Papua New Guinea is an Independent State, gaining Independence from Australia in 1975 on the 16th of September and the capital city is Port Moresby.
PNG has a diverse culture and at least 800 different local languages, the country is divided in 4 regions, Southern, Highlands, Islands and Momase regions. The regions are further divided into provinces and there are 22 provinces making up the country. Milne Nay Province where I come from is the largest maritime province in the country. Much its population live on small islands and our livelihoods depends on marine resources; fishing, shell collection and our culture. Our country has a hot tropical climate with rain and sun throughout the year.
In every society I believe Language is Life. In other words, all living things have their own languages and can communicate with others (this includes human races, birds of the air, fish and animals on the surface of the land, etc. Here in Misima we use our language to talk about matters concerning our cultural issues. Our children are taught how to read and write in our language during early stages of the child’s education. The same language is used for Church services.
Every language has its own culture and they are sometimes hard to separate one from the other. Traditional practices such as gardening, traditional house style, feasting, dressing styles and most importantly the way we live and care about our environment. Anyone can tell just by listening to a person talking and will say where they come from, or by looking at the house style and will tell which area build such house, or the way other people dress and perform their dancing. All these are combined with their Languages and in most cases are always true.
For this reason, every living thing is uniquely made and are allowed to own a language of their own so they can be able to use it, preserve it, respect it, love it and always acknowledge it to be very essential for them because it is their LIFE. Gyhaop Page WESLEY & Jerry GANDO