Academic: Keep polygamy alive

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Thursday October 17th, 2013

 By JENNIFER NKUI

POLYGAMY is a feature of traditional marriage in the country which is unique and must be preserved, a university academic says.

Prof John Y Luluaki from the University of Papua New Guinea Law School said the practice of polygamy was found in many societies in Papua New Guinea. 

He said this during the underlying law conference in Port Moresby yesterday. 

The conference was to discuss the underlying law which concerns the nature and application of customs in the country’s legal system.

“It (polygamy) is a distinguishing feature of traditional marriage that is unique and must be preserved,” Prof Luluaki said.

“If we allow this country to be used as a plantation for foreign and inappropriate values and standards presented as universally applicable models to measure our worth, our cultural blocks that give us our identity and unity in diversity will be dismantled.

“The present generation has the duty to prepare the next generation to continue building this country using the foundation provided by our diversity.” 

He said PNG must not surrender its diverse cultural heritage in exchange for counterfeit values and standards presented as having universally applicable qualities. 

“The intellectual community must therefore show maturity and independence of thought and analysis in commenting on matters of important cultural relevance,” he said.