Independence

Highlights

Highlights from Papua New Guinea’s Independence celebrations: • A two-ton 33-ft-high statue of steel and a 12-ton rock were tributes to independence. The statue is a free sculpture titled Strength and Unity by the Papua New Guinean fine arts designer Jeffrey Musuwadoga. It was unveiled in the grounds of the PNG University at Port Moresby. The 12ton rock was brought from a river bed near Lae and mounted as a symbol of solidarity in Lae. • At Mendi in the Highlands of Papua, organisers of independence dressed a young girl in the PNG flag and chained her to a post with plastic chains. To symbolise independence the chains were cut. The girl released a bird from a cage. • One of the oldest examples of cultural symbolism in the national celebrations was provided by a traditional Chinese dragon imported a few weeks ago by the PNG Chinese community. The 80-ft long dragon, held by 12 men in its body and one in its head, danced through the streets of suburban Port Moresby. • A group of guests at a reception stroked the legs and feet of the Prime Minister. The incident—symbol of reverence for leadership—was at a re ception in Mr Somare’s electorate at Wewak, on the PNG north coast. He had returned there after attending the celebrations in Port Moresby. Prince Charles and Fiji Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara were also guests at the reception held by the Second Battalion of the Pacific Islands Regi ment. The 300 guests met in a thatched building decorated with flowers and palms on the shores of the Bismarck Sea. Mr Somare was talking to a group of people when an elderly man came across, knelt near him, and stroked his feet. Later other men came across, stroking Mr Somare’s legs and feet, speaking to him briefly, and then returning to their companions. The men said afterwards, “The legs and feet carry a man where is going. That is why they are important”. • More than 1,500 police were on duty in Port Moresby during the celebrations. The average man worked 14 hours a day. Many had meals brought to them. The general view was that the police performed with great credit at a difficult time, particularly in crowd control.