Mother and child leave before mine blasting, Porgera Valley. Credit: Damian Baker.
The NewsHooker:
The NewsHooker takes us through the wild and untamed Porgera Valley in the PNG Highlands, describing the cruel exploitation of mining companies while fending off a marriage proposal or two.
Well after a wild old time in the Western Highlands with the Ipili people, I’ve now ridden the PMV, a public transport vehicle, back to the relative civilisation (?) of Mt Hagen.
The Porgera valley may have been without the Internet and lacking in a few other creature comforts, but the people are some of the more civilised that I have met in a long time. Despite mud floors, grass roofs and often no power and water they are a wildly gleeful bunch of people and civil beyond any groups I have met in a capital city anywhere in the world.
Regardless of my motive or why I was in the valley everyone I met treated me like a king. I was never asked my business, they just worked it out by observation, and took me on trust. However once my purpose became obvious, I had the same comments from all non-English speaking tribesmen everywhere I went: “You telem people’s story.”
The logistics for the reason I was in the valley – to document the alleged abuses of mining giant Barrick - was organised ahead of me everywhere I went. People were always waiting to be interviewed, secure areas to do so were always ready and an exit route if ever needed was always planned. As far as I’m aware the police and the security are still not sure where I went; what I was there for; or in some cases where the bloody hell I was.
Typical Village in Porgera Valley. Credit: Damian Baker
Through walking tracks, down village trenches, along creek beds and up wild mountain roads my trusty friend, guide, fixer, and even cameraman Ferman and his friends passed me from village to village under the noses of the local police and mine security for three days.
After entering what is called the Special Mining Lease Area, through two tunnels and a lot of razor wire fencing, I felt ill at ease at having my retreat cut off so securely. I soon relaxed though when I realised how wild the terrain was and how steep the tracks were.
My misspent youth climbing everything I could see and running up and down the creek in Talgarno, Victoria was to serve me well in the Pogera valley.
I think the locals were a bit surprised a silly white man could be so agile and as time wore on they tested me more and more with wilder options and steeper tracks all at their own running pace. It was worth it though and the stories I was told and the information I gathered are to be told in a more serious manner in an article and on video over the next week or so.
Needless to say it is a story that in the 21st century will be hard to believe.
But among the serious stuff there were many laughs, lots of nice photos and even a wife or two on offer!
Villager, local health issue are a concern. Credit: Damian Baker
The Papua New Guineans find it hard to understand me not being married. Breeding and family here starts young and as far as I can work out doesn’t stop till the plumbing gets rusty. I was told a young wife could be found for me easily as “they like em white man I get you good one.”
Sitting here at the hotel in Hagen it seems like another world for two very different reasons. The first being the conditions the villagers are forced to endure as a result of a multinational mining company finding gold. At times it seemed like being in a medieval version of a Mad Max movie.
The second reason was that in among this madness the locals have an amazingly simple rich lifestyle, strong on community values and rooted deep in a tribal past. The elders have learnt the meaning of human rights and they understand the national and international court systems. They are using these avenues well.
But not so far back in the past these villagers were renowned for their fierce and effective war craft and often their barbarity.
The abyss where over 100 people were killed seven years ago. Credit: Damian Baker.
I’m sure if Barrick doesn’t see the writing on the wall and come good with a deal to help these people, it will not be the last we hear of the Ipili Tribes of the Pogera valley.
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