Don’t be offended by insults against PNG

ONE of Papua New Guinea’s diplomat recently raised a concern that the country is still being regarded negatively and is labelled by people from other countries as a country that is still practising cannibalism.
From time to time, people from the so-called civilised and developed countries ask Papua New Guineans silly questions.
This is an old ancient rhetoric which some people around the world still see it fit to repeat to our citizens.
In this modern age, no one can be this ignorant to the fact that the practices of cannibalism have already been eradicated in most parts of the world.
As for PNG, rather than take offence at what people are saying, we should develop good comebacks for such questions.
I would, for example; say “PNG has the most unique, the rarest, and the most beautiful birds of the world, including different species of the bird of paradise, but I should warn you not to set foot in PNG as there are people who can snatch you and make sure there are no traces of you”.
We can handle their insults with sarcasm.
I say this knowing that cannibalism is arguably practised in some parts of the world today.
I’ve read news about people doing horrible things to human bodies.
PNG is known for different types of cult practices that involves killing people in gruesome ways.
But it is safe to say that this doesn’t only happen in PNG.
There’s no point proving people wrong about their perceptions of PNG because we can always reply with sarcasm.

Ahu Akore