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5/15/1967 - Death of a Politician by Edward P. Wolfers

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS EPW P O Box Death Politician Port Moresby Papua Territory Papua New Guinea May Mr Richard H Nolte Executive Diree Institute Current World Affairs Madison Avenue New York 10017 N Y United States America Dear Mr Nolte Ugi Biritu typical Highlands politician As Member Papua New Guinea House Assembly which first entered European missionaries which brought under Administration control until 1950s member educated political elite Ugi official biography other Highlands Members described background simply No formal education experience fluent Pidgin The birth uncertain Europeans entered village where nonetheless physical appearance Lutlneran pastor A C Frerichs first travelled close Mobei Ugi village indicated probably about The Lufa where Mobei first entered Europeans Michael Leahy Mick Dwyer first sighted Mount Michael which named after Leahy while first prospecting edition Highlands This first patrol through followed short while later first Administration patrol Highlands under legendary J L Taylor whose still Well known local people One first Lufa Pidgin Wariota memories first Taylor patrol recorded Wariota young described people early reactions white My people afraid because thought Taylor uniformed police would custom mountain clans EPW My father other vllage shield arrows The patrol appear watched silently bushes Taylor police moved slowly among people To person Taylor which tasted better before Then people presents cowrie shells beads mother pearl shell Some luckier received steel tomahawks knives My people never white They thought might ancestor returned Alth afraid people Taylor gifts custom exchange presents Later Taylor climbed Mountain Rongo peaks Mount Michael taking police carriers As climbed mountain people shouted spirits mountain Taylor coveted cargo carried It seems likel party servicemen group Europeans visit search survivors Aerican bomber crashed there during Tar It however until Lutheran Mission station EiJiveloka Mobei early permanent contact outside world established It possible indigenous Lutheran evangelists New Guinea coast there early Seventh Day Adventist Church missionaries earlier Wariota unaware further European contact after Taylor until policemen Pelisia interpreter Yabaiyufa there after War By around Lufa Patrol Post which established headquarters Lufa Sub District Eastern Highlands District largely brought under Government control restricted Frerichs claimed Lufa first there gaves skulls posts stuck gound prevalent cannibalism The Administration admitted cannibalism still practised albeit furtively while Frerichs written local people actually engaged eating remains first There doubt however cannibalism Papua New Guinea sensational writers journalists would believe Certainly New Guineans accuse ether groups practice rarely either direct evidence admit practice themsels L R Ugi Mr Wegra Kenu M H A Upper Sepik Author fianc author younger brother being buffeted Sydney Either early about Gunther Renck establishing Lutheran Mission Rengu Mt Michael Ugi baptised Lutheran Church customary Furuna which means peace native dialect Frigano Yagaria language Ugi never kiowledge publicly outside Church As young Ugi trained become teacher local Sunday School failed become hurch Elder later because prolonged absences congregation Some later Ugi trained Medical Training School Goroka become orderly miniver people simpler medical needs For years Ugi sought excitement awayfrom employment unskilled labourer plumber Public Works Department UP peanut farming account In moved Government station Lufa become interpreter With Department Native Affairs photograph taken atwork achieve publicity publications Australian News Inf rmation Bureau SubSequently reprinted number Of books about Terri In Ugi stoed electiens Heuse Assembly Henganefi Open Electorate figure shaped electerate cemprising parts present Lufa Henganefi Sub Districts The electerate censisted Kafe Bagage theugh Bagage speakers speak Kafe Yagaria Lufa Frigane dialects Gene language groups centact links anether Were quite arbitrary their want_oks Pidgin language Kainantu Okapa Electorates Ug claimed speak seven lecal languages dialects tokles Pidgin Pidgin smattering English andMou certainly alone oandidates steod electien spoke languages dialects electorate except prebably Bagage which spoken villages As result though Bono Azanlfa galned O28 first preferce vQtes Kafe speaking Henganofi electerate Ugi gained aimost second preferance votes these veted their language group candidate multilingual Lufa In additlen other Highland Members Administration interpr ceuld claim special knewledge Government effect managed influence control access Ugi President Lufa Native Club though unable election Lufa Local Government Council which ercis considerable pressure H0use Assembly establiS As M H A addition income source business account small amount coffee potatoes reared goats cattle Ugi fairly typical Highland Member background outlook Fluent Pidgin minimal educatiom closely associated With Administration principal mission nonetheless remembered showed letter wrote journal New Guinea gratitude hospitality shown In before ancestors happy properly They liked fight steal ground another would become angry revenge Now white people afraid wantedto Now books As Ugi illiterate original letter actual consisted small sheet paper number indecipherable Pidgin Or transcrip pencil marks which publishable A marks indeed resezble Pidgin words Ugi political outlook career House fellow Highlanders Though towards interest House activities showed marked decline realised limitations illiteracy Administration failur translate BIs other placed continued always collect parliamentary papers great though purpose discover He continued until sorts questions Official Members House press people claims roads schools bridges aSSistance their economic political development Given memories violence curity contact harshness largely unmastered physical environment which Ugi still generation Highlanders appreciate Australian Government recognise their economic political psychological dependance Australia their areas progress In large course atitude reflects milder confrontation cultures place changing climate World War II colonialism The people electorate asked house grateful Europeans things taught Before Europeans country ancestors gardens Now people learning other things being taught Australian Law order being brought Guinea businesses being started country developing The people happy about Nonetheless psychological dependance Europeans which character indigen reactions colonialism generally important factor Ugi shown example reaction Goroka District Officer answer Ugi indigenous people should develop Territory S agricultural fishing resources theuselves hbwcan