she sensed a strong interest among international agencies and local businesses for arts initiatives. Later in 2019 she established the society, and by November the new ASPNG had organised the largest group show of PNG artists in the country’s history, “Contemporary PNG 50,” in partnership with the Tumbuna Visual Arts Association and hosted by the incredible muralist Clement Koys, one of our most prolific artists and a tireless advocate for visual arts. This exhibition brought together over 100 artists from across PNG, celebrating the 50th anniversary of renowned artist Mathias Kauage’s first exhibition and filling City Hall with two
weeks of artistic expression and cultural pride. The COVID-19 pandemic put ASPNG on hold, as the world shifted its focus to health and safety. “But the irony of that,” says Lani, ‘is that when the virus limited our freedom, it was the arts that saved us. In PNG the arts don’t just distinguish us, they define us. We live our culture in real time, we know who we are by our bilas, our dances, our songs, we are a people deeply connected to our heart.” Today, ASPNG is managed by a volunteer committee of 12 professionals from diverse fields, all brought together by a shared love for the arts. With a background in creative work herself, Lani sees ASPNG as her way of giving back, having been
VOLUME 41 2025
20
LEFT: Open category finalist, “Families”, Mixed Media – Acrylic on Canvas, by Malcom Maira RIGHT: Open category finalist, Untitled, Pencil on Paper, by Emmanuel Yando “The old man is a tribute to all our elders who have contributed to art in our country, including Mr Akis” – Emmanuel Yando
VOLUME 41 2025
22
• •
Upload your ID
Take a Selfie
•
•
Words: Olive Sukun and Margo Nugent Photos: Supplied by the US Embassy PNG and Manolos Aviation Women take to the Sky
The first recipient of PNG’s new Amelia Earhart Trust scholarship, Deborah Bidang, is using the funds to gain her commercial helicopter licence
Fewer than 700 humans have ever been to space but, of those, fewer than 75 have been women. To have one of those female space pioneers visit PNG – for the second time! – with the four-day tour to Port Moresby and Lae in July 2024 of retired American astronaut Marsha Ivins was a rare opportunity to inspire local women to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. A veteran of five space missions, Marsha, who is now 73 and retired from space exploration and aerospace engineering, came to PNG to launch a memorial and scholarship named after her countrywoman Amelia Earhart, an American aviator who achieved many first solo flights for women in the 1930s before disappearing over the Pacific Ocean off PNG in 1937 while trying to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. Lae was the last stop for Amelia (who was just shy of her 40th birthday on July 24) and her navigator Fred Noonan before the pair set off on July 2 in a Lockheed Electra twin-engine plane for Howland Island, northeast of Tonga. It is generally presumed they ran out of fuel, crashed into the ocean and died near Howland Island, although no bodies or plane wreckage were ever found. PNG’s Amelia Earhart Memorial and Trust was launched on Amelia’s birthday of July 24, and here we talk to the first scholarship recipient – 29-year-old Lae-based pilot Deborah Bidang – about following in the footsteps of one of her heroes.
VOLUME 41 2025
24
US Ambassador to PNG Ann Marie Yastishock (left) with PNG fine artist Gazellah Bruder at the unveiling of a new metal sculpture of the Lockheed plane flown by American aviator Amelia Earhart (below) on her last flight from PNG in 1937
headed to Hawaii in September to train for her commercial chopper pilot’s licence. “But this woman, she must have been having a difficult pregnancy, and how she got in touch with us (from her remote Morobe village) must have been “I don’t think there are many black women in general in the world in the aviation industry, and then even less are flying helicopters”
D eborah Bidang knows exactly why she wants to fly helicopters. It’s to help women like the one in crippling pain she loaded on to a stretcher some months back at Lae airport where she works for medevac company
a challenge… but she reached out to hold my hands to thank me. She said, ‘Papa God bai blesim wok blo yupela (Papa God will bless the work you do)’. “For someone really in pain and in the midst of all that to be thanking
me, it meant a lot to me. That’s from her heart.” Deborah, 29, said she realised early how fortunate her own life in Lae was while spending Christmases at her home village on Bagabag Island
Manolos Aviation. “I don’t normally interact with the
patients because I’m ground crew,” says the first recipient of the US Embassy’s new Amelia Earhart Trust scholarship, who
25
Grounds crew supervisor Deborah (right, in orange shirt) at work in Lae overseeing the unloading of a patient from the helicopter
