It's Home—Whichever Way You Look At It
p. 88 · Read in the full issue
The 4,000 natives of Manam Island, off the coast of New Guinea near Madang, began to move back in November after having been evacuated to the mainland almost 12 months earlier, following a violent volcanic eruption. an l h LlH r S n t destr °y ed ma "V ° f their gardens and homes, is °. m^ ny area ? J But home is where heart on Manam lslanders would never be happy anywhere but aer ' al Photograph, which has been published previously in PIM, was taken many years ago by NG pilot Aubrey Koch. It shows the lower section of the Ramu R P iver
—and off the coast, actually 35 miles from the camera—a most unexpected view of Manam and its 4,000 ft. volcanic peak.
The ground in between appears much flatter than it actually is because of the height at which the photograph was taken.
It is about 20 miles from the river, at this point, to the coast, and another 15 miles from the coast to the island.
There is now an Administration resettlement scheme work ing on the island to help the natives get their activities going again. The volcano still smokes and some of the ash is warm beneath the surface.