Some 18 years ago when I was still teaching, I was rounding up 13 years at Willetton SHS in Western Australia. I had occasion to be in the front office when a family came to enrol their son. I could see and hear that they were Motuans from the Central District of Papua. I had learned a pidgin version of their language called Hiri Motu and in the crowded office I said loudly. Umui be daika...Lau be Kerema tauna. (who are you..I am a man from Kerema). The family looked around for a dark skinned male but couldn’t see one. I introduced myself and met the lad who was enrolling, Hane Nou. I retired and Hane finished high school. His father was in W.A. doing a PHD at a local university. When he finished his PHD they all, except Hane, went back to Papua New Guinea.
I taught Hane in my last years at WSHS. Hane is still here in W.A. and we are to catch up next month.
No comments:
Post a Comment