Deborah at the scholarship presentation at UniTech with her boss at Manolos Aviation, chief executive officer Jurgen Ruh
off Madang, which she said is like many rural communities in PNG that are cut off from basic services. “It’s a small island and they don’t get health supplies, teachers often won’t go there to teach so the kids don’t have access to education, the people don’t have medication. I wanted to go to flying school because I wanted to be able to fly to places like that with no road access.” She considers now
that it was perhaps unusual for a seven- year-old girl to want to be a pilot but she never felt discouraged. In fact, her father’s late sister Jacqui Naing had already set the bar as a family trailblazer by becoming PNG’s first female jet pilot before she died in 2018. “Everyone was so supportive – they didn’t tell me ‘no’,” Deborah said. “My family, my sisters, my circle of friends. I surrounded myself with people with
Deborah takes a
selfie while learning to fly in Fiji in 2017
VOLUME 41 2025
26
Villagers help to load a mother with childbirth complication at a remote village in Nawaeb District, Morobe
(now one of six PNG National Schools of Excellence that introduced STEM education in 2021) so Dad, who was a university physics lecturer, would drive up from Lae (about 70km away) just to go through physics lessons with me.” The extra study paid off, with Deborah accepted into UniTech in Lae, but her mind was still set on becoming a pilot, so her parents did their best to send
her to the Fijian flight school, Advance Aviation Training, where she started training for a commercial aeroplane licence in 2015. Sadly, the school fees proved a massive struggle, and then her father’s death in 2021 put an end to her completing her course, so she applied to Manolos Aviation in Lae for a job. “I wanted to save to go back
no negative thoughts. My father just said, ‘yes, go for it!’. “In Grade 11 I didn’t have a physics teacher, I was boarding at Wawin National High School
to flying school,” she said. Hired as a grounds crew
VOLUME 41 2025
27
that Deborah has found her true calling. “When I saw the medevacs I thought, ‘Wow, if I fly for an airline I’m just flying passengers from point A to point B, and here I will be helping all these people’. And I just want to be part of this amazing team.” The scholarship will pay for Deborah to gain her helicopter flying wings at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Helicopter Flight School over three to six months, after which she will be able to realise her dream of flying medical rescue missions for Manolos. “I don’t think there are many black women in general in the world in the aviation industry, and then even less are flying helicopters,” Deborah says when asked about the rarity of her chosen occupation. Then I ask her if she ever considers the dangers and she laughs. “It’s too late for that now!”
The official party at the groundbreaking ceremony at UniTech in Lae to launch the Amelia Earhart Memorial and Trust scholarship on the famous aviator’s birthday of July 24
assistant Deborah has since moved up to grounds crew supervisor and has also been able to complete the training
and obtain her plane licence with the financial support of Manolos’ chief executive offcer Jurgen Ruh. It is at Manolos
Deborah is both humbled and honoured to receive a
ABOUT MANOLOS AVIATION: Manolos has eight helicopters in its fleet and answers emergency calls from as far as Madang, Eastern Highlands, New Ireland, East New Britain, Bougainville, Milne Bay, Western, Gulf and Central provinces. Medevacs range from pregnant mothers with birth complications to snakebites, broken bones, delivery of health supplies, remote health worker patrols and visits, and transfer of the wounded and sick, which includes some with COVID-19. Some of its rescues have been particularly memorable, including the mid-air births of two “sky babies”. The first in September 2021 was a Goilala baby boy who came to be named Jurgen after Manolos’ ceo Jurgen Ruh, who was the chopper pilot that day. An article about the birth by Loop PNG can be seen on the Manolos Aviation website, and tells of nurse Naomi Pamaraka’s
surprise in delivering the baby among the clouds enroute to POM. She had been keeping tabs on expectant mother Angela Daniel’s contractions 20 minutes after lifting off from a hill at Tanipai in the Goilala District of Central Province, an area that has no health facilities, when little Jurgen made his appearance. In March 2023 it was nurse Naomi again in the same pink Bell 222 helicopter who was called on to deliver the second sky baby, this time a girl, after her mother Belinda was picked up from the remote Catholic-run Kanabea Health Centre in Gulf Province for urgent transfer to Lae. Again, 20 minutes into the flight, the baby started to arrive and was safely delivered by Naomi.
