Bulolo and Wau, ‘western cowboy towns’

By RIGGO NANGAN

BULOLO and Wau have often been referred to as mining towns since the 1930s.

But they are now more like the American western cowboy towns. 

The streets are littered with piles of gravel left over from the gold-dredging days, with dredger machine parts lying around.

Petty crimes, high prices of goods and services plus the minimal government services provided are the features of the two townships.

One has to pop around to the back of the main market and shopping area to see a bridge constructed from bamboo, cane and logs. 

The bridge provides a link to town for almost 3,000 people from Patep Dengalu, Yamap, Siapan and settlers from the eastern part of the Karanas.

The Patep Dengalu and Yamap people had to walk up mountain slopes towards Mount Mission, east of Bulolo town, to cut and bring material used for the bridge.

They were helped by the Watuts, Warias and people living in and around the market area to build the bridge.