Yuri people

PREPARATIONS for the 43rd Independence Day celebrations cost much time, effort and money.
The easiest and meaningless celebrations are the rented shows.
Papua New Guineans will celebrate across the world with mixed reactions about the country they call home and the ability of successive governments to serve the people.
Mostly, Papua New Guineans are happy despite their struggles.
One such group is the Yuri tribe of Chimbu.
This tribe registered itself under an association called Yuri Alaiku Kuikane Association in 2013 for peace-building and addressing socio-economic and cultural challenges facing them.
Tribal cultural shows and youth camps have been conducted at the end of every year since 2014.
This year, Yuri wants to be part of independence celebrations in a unique way.
Tribal members contribute money and logistics to host it in their tribal headquarter to reinforce and consolidate peace-building initiatives.
The Yuri people are not let down by the absence of basic services in the area.
They know how to build peace and construct roads and bridges with spades and axes. Now they can celebrate.
Yuri people know that the challenges facing them are parts of bigger challenges facing the country. Some of these challenges facing the country are reported in the The National regularly.
The arson in Kiunga and fighting in Lae, which affect school children, is one example. Other examples include fighting among Madang Teachers’ College students, the polio outbreak and lack of life-saving medicines and equipment in health centres.
The war against HIV/ AIDS is ongoing, with mismanagement and squandering of resources forcing so many restructuring and management changes in institutions.
Despite these problems, we have seen political stability, investor confidence culminating in the hosting of Apec this year.
This gives confidence to people and provides hope for celebrations.
My children are on school holidays and their bubu is coming to take them home to celebrate independence. The thought of impassable road conditions, the lack of electricity and good drinking water in the village almost forced me to stop my children from enjoying a holiday with their bubu.
It is my prayer that the 43rd Independence anniversary will be a reminder to the government to deliver basic services to the rural communities of Papua New Guinea.

Bomai D Witne
Brisbane