Gulf tribe fears losing identity

HISTORY

By ENAMYRA ANI and SYLVIA PERSATA
UPNG Journalism students
THE Marikimoro Tribe from Ero in Gulf is appealing for recognition by local leaders and relevant authorities because they feel they have been deprived of their traditional rights as the original inhabitants and owners of the land.
Besides there is a mystery surrounding their history and how other settler tribes brought in by the early London Missionary Society (LMS) which the church or other authorities are expected to help resolve.
Spokesman and son of the chief of Marikimoro, Oscar Beiguru claims that the tribe’s traditional cultural identity had been kept secret by the LMS in the person of Rev Benjamin Thomas Butcher and those following him. This mystery, he says, has been kept from them for over a century.
“It is a great mystery that has become a great concern to my people and it is beyond the tribe’s understanding as the reasons are known to the LMS and the British Monarchy in London, England,” Beiguru claims.
“It is believed that Rev Butcher had set up this puzzle under the direction of the Crown to preserve the identity of the tribe in a way that it can be unveiled in the later years.

“ It is a great mystery that has become a great concern to my people and it is beyond the tribe’s understanding as the reasons are known to the LMS and the British Monarchy in London, England,”

“It is a sensitive issue that has involved quite a number of nationals, others from abroad and still others who have visited the empty grave of Rev Butcher’s seven-year-old daughter. All had been unsuccessful in solving the mystery although some have travelled to England to find answers, but no one has come close in solving the mystery.”
Beiguru says that during the establishment of Airds Hill LMS station, Rev Butcher came into contact with the Marikimoro tribal chief Kavita Iriweia and under the chief’s guidance the tribe then settled among the different ethnic groups in Ero village.
Butcher had bought in many different ethnic groups within Kikori Delta to Airds Hill Island.
He first settled in the east end of the island at Kumukumu now known as Samoa. He then relocated to the west end of the island where the LMS was established.
Beiguru says that after the tribes had settled in Ero Village, the original tribe’s name Marikimoro ceased to exist and a new was given for all different ethnic groups and Marikimoro tribe grouped as one.
Today’s Porome Tribe is a mixture of different ethnic groups. (The name Porome is believed to be given by Butcher).
The different ethnic groups comprising Porome now are now a majority while the Marikimoro are a minority, Beiguru says.
These other ethnic groups were traditional enemies of the Marikimoro within the Kikori River delta basin such as Kairi, Kibiri, Kerowo, Weraibari, Urama, Gope and Wowobo. Most elders from the above tribes are still in suspense over the disappearance of the Marikimoro.

Beiguru also claims that the Marikimoro were the indigenous landowners whose traditional heritage has been misrepresented, neglected and denied by the Porome tribe.
He says that they are facing a denial of their rights and being subjected to humiliation.
“We are facing a lot of issues back in the village. There is high tension between the two tribes, the Marikimoro and Porome at Ero Village. We are neglected and our rights are deprived. Because of this our mothers and children are suffering.
“The Marikimoro are the original tribe that occupy all the land around the Aird Hills Island and as far as Kikori. Our traditional culture was inherited from past generations.
“Our livelihood has been a struggle as we face opposition against the majority who continue denying and depriving us of our traditional cultural heritage and basic human rights.
“We face disputes occasionally involving major land issues. We are still fighting for our rights and we cannot carry on like this any further.”
Beiguru says the other ethnic groups consist mostly of missionary workers and migrants who settled below the Airds Hill now known as Ero.
According to Beiguru in December 1997, when the mission was vacant, Ero and Samoa village youths from Aird Island looted the mission properties including the lone grave.
In 2016, the ring leader of the village youths involved assisted Beiguru by providing information regarding the stolen book as well as the names of those who were involved in the crime.

Missing book
It was believed that a large thick red covered book titled, Marikimoro Tribe was removed from within the grave that contained no remains of Butcher’s daughter Phyllis Neuri Butcher.
Beiguru says “In 2017, I engaged the Kikori police personnel who apprehended two prime suspects but failed to locate the book so the suspects were later released.”
Numerous failed attempts were made by the Porome tribal leaders of Ero and the Airds Hill United Church congregation board to return the stolen book issue.
“The Poromes have already adopted our traditional cultures and their showing the intentions that they want to take over us.

Seeking help from outside
“So our only hope is for me to come and relay this message to the media so so people will know what is happening there.
“They know that when we come out, we will dismantle their tribe and they will go back to where they came from. All the people that made the Porome tribe, we know their identities and they know about us.”
Beiguru says that most of their forefathers who were educated by the LMS travelled out to Port Moresby to work and help build Papua New Guinea.
The gap left behind was filled by the Poromes who now claim to be part of the Marikimoro.
Beiguru is appealing to the Member for Kikori, Soroi Eoe to look into this issue for the tribes concerned and their future.
“They want to solve things in the village level but I don’t think things will get through because the village court is not transparent so I am calling the relevant authorities, including our member of Parlament to come and see these things.”
Beiguru believes only intervention from outside can resolve the matter for a better future.