September 8 2006 at 2:01 PM No score for this post
Just a view (no login)
Australia's media view of PNG does more harm than good Chris Harries, a Tasmanian-based writer, social advocate and former adviser to Bob Brown, writes:
Ask almost any Australian what they think of Papua New Guinea, and the stereotyped response goes something like: "Most dangerous place in the world." or "You’d have to be brave to go there."
Who can blame anybody for such jaundiced views? The Australian public is merely reflecting a sensationalised media image of PNG as a murderous, lawless, corrupt state on the verge of meltdown. The Four Corners feature "Sick No Good" (broadcast on 14 August) did much to cement that view in the public mind.
Let’s make one thing clear. Without question, PNG is afflicted with enormous development problems, amongst them the alarming spread of HIV-AIDS featured on the ABC program. Add to that a level of political corruption, uncontrolled exploitation of its resources by foreign multinationals, and many other problems experienced by developing nations everywhere. Exposure of these problems should not be censored.
Australian media stand accused, not of telling the truth about PNG, but of telling only a small fraction of the truth. The bits that titillate. The bits that feed our overbearing sense of cultural superiority. The bits that spare the Australian nation the knowledge of its own role in exacerbating, if not causing, many of Papua New Guinea’s development woes.
To put this tarnished image-making into perspective, imagine for a moment that media from a dominant foreign power, say Japan, came to Australia and reported on our nation to the world. And imagine if that reporting (done without sensitivity) honed in on the "stolen generation", the mindless ways we have destroyed our soils and river systems, the drug culture amongst youth in our cities. And imagine if this was the total image of our nation, projected to the entire world. No ability to redress or balance such a jaundiced, distorted image.
Having spent a total of four delightful years in Papua New Guinea (spread over 35 years) I have searched for the essence of that country’s culture. In doing so it eventually dawned on me how low self-esteem can affect a whole nation. This tiny nation – squeezed into a tight corner by economic globalisation, depicted unfairly as a "failed state", pack raped for its resources – carries all the hallmarks of a person suffering from low self-esteem.
We know all about how damaging low self-esteem can be for the individual. Transpose the phenomenon of low self-esteem from the individual to an entire nation and the symptoms stay precisely the same – particularly that of self-destructiveness. Likewise the remedies. Kicking our former, struggling colony in the guts is not a recommended treatment.
PNG is nothing like the media hype suggests. Yes, the country has enormous development problems, but 95% of Papua New Guineans live simple, quiet village lives, tending their gardens, looking after their young and old, trying to straddle their rich cultures and growing modernity. In many ways they are far more reflective of, and honest about, their own problems than Australians are of theirs.
For the most part PNG culture exhibits many fine attributes that our modern nation has lost. In terms of sustainability, for instance, PNG stands head and shoulders above Australia.
To help mend the hurt felt by PNG people for their media-tarnished image, I spent many hours talking with village groups, comparing the pluses and minuses of Australia-versus-PNG cultures, and of the colonial relationship that tie the two together.
Not least I spent many hours apologising for our nation’s folly in rushing the independence of PNG 30 years ago. Few Australians are aware that the undue haste with which we withdrew in 1976 left PNG without the infrastructure, the national leadership and the administrative capacity necessary for a smooth transition to independence.
Fair reporting I would say. Some of it `water under the bridge`.
The idea of a nation reflecting symptoms of low-self esteem is interesting. A good research topic for you young schorlars out there. I think from the time you are born, if you are told that you are bad, you will belive that growing up and eventually it becomes part of your character and that`s hard to get rid of once it`s inbuilt in your behavior pattern.
Actually reminds of me of a story I read in primary school, forgot the details, but I think it`s about an egle growing up among chickens and belived and thought it was a chicken, when in fact it was not. Everytime the eagles attacked the chickens, that particular egale along with all the chickens ran for cover!! Everyday wishing it was an eagle so that it does not have to run and hide everytime the other egales come around!! Until one day when one chicken asked that eagle why it was running and hiding with the chickens when it was an eagle and should be up there!! The eagle realised finally that it was an eagle and not a chicken after all. When that PARADIGM SHIFT happened, the egale was liberated! and set free to be what it was born to be!
PNGeans need a major PARADIGM SHIFT, from what the world (including Australia) has been telling us to what we believe we are capable of! HEY everybody! Did you guys/girls heard me? WE NEED A PARADIGM SHIFT IN OUR THINKING AND BELIEVE IN OURSELVES AND BE WHAT WE WERE BORN AND CREATED TO BE!! It starts with you and I, the elites, the schorlars, the professionals of PNG. Than tell that to any PNGean when yu get the opportunity. Right down to the village level. That is my goal and aim for PNG and for my children.
What is yours?
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
THAT is very very true PNG for Life. We Need a "PARADIGM SHIFT”. But importantly, the transformation doesn't happen by chance but rather motivate by agents of change. We need to be aware of the agents of change, such as MTD plan, green revolution and Education reforms. And of course, this website for Professionals and Scholars. Oh, and most recently the denial of one essential agent of change "The Internet Broadband". These are agents of change that is suppose to result in PARADIGM SHIFT. However, there are many obstacles, most common are the implementation of these agents, also known as mismanagement and systemic corruption.
Change is quite difficult, however, awareness is prerequisite to all acceptable changes of theory and ideas. It all starts in our minds for what we perceive, whether natural or unnatural, normal or abnormal, deplorable or acceptable, are subject to our own limitation that we have inherited from peers, friends, parents, teachers, media, neighboring countries and from what we learn from been so called educated etc.. Been mentally aware of our emotional state as outlined by Chris Harries and the need for change olsem PNG for life tok are in itself agents of change.