these things ourselves Government Unless Government helps build roads schools people remain ignorant primitive follow barbaric ancestors To Ugi development still conceived terms involved people active cooperation Aministration often under extremely trying conditions Developmental projeCts relatively backward areas Luf often udertaken great enthusiasm still people themselves With Administration advice guidance often without payment proper tools their labour Men women built 0kapa Goroka their hands without machinery enough heavy trucks The Government should consider allocating funds surely request circumstances So development still cooperative Venture Ugi uestien House requested police areas asked assist people building roads police unite people projects these regarded friends people The dependance outside assistance however accompanying conservatism about political constitutional change simply reflection political cowardice result official intimidation In ntunber quite crucial issues Ugi prepared against Administration House risks stance involved nationalist extraor dinarily Conservative standards contemporary Afro Asia Territory highly educated indigenous leaders Ugi progressive standards terms willingness occasions first eleven meetings House Vote publicly recorded opposition Administration particular matter under discussieno Thile Australia leave Territory Ugi sufficient pride himself politician people assert their interests against Australia conflict xample supported demand idgin speaking Members given greater assistance House through provision better translations important doctuents For however rebellions against Administration European Although Highland Menbers actively politick conventional sense Port Meresby Ugi manner colleagues emulate argue terms national interest specific definition often xpressed terms electerate problems Mr Speaker quite members cross Treasurer because Of allocated funds various districts Territory Everybody seems thinking little whether received money Australian Government grant EPW Papua New Guinea But would really being We quite money allocated these would really finished products things roads bridges We these things talking about points House I going about electorate Ugi usual resentment Members areas amountsomoney spent towns Port Moresby Government stations generally although nonetheless improvements living conditions A ninisration officials Lufa Unfortunately himself pointed I people several I Pert Moresby money Government through proper administrative channels They think I money pocket bring They understand normal administrative channels followed Despite sought voice people conceived function Ug demands those essentially backward people seriously underdeveloped during Member Administration perhaps because perhaps spite efforts undertook considerable uount building development It emlent people persistence perhaps criticism earlier Administrations today beast least young Form IV final schoelo Surprisingly Ugi sufficiently conscientious perhaps sizply political enough plead causes Huse Kafe electorate where gained fewvotesindeedinI964 andofarligiousmissionother Indeed although lived actual Lufa station erder close centre affairs House raise purely local concerns people electorate really Henganofi Sub District Ugi though somewhat frightened first visit Australia especially example objects alien experience Manly ferries which their Sydney Harbour other improve himself educationally Thus disappointed medical reasons refused permission earlier Australia seven other Highland Members Administration sponsored undertake three months course Sydney learn English Quite apart personal upset refusal disappointment inability House proceedings tended speak general debates annual Budget debate adjournment termination sitting rather technical debates particular bills prier death publicly shamed Henganofi manner could added miseries sickness already brought The occasion public shuing during visit Select Committee Constitutional Political Development Henganofi The Committee touring Territory evidence public their attitudes towards Territory political future before Committee began blueprint which released within weeks stage Territory development towards governent An indigenous eliceman accompanied Administration patrols their rounds years before stood Ugi attacked publicly allegedly neglecting interests especially Henganofi electorate where gained little Support despite local pe0ple behalf House visits where could still little headway against local politicoes Shame probably powerful sanction short actual killing sorcery indigenous society indeed itself often inflicted death though Ugi actually during epileptic Goroka March probably brought closer shame experienced before fellow M H A Certainly dwelt subject before death seemed during months Ugi funeral March attracted local people dressed their traditional Pidgin loincloths grass which Worn throughout follow Lutheran service conducted predominantly Pidgin New Guinean pastor trmmlation local language There perhaps dozen local European Administration officers missionaries there including District Commissioner Eastern Highlands number inquisitive outsiders photographs quite unashamedly throughout service The hymns mostly Pidgin though special choir local language The addresses delivered local Lutheran pastor European D C another European official Goroka indigenous M H A Goroka EPW Photo W Burford Radio Goroka The scene fantastic The indigenous congregation seated large square ground before grave while indigence Europeane seated centre multitude benehe Few local people wholly Western style clothes although coloured beads women number shorts betrayed changes wrought tradition The incongruity startling speeches recorded Radio Goroka congregation largely unresponsive Pidgin prayers surrounded roped pathways brilliantly decorated bright yellow flowers pieces cloth The cross above grave_was light black simply death The itself however conducted constant murmur interested voices prayers everyone seated until coffin lowered Then steady undercurrent noise gradually became louder crowd multitude began press towards grave group policemen prison warders began lower coffin rlocal women wailed louder their sorrowful crescendo For hours afterwards people stood around groups above station elderly women continued wailing square before grave Somehow I never discover where Ugi immediate family occasion designed As walked Ugi shuttered house which right station could local politicoes shaking hands looking other knowingly there election replacement remainder Ugi unexpired Meanwhile Mobei where little development taken place since contact though money beginning enter village coffee other produce small wages brought labourers coast money excitement under Highlands Labour Scheme where certainly secure under Government control people talking darkly sorcery against CSl Yours sincerely Received New York May