42 days walk to deliver 2 letters

**Lady Veronica Somare (seated, middle) with Julie Kenni (left) and grand daughters at the burial of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare at Kreer Heights in Wewak, East Sepik on Tuesday.**

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
RETIRED colonel Geoffery Key remembers walking for 42 days from Wewak to Port Moresby to deliver two messages.
Now in his 60s, he recalls leading 15 men through the mountains of East Sepik to Madang, to Bulolo, Wau, down to Tapini in Central and along the road to Port Moresby.
He remembers meeting Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and the beginning of a friendship that lasted for years.
“In 1973, I was a second-lieutenant in the military stationed in Vanimo,” Key said.
“Sir Michael was the chief minister and was visiting the area where he later visited the military barracks.”
“One of the rumours floating around at the time was about a cargo cult movement in the country.
“One man told Sir Michael that members of the group should be punished for bringing shame to the country.
Sir Michael told everyone that imprisonment will not change their attitude.
“He said they will say the Government is stopping them because it fears that when they get rich, they will take over the Government.”

**Saint Mary’s Primary School students in Wewak marching to the Sir Michael Somare Stadium to pay tribute to Grand Chief Michael Somare on Tuesday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI**

Key said it was then that he knew that this man from East Sepik spoke his language.
“A few months later, I returned to Moem Barracks and met him again after a game of golf,” Key said.
“Sir Michael announced that he would retain the force after PNG attains nationhood.
“In 1975, we were called into a meeting with the Moem Barracks commander.
“The commander had two letters: one from him and the other from the district commissioner of Wewak.
“He told us we had to walk to Port Moresby to deliver the message to Sir Michael on the eve of Independence.
“There was talk of the country gaining Independence in August, so we left Wewak in July, making our way to Madang, Bulolo, Wau, Goilala and to Port Moresby.
“We crossed rivers, climbed mountains in the sun and rain, living off the land, catching what we could to eat.
“We had to deliver the letters.
“We arrived in Port Moresby in August and stayed at Taurama.
“On August 16, dressed in our finest we went to meet Sir Michael. I handed over the letters which contained the pledge of the district and Moem to give our undivided loyalty to the Government whether in good or bad times.”
Sir Michael knew who Key was and addressed by rank and name. “I left knowing our work was done.”
When Sir Michael announced his retirement, Key went to Wewak to deliver his message of retirement.
“It was a day I will never forget that I started with his political journey till it ended in Wewak at the end of his career and I am forever grateful.”