Gulf man honoured to share glory

By Alphonse Porau
A man recognised for his services in education, church and community over 25 years, has dedicated his award to friends who walked the long journey with him.
Camilo Oraka Karahure, in his late 70s, from Lese Kavora village in Gulf, was among 45 people who received awards from Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae last December.
He was invested with the Order of Logohu for his services to education, the church and the Gulf community.
Karehure told The National that he was happy to have received the medal while still alive.
He said the medal was dedicated to all the missionaries who were part of his journey when he began as a teacher and a pastor in the Ihu district from 1955 to 1981.
“I am very happy that I received this award in recognition of my services to the Ihu community of Gulf,” he said.
“This award means a lot to me, and I am dedicating this to all the friends (missionaries) who I walked with in the journey as a teacher and pastor in the Ihu district of West Kerema.”
These people are Catholic missionaries Fr Kivac, who opened the Orokoro mission station, Fr Cater, Srs Canises and Mola, Robert Daniel from Central and Northern, and United Church pastor Tiroi Pat from Hula village Central.
Unfortunately, Karehure said, he could not remember the first names of some of his missionary friends.
Karehure said he started teaching at the age of 16 and worked together with the United Church and Catholic missionaries to educate and spread the Gospel to the people of Ihu.
He said that he was also assisted by his father who walked with him to their Lese Kavora village to Ihu district with the missionaries.
“People of Ihu were savages. The used to kill people and throw them in the river,” he said.
“And they have not received any services from 1940 to 1955 until we went in and worked very hard to educate and bring services into the district with the help of the missionaries.”
Karehure said he also learned to speak their language.
He thanked his bother in-law who wrote to former Gulf Governor Havila Kavo to recommend him for the award.