By JULIE MOTA-KUMIN
THE work of late Dr Cynthia Farr of the Summer Institute of Linguistics among the Korafe-Mokorua people of Tufi sub-district of Oro province from the early 1970’s until her passing last month was most recognizable in Bible Translation Projects.
Dr Farr published a lot of books in Korafe-Mokorua language and on Korafe-Mokorua subjects.
In fact, most of these publications were products of the Korafe Writers Workshop organized by late Dr Farr and Jim Farr in 1979 at Baga village in Tufi.
Most of the workshop participants were contributing writers and have since passed away. They include late Elijah Simati and Elkin Kegana and my late grandfather Michael Mota illustrated most of the books.
Some of these books include Korafe Iari Da Buku (Korafe Cultural Lifestyle), Korafe Oka Da Buku (Korafe Fish Book) and Korafe Rika Da Buku (Korafe Birds Book).
He Summer Institute of Linguistics printing department at Ukarumpa printed over 1000 copies each of these books.
Whilst cultural practices, artifacts and beliefs were yet to be translated, rapid modernization is fast eroding the language and with old people dying away it is a race against time to record such information.
The late Dr Farr was very associated with local community development initiatives in Tufi most especially amongst women and family concerns.
The first Adult Literacy and Tok Ples Elementary Schools were initiated by Dr Farr and Jim Farr in the 1990’s in Tufi.
One of her students was my grandmother Magdeline Mota, who in 1997, aged over 60 and with several grandchildren, discovered how to spell her name and count to 10.
At that time, a first year student at the University of PNG I appreciated the Adult Literacy program in Tufi upon seeing the impact on my grandmother’s life.
An old village woman with no formal education who decided to go back to school to learnt to read and write.
Moreover, after my first artist in residence program in Australia in 2002 I went home to Baga and accompanied late Dr Farr and Jim on their Sunday church patrol.
Always carrying a medical bag Dr Farr visited local hamlets and villages to give basic medial dressing, say a prayer or express a word or two before leaving a family.
She was most concerned with women’s health at Tufi and remarked that most of the health problems affecting the women were curable but without basic hygiene awareness and medical drugs women were suffering.
One of these health problems was the lack of clean water for women to bathe that gave rise to a large number of women suffering from the eye disease, glaucoma.
She expressed her concerns to the Christian Medical Association and had no favourable response and was still looking at other avenues to address the issue.
During her adult literacy classes she also taught basic cooking, baking and sewing to local women with donations of sewing machines to course participants.
Whilst in the missionary role she ensured that Anglican Mothers Union members who were without hymn books, prayer books and office administrative articles were at least able to get one for their weekly fellowship programs in their remote villages from Korafe to Baruga areas.
On arrival at Tufi the biggest church in the area was the Anglican church. Today, there are many Pentecostal churches. Thus, was a particular concern for her in her prayer points.
Nevertheless for many of us second generation Korofe Mokorua and Baruga language speakers who are dwelling in urban centers of PNG late Dr Farr’s presence was symbolic, cultural fusion of West meet Pacific.
The Western nostalgia of her American home baking always made us feel at home in an otherwise remote village of Papua New Guinea.
Hence, on behalf of all her adopted grandchildren Rest In Peace, Avia.
The late Dr Farr was laid to rest at her beloved home in Baga village, Tufi in Oro province on Saturday January 26 2008.

 

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