VOLUME 41 2025
28
scholarship named after Amelia Earhart, who she views as an icon. “I am amazed she was able to do all that without any advance technological aid in her flight. She set the standard for women in aviation around the world.” The memorial and trust is a joint program that will provide an annual micro-scholarship to a PNG woman to help her reach greater heights in a STEM field, with a particular focus on aviation engineering and flying. It was initiated by the US Embassy with support from PNG Tribal Foundation and the PNG University of Technology (UniTech) in Lae, with donations to come from American companies and individuals, specifically in its first year by ExxonMobil PNG. The launch at
UniTech on July 24 – on Amelia’s birthday, and 87 years since her disappearance – was marked by a visit from retired US NASA astronaut Marsha Ivins, who joined with US Ambassador to PNG Ann Marie Yastishock to present Deborah with her inaugural scholarship. “I was 15 years old when I decided I wanted to learn to fly in an era that was not a standard thing to do,” Marsha said. “And because there was and had been an Amelia Earhart, it was not considered impossible. “And so I thank her for that and I encourage you to take heart if you’re told no or you can’t or you shouldn’t, because you absolutely can.” The participants also broke ground on the Amelia Earhart memorial designed by David
RAV 4
Hiace Bus
Toyota Hilux
Prado
Toyota Land Cruiser
HERTZ PAPUA NEW GUINEA Visit us at Port Moresby, Lae, Wewak, Kiunga, Madang, Rabaul, Kokopo, Kavieng & Mt Hagen
Deborah (right) with fellow PNG pilot at Manolos Aviation, Annette Gele, in front of the Bell 430 helicopter, P2-MUM. Manolos has also sponsored Annette’s flight training
Scan QR code to book your escape
Let’s Go!
VOLUME 41 2025
29
by three male metal sculptors Tom Deco, Philip Wesley and Robin Emos. “When I was a young woman I wanted to be a welder and sculptor but I was advised to do a more feminine art so I was forced to do print maker. They thought it was safer for me as a woman,” Gazellah said. “Now, because of this project, I am finally able to make my dream of being a sculptor come true. Sculpture best represents my true self. It took me 20 years to get here. “The sculpture was incredibly hard to work on. I was blessed to be able to hire three incredible sculptors to help me work on this. Steel is a heavy, hard and dangerous material and needs a lot of cutting and bending, requiring a team with strength, experience and immense creativity to achieve this result – an awe-inspiring monument that will last a lifetime.” The sculpture is currently in the grounds of the US Embassy in POM but will be transported to Lae at a later time. At the ground-breaking ceremony, US Ambassador Ann Marie described its location in front of the UniTech library as not only fitting but profoundly symbolic.
A 1997 photo of astronaut Marsha Ivins during one of her five space shuttle missions. Photo: US National Archives
Lockheed plane the aviator was flying around the world, positioned on two angel wings. It will be installed at the front of the Matheson Library on the UniTech campus as a beacon of hope and potential for students. PNG fine artist and sculptor Gazellah Bruder was appointed as the first PNG female artist to lead such a high-profile construction project in the
Marsha with her fellow NASA astronauts
Moi, a sculpted stainless steel miniature model of the
male-dominated field of metal sculpting, mentored and assisted
Deborah presents visiting US astronaut Marsha Ivins with a bilum from her home of Bagabag Island off Madang
VOLUME 41 2025
30
picture of the Earth at night and everybody goes ‘oooh’ because it’s all the same. To think that people are different because of the way they were raised or the way they have been told to think, I think that’s unfair. I think if you strip all that away and get to the core of that person, you know we’re human beings. We have very similar needs and desires.” Meanwhile, for Deborah – now training in Hawaii for the wings that will enable her to fly medevac chopper flights back in Lae alongside mainly expat male pilots – it’s saving lives that matters most. “At least one is enough for me,” she said. “That you faced down adversity and negative feelings and people who were trying to say you couldn’t, and did it anyway, Amen sister!”
