PAPUA NEW GUINEA HISTORY

Papua New Guinea History

By YAMSOB MOSES @ University of Goroka 2018

Human remains have been found in Papua New Guinea that date back to about
50,000 years ago. These ancient inhabitants of Papua New Guinea probably had
their origins in Southeast Asia, themselves originating in Africa 50,000 to 70,000
years ago.

New Guinea (as it used to be known), one of the first landmasses after Africa and
Eurasia to be populated by modern humans, had its first migration at about the
same time as Australia.

Agriculture was independently developed in the New Guinea highlands around

7,000 BC, making it one of the few areas of original plant domestication in the
world. A major migration of Austronesia speaking peoples came to coastal
regions roughly 2,500 years ago, along with the introduction of pottery, pigs, and
certain fishing techniques.

Some 300 years ago, the sweet potato entered New Guinea with its far higher
crop yields transforming traditional agriculture. It largely supplanted the
previous staple, taro, and gave rise to a significant increase in population in the
highlands.

In the past, headhunting and cannibalism occurred in many parts of what is now
named Papua New Guinea. By the early 1950s, through administration and
mission pressures, open cannibalism had almost entirely ceased.

Europeans to sight Papua New Guinea first were probably Portuguese and
Spanish navigators sailing in the South Pacific in the early 16th century.
The principal island of Papua New Guinea was discovered around 1526-27 by
Don Jorge de Meneses. Although European navigators visited and explored the
Papua New Guinea islands for the next 170 years, little was known of the Papua
New Guinea inhabitants until the late 19th century.

Early Settlement

New Guinea

The northern half of the country came into German hands in 1884 as German
New Guinea. With Europe's growing need for coconut oil, Godeffroy's of
Hamburg, the largest trading firm in the Pacific, began trading for copra in
the New Guinea Islands. In 1884, Germany formally took possession of the
northeast quarter of the island and put its administration in the hands of a

YAMSOB MOSES 2018 @ UNIVERSITY OF GOROKA

 PAPUA NEW GUINEA HISTORY

chartered company. In 1899, the German imperial government assumed direct

control of the territory, thereafter known as German New Guinea. In 1914,
Australian troops occupied German New Guinea, and it remained under
Australian military control until 1921. The British Government, on behalf of the
Commonwealth of Australia, assumed a mandate from the League of Nations for
governing the Territory of New Guinea in 1920. That mandate was administered
by the Australian Government until the Japanese invasion in December 1941
brought about its suspension. Following the surrender of the Japanese in 1945,
civil administration of Papua as well as New Guinea was restored, and under the
Papua New Guinea Provisional Administration Act, 1945-46, Papua and New
Guinea were combined in an administrative union to become the country
of Papua New Guinea.

Papua

On November 6, 1884, a British protectorate was proclaimed over the southern

coast of New Guinea (the area called Papua) and its adjacent islands. The
protectorate, called British New Guinea, was annexed outright on September 4,
1888. The possession was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of
Australia in 1902. Following the passage of the Papua Act of 1905, British New
Guinea became the Territory of Papua, and formal Australian administration
began in 1906. Papua was administered under the Papua Act until the Japanese
invaded the northern parts of the islands in 1941 and began to advance on Port
Moresby and civil administration was suspended. During the war, Papua was
governed by a military administration from Port Moresby, where Gen. Douglas
MacArthur occasionally made his headquarters. As noted, it was later joined in
an administrative union with New Guinea during 1945-46 following the
surrender of Japan, and Papua New Guinea was born.

Colonisation of Papua New Guinea

During World War I, Papua New Guinea was occupied by Australia, which had
begun administering British New Guinea, the southern part, as the re-named
Papua in 1904. After World War I, Australia was given a mandate to administer
the former German New Guinea by the League of Nations.

Papua, by contrast, was deemed to be an External Territory of the Australian

Commonwealth, though as a matter of law it remained a British possession, an
issue which had significance for the country's post-Independence legal system
after 1975. This difference in legal status meant that Papua and New Guinea had
entirely separate administrations, both controlled by Australia.

YAMSOB MOSES 2018 @ UNIVERSITY OF GOROKA

 PAPUA NEW GUINEA HISTORY

The New Guinea campaign (1942-1945) was one of the major military
campaigns of World War II. Approximately
216,000 Japanese, Australian and American soldiers, sailors and airmen died
during the New Guinea Campaign. The two territories were combined into the
Territory of Papua and New Guinea after World War II, which later was simply
referred to as "Papua New Guinea". The Administration of Papua became open
to United Nations oversight.

People & Papua New Guinea Culture

The people are largely descendants of the Papuans – Melanesians include island
countries as Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New
Guinea. Today there over seven (7) million people living in Papua New
Guinea – more than a third of them in the rugged Highlands. The traditional
Melanesian cultures are kept alive in elaborate rituals that accompany deaths,
feasts, marriages, compensation ceremonies and initiation rites.

Variations in village construction, dialect and dress are common in country areas
while annual Sing Sing shows, part of the Papua New Guinea Cultural Events
Calendar, see villagers from around the country demonstrate their singing,
dancing and elaborate bilas (traditional costumes). The shows at Goroka and
Mount Hagen are among the country's most impressive, attracting thousands of
spectators to Papua New Guinea each year. Our selection of vibrant cultural
Papua New Guinea images show these fantastic costumes.

Language
More than 800 local languages (in addition to many minor dialects) exist
in Papua New Guinea – about a third of the world's indigenous tongues. Pidgin
(Tok Pisin) is common to most Papua New Guineans, and learning a few words
can be handy, especially when travelling in more remote areas.

English Tok Pisin

Yes Yes
No Nogat
Good morning Moning
Good night Gut nait
Thank you Tenkiu
How much does it Em hamas? / Hamas long
cost? em?
 PAPUA NEW GUINEA HISTORY

I would like to buy Mi laik baim

Where is the toilet? Toilet istap weh?
Please help me Halivim mi, plis
I do not like it Mi no laikim
Where are we going? Yumi go weh?
Food or to eat Kai kai
What is your name? Wanem nem bilong yu?
Where are you from? Yu bilong weh?
Hospital Haus sik
May I take a photo? Inap mi kisim piksa?

Village Life
Many people still live in small villages making a living from subsistence
agriculture or specializing as gardeners, fishers, hunters or craftspeople; women
are responsible for daily household and village work, while men take care of
hunting, trade and warfare. Taking a Papua New Guinea tour to stay in a
village is a wonderful way to learn more about the local culture and lifestyle,
during your Papua New Guinea holiday. However, remember to be respectful of
local customs and religious beliefs, and do not wander off alone – always take a
local guide with you. Most land is owned by a community or village, which
means visitors will need to ask for permission to enter.

YAMSOB MOSES 2018 @ UNIVERSITY OF GOROKA