Been aware about the agents that drive PARADIGM SHIFT should be all our goals. We cannot come up with policies, papers, books, laws and journals in isolation. We need to collectively organize ourselves as professionals, create a database of emails and any paper, policy or journal or article your write, as a perquisite for change should be sent to everyone, so as to be aware of the agent that will drive the PARADIGM SHIFT.
2t blo mi tasol – putim blo yu na yumi mekim 4t
kolwan
This message has been edited by vortexPNG on Sep 11, 2006 4:45 PM
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Guys,
I agree with you twos on the PARADIGM SHIFT. It is about time we stop listening to what the world has to say and start believing in ourselves.
Only then will we become better in every aspects of our lives, because God has blessed us with so much. We only need to look our oppressors in their eyes and tell them to step aside.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT I AM A VERY PROUD PAPUA NEW GUINEAN, BECAUSE PNG IS SO COLOURFUL AND DIVERSE IN CULTURES....THE LAND OF THE UNEXPECTED...
Wanbel stap.
Rishika
This message has been edited by Rishika on Sep 14, 2006 7:21 PM This message has been edited by Rishika on Sep 14, 2006 7:15 PM
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Guys when I was planning my travel to png I was soooooo scared not from what I was reading in the media but from the warnings coming mostly from pngeans to be careful etc etc....so forthcoming were those warnings that I questioned my own travel plans...one day though I picked up a newspaper and there on the second page was a report from an Australian reporter who had feared going to png and that once she got there she said the only thing to fear is being OVER WELCOMED by the friendly natives....she said she was cautious but had the most wonderful time and that pngeans where wonderful and png was beautiful.....she added that like traveling in most foreign countries you have to be careful and it was her article that made me decide to go....I also found the whole country welcoming and warm and friendly....I was able to walk around popondetta on my own and even met a few friendly rascals....who were not interested in robbing me but in meeting me and talking with me......all in all I loved the place and would love to retire there one day......but the best kept secret about png is ITS the ONLY place to get to know GOD .....I attended church there and for the first time I felt close to god....I got baptised in Double Cross River in oro and I come home from there thinking that you guys live how god intended....no need for cars and tall buildings ....go sit under a coconut tree and feel his awesome power.....PNG beautiful one day perfect the next...
This message has been edited by ..Mesmerize.. on Sep 15, 2006 7:22 AM
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
That our country is also going down the drain of the South Pacifics to wake up and use the Austrailian media. Sterotypes about PNG into a mode of empowerment, of course we will never achieve that goal because we have 800 differnt languages with 1000 different cultures. Plus we are xenophobic towards one another to a certain extent, need I remind you that our women are garbage therefore they raise there little boys to be hoodlums, murders and rapists. Shame, shame on PNG current sitituation when will this nightmare end for us wantoks?
This message has been edited by Rishika on Oct 18, 2006 12:17 PM
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Did I missunderstand what you said? did you say that png women are garbage......I dont thinks so pal not at all.....I think like in any other country they are the backbone of FAMILY life...PNG is not like australia where if you have no job the govt will pay you a benifit so you can survive, in png if you dont work then you rely on your wantok system and your family for survival.......of course there are Rascals in png in case you have not noticed there are Rascals in every country we just call them criminals not rascals..........Rascals in png yeah they work in gangs but they are not like career criminals here or in other countries that live the high life they are organised gangs stealing to survive..... the product of a garbage mother, I doubt it, more likely the product of a combination of things..... here in Queensland there is about 8% or less of our State that are unemployed so the tax's from the tax payers here take care of the non workers.....the % of png workers to unemployed is opposite to our figures so we cant expect the govt there to do any miracles with tax payers money......besides corruption gobbles up most tax money in png any way.........I am just a dumb ol blonde but the best way for PNG to step up is to get rid of greedy ass politicians that only line the pockets of their friends and families and do nothing for THE PEOPLE....GET some real politicians into power that can get things done who wont miss use funds......
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Sam I Am, you need to crawl out from under your rock! How dare you say png women are garbage??? You need a reality check!!! Mama lukautim yu ah? How appalling.....na wok blo papa wanem? Stap nating na givim bel lo meri? Maybe if some men took more active roles in helping raise their little boys properly, we wouldnt have so many hoodlums, murderers and rapists.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Check this out in most Melanesian societies especially in the rural areas isn't it you women roles in taking care of home? Nothing haven't change since our grandparents era meri; besides that we are now wearing clothes. You know what the women are the ones who suppose to raise the kids while the men work. Unless you are one of these women whom has been reading these books on western ideaology. Come on prosistitues in POM, Lae and Mt. Hagen what can all this crap means somewhere down the line you are not doing your jobs. Why try to compare yourselves to men like how the way women in westernize countries like to do it. Just stick to being women, how dare of you to say I am wrong. That is how the whole AIDS epidemic got started; just think about this how many PNG men you see with white wives versus the PNG women with Aussie husbands? Now who weigh in the most on that one?
You may not revoke your opinion and thats your right but it can be edited here ....you can speak your mind but no need to be so offensive to women.
This message has been edited by ..Mesmerize.. on Oct 26, 2006 1:11 PM
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Oh bull!! Heaps have changed since our grandparents era and you know it.How chauvinistic of you...as if blaming women would solve our country's problems anyway (by the way, you probably need to go learn more about melanesian societies..or maybe you speak for your own culture when you say only women took care of children). You, fellow country man, need a PARADIGM SHIFT!!!!
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.