1. Celebrating Nationhood in 1975
Compiled By: GERALDINE KALABAI
PAPUA New Guinea became an Independent State on September 16, 1975. At that time there
were about a thousand indigenous graduates who made up the tiny elite group of the new
Nation State. None of them had completed post graduate education at the time of
Independence. Credit was given to the political party; Pangu Party as they were seen as the
driving force towards PNG’s independence. Sir John Guise one of the founding members of the
Pangu Party and the first indigenous Governor- General of Papua New Guinea said very
strikingly when the Australian Flag was lowered on Independence Hill for the last time that, the
people of PNG and the rest of the world must realize that we were lowering the flag of our
colonizers and not tearing it down. His statement carried a significant meaning. To put it
bluntly, PNG’s independence was peaceful with no violence or bloodshed.
On the other hand, there were the indigenous people and their take on independence. Some
argued that the Independence of PNG was not the result of national consensus. Majority of
Papua New Guineans were either, not concerned, against, or not committed to independence.
Most people felt that independence was the result of a small group of people led by the Pangu
Party and its sympathizers in the House of Assembly and that most people were not sure what
independence would bring for them. Some villagers hid in the bush on Independence Day, in
fear that Australia might retaliate and bomb their villages. While others feared that if
Australians left, they would take everything modern with them. And in Enga District, a man cut
off his finger, in a traditional way of expressing his sorrow. As for Papua Besena, a separatist
movement which was against the independence of PNG as it included the coming together of
Papua; a former British/Australian colony and New Guinea; a former German colony. They
wanted Australia to shift its border as far north as the New Guinea border including Central
Province. The rain maker of Papua Besena tried to ruin Independence Day but failed to as the
weather cleared up after unseasonable squalls just before the ceremonies started. Meanwhile
in East New Britain District a young educated man went out handing pieces of papers that read:
“Unless people of every language group are able to come together for the advancement of the
country we will not have here Government of the People by the People, but government by
some group. And what group will that be? It will certainly not be government by the Tolai
(Epstein, 1978:57)”. It seemed that Independence had estranged the new Leaders of PNG from
the rest of country.
Source: The State and its Enemies in Papua New Guinea, Alexander Wanek, Google Books.