Marsha shares lessons from her extraordinary career with STEM students at the National Museum in POM
“Here, every day, young men and women will walk past this statue, reminded of what can be achieved through perseverance and dedication. This statue is not just a piece of art; it is a call to action, a reminder that we must continue to strive for excellence and innovation,” she said. For astronaut Marsha – who first visited PNG in 1987 to commemorate Amelia Earhart’s 50th anniversary – the lessons of how she overcame strong resistance in the male-dominated aerospace world are just as relevant today in PNG as they were when she was starting out in America in the 1960s and 70s. During four days of outreach engagements, Marsha spoke to groups at UniTech and Manolos Aviation in Lae, and in Port Moresby at the Hilton Hotel, National Museum and
the University of PNG. She also launched the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs program in Lae that provides training and networking opportunities for female business owners. “Good for you! You stood up and didn’t take no for an answer,” she enthusiastically told the women, who came from a diverse range of backgrounds. “That you faced down adversity and negative feelings and people who were trying to say you couldn’t, and did it anyway, Amen sister!” Asked what kind of reactions she generally got from her PNG audiences, Marsha smiled and said it was the same as audiences in India, or wherever she spoke, all over the world. “They ask the same questions, they laugh at the same parts of the presentation. It changes as I do it but it’s pretty much the same story, they respond the same way,” she said. “I show a
PNG Air flies from Port Moresby to Lae daily For bookings: Call + 675 7411 2644
Marsha checks out the cockpit of one of the helicopters at Manolos Aviation’s hangar in Lae
VOLUME 41 2025
31
Birdwatchers’ DELIGHT IN KAVIENG Words & Photos: Nigel Marsh and Helen Rose www.nigelmarshphotography.com
A beach kingfisher perches in a tree near the water’s edge
M ainly known as a diving and surfing town, pretty Kavieng at the western end of New Ireland is also home to some fascinating and rare birdlife that makes it a hidden treasure for enthusiasts. Arriving at Lissenung Island, a coral cay just 20 minutes by boat
The beach at Lissenung Island
VOLUME 41 2025
32
“The first thing we notice are the many
from Kavieng, the first thing we notice is the many birds, as they constantly fly overhead or settle in the trees and call to each other. The most obvious of these are the parrots, including some very noisy red-flanked lorikeets. We never manage to photograph perched in the tops of trees, but we can see the flashes of colour as they jump from branch to branch – and can’t miss their loud screeches. Also in the trees are small groups of eclectus parrots. These lovely birds are distinct from other parrots in that the males and females have completely different colouration – the males are cloaked in emerald green while the females flaunt brilliant shades of red, purple and blue. these vivid birds, as they are always They are so different from each other that they were first thought to be different species. Their colourful feathers are also highly prized by some tribes in PNG for cultural bilas birds, as they constantly fly overhead or settle in the trees and call to each other”
Kermit, the pet eclectus parrot at Lissenung Island Resort
(decoration). Spotting eclectus
fly between trees, which is the best time to observe – and photograph – them. As scuba divers, we have been drawn to Lissenung for the
world-class coral reefs and World War II plane wrecks, all teeming with marine life, right on its doorstep. But from the moment we arrive we are also captivated
parrots in the trees is never easy, as like the lorikeets they prefer to stay in the treetops. However, they often
VOLUME 41 2025
33
A black sunbird feeds on flower nectar
“Another favourite are the black sunbirds that flit from tree to tree while feeding on flower nectar. This attractive little bird is only found in Papua New Guinea and eastern Indonesia and is almost the local equivalent to a hummingbird”
by the area’s topside wildlife. Staying at Lissenung Island Resort, we are surrounded by critters day and night, with the resort also home to a male eclectus parrot pet called Kermit, who is far easier to observe than his wild relations, especially as he likes to join guests for meals. Birdwatching is actually
very rewarding around the small islands of Kavieng, with plenty of sea birds, shore birds and forest birds to be seen. Over our week we see ospreys, frigates, herons, terns and crows, along with two species of kingfisher perched in the trees looking for prey. Our favourites are the beach kingfishers, which are
all-white with blue wings. We generally hear their distinctive calls well before we see these attractive birds in their tree perches near the water’s edge. Another favourite are the black sunbirds that flit from tree to tree while feeding on flower nectar. This attractive little bird is only found in Papua New Guinea
and eastern Indonesia and is almost the local equivalent to a hummingbird. The most unusual bird to look for around Kavieng is found on the ground, often digging in the sand, the Melanesian megapode, which is only found in the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands.
