1. Decolonization of the Mind
By: GERALDINE KALABAI
It was Papua’s autocratic Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Hubert Murray, who was the first to suggest that
Australia’s New Guinea was different from all other colonial territories. It therefore needed a native
policyunique toitself andcouldnotuse methods adopted by other colonial administrations or benefit
from their experience. And so it was for example, that while Britain was implementing its system of
indirectrule whichrecognized the integrity of native cultures and utilized native institution under the
loose and flexible supervision of a few British officials, Sir Hubert was imposing regulations on the
Papuanswhichremovedfromthempracticallyevery last vestige of responsibility for the management
of theirownaffairs.Murrayhad a deepmistrustof anythingwhichmightpromote the developmentof a
native elite groupandata time whenBritainwassendingthe brightestof itscolonial subjects to Oxford
and Cambridge, Papua’s Governor would not support any educational effort to raise school standards
above the grade5 primary level.
Those responsible forthe post-waradministrationof Australia’sterritoriesgladlyembraced the ‘unique
New Guinea’ theory. It gave successive ministers freedom to follow their own chosen course
undistractedbydevelopmentselsewhere inthe colonialworld.Anditprovidedthemwith a disarmingly
simple formula for meeting any outside assessment of their policies and their effectiveness. A
patronizing smile and a ‘yes, but of course New Guinea is different’ kept all but the most persistent
critics at bay. Sadly, it also closed the eyes of the holders of the theory to the wide variety of options
open to them in colonial administration and development. As late as the sixties, a very senior
administrativeofficercouldproclaim, with little fear of contradiction, that New Guinea had nothing to
learn from Africa.
Papua New Guinea scholars are now suggesting that the effect of Australia’s administration of their
countrywas to make itspeople politicallyimportantbytakingfromthemthe responsibilityfordecision-
makingat eventhe mostelementarylevel of village life.The governmentalwaysknew whatwasbestfor
theminall things.The Australianbrandof colonialism destroyed the status and authority of traditional
leadership-systemsandmade the peopleentirelydependent upon its own authority and submissive to
its will. The final result of this super-paternalism was a deep sense of inferiority and a failure of self
confidence. There were bittercitizenshipdebatesthatsupportedthisview that were seen as a reaction
against the stifling and all pervasive Australian colonial presence. The PNG colonial experience had
obviously had an impact on the national leaders so as to making them want to see the expatriates
involvedgone andnot be granted citizenship. This is not, as has been suggested, necessarily a form of
racism. It could be the very natural reaction of the child of over-solicitous parents, now comes of age,
who wants to begin his adult life without mum and dad continuing to look over his shoulder.
ENDS…..///……