VOLUME 41 2025
34
Celebrating 49 Years of Independence with Papua New Guinea! Since 1975, the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) has proudly stood by our nation, contributing to its growth and prosperity. Over 49 years, we’ve enhanced investments and increased asset value, ensuring sustainability for future generations. We are committed to improving the quality of life for the beneficiaries of the mineral, petroleum and gas resources projects. We pay our respects to the leaders past and present whose vision and selfless leadership have guided and united us as a Nation. Let us work together to realise our shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous Papua New Guinea.
www.mrdc.com.pg
“These strange scrub fowl have a unique reproduction strategy, as they incubate their eggs in the warm sand, often in communal nesting spots”
A Melanesian megapode at its communal nesting site
careful where you step as Indo hermit crabs slowly crawl across the sand and grass. This widespread species is found throughout the Indo-Pacific region and is a terrestrial crab that uses old seashells as a mobile home. The ones we see are only a few centimetres long, but can grow as large as a coconut. They are not the only crabs we see at night. In the vegetation are even larger purple crabs, a species that hides in burrows in the ground by day and emerges at night to feed. We take care to keep our feet well away from their very large claws. At night we also see
These strange scrub fowl have a unique reproduction strategy, as they incubate their eggs in the warm sand, often in communal nesting spots. There
are several of these community nests on Lissenung Island, and we watch around a dozen of these peculiar birds digging or maintaining their nests.
By day, birds rule the roost, but at night a whole set of different animals can be seen. Grabbing our torches, we head out to see what we can spotlight. We don’t have to go far, as climbing on the walls of our cabin are several geckos. We have seen quite a few of these in the huts, feeding on the insects drawn to the exterior lights. Some are quite large, around 15cm long. We are yet to confirm the species, but do know they are a member of the four-clawed or dtellas geckos. On the ground at night you have to be
A gecko on the lookout for a meal
This gecko came close while we were at dinner
VOLUME 41 2025
36
Advertorial
Fishing Industry Association of Papua New Guinea’s Tuna Purse Seine Fishery – the largest global source of Marine Stewardship Council-certified tuna
The Fishing Industry Association of Papua New Guinea (FIA PNG) is delighted to share that we have undergone a strict, exhaustive and robust scope assessment by SCS Global Services to our geographical scope expansion into the waters of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) and the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission high seas, collectively becoming the largest tuna supply source with around 750,000 MT of raw material including yellowfin tuna, skipjack tuna and bigeye tuna under the FIA PNG Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) tuna fishery certification. The waters of the PNA member countries, consisting of Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tokelau and Tuvalu, are the most productive waters supplying more than 50% of the global tuna raw material. The President & Chairman of FIA PNG Sylvester Pokajam stated that, “Our current tuna fleet of 48 tuna purse seiners is fishing inside the PNG Exclusive Economic Zone and Archipelagic Waters. We are having good catches, however we applied for the geographical scope extension only because we do not know how climate change will influence the tuna stocks’ behaviour and migration patterns. “We safely guarantee to our stakeholders, clients and retailer partners that we will maintain the same rigour with the 100% observer onboard coverage, iFIMS real-time data collection, Global Fishing Watch
(GFW) accessing our Vessel Monitoring System, Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability Key Data Elements’ data collection & share, and most importantly, the FIA PNG accountability and management control system under our Responsible Sourcing Policy (RSP).” Another milestone that FIA PNG achieved over the past 12 months was the independent and third-party recognition under the FISH Standard for Crew certification scheme for its fisher-workers. FISH stands for: Fairness , Integrity , Safety and Health . It was developed internationally to assure seafood buyers that the fish they are buying and selling is harvested by crews that are: 1. Recruited and hired ethically, 2. Treated with respect on the vessel, 3. Paid properly, 4. Have in place a grievances mechanism, etc. This is the result of a long due-diligence process that started in 2018 with the development of the FIA RSP commitment. Later in 2019, Seafoodmatter carried out the first assessment onboard of Crew Welfare and Social Responsibility (Seafoodmatter labour benchmark tool) in Frabelle fishing purse seiner and carrier. The FIA PNG has developed its Social Accountability and Crew Welfare procedure with a holistic approach to preparing its fleet, crew awareness, and crew conditions onboard for this recognition. It has been a journey of almost four years, and it was not easy.
“FIA PNG is glad and proud to see that our members cooperated with our office to have improved services. “Our local PNG national crews and Filipino crews are now getting the benefits of awareness, decent working and living conditions onboard where their welfare and safety needs are being met. Even though some issues of performance of recruitment agencies needs to be reviewed, it is a work in progress,” said Mr Pokajam. “This is a result of great teamwork by our tuna fishing fleet members and tuna processors, the FIA PNG office team and the National Fisheries Authority in continuously providing sufficient verifiable evidence to show how we are managing our fishery in a responsible and transparent manner. “To our retailers and global tuna markets, we can assure a stable and sustainable tuna supply while ensuring that our fisheries and marine resources remain sustainable for future generations to come.”
Sylvester Pokajam President & Chairman Fishing Industry Association
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog