Oh the love of rural mothers

LIFESTYLE

By PAUL MINGA
MANY Papua New Guineans would agree that their success story first started from a special person who was everything to them from their humble beginnings.
That special person is of course their hardworking mother.
At dawn each day mum would cut short her the sweetest part of her sleep and wake up to prepare something for her son or daughter to have for breakfast or take away for lunch. She then will tend to other chores. A thorough clean-up around the house would be her next job if there is a need for that.
As soon as all that needed to be done is done, she would lay her hands on a favorite tool that has become a part of her day as she set out for her garden. But before she goes out to the garden, she has to take along big bilum into which she would tuck smaller bags including other stuff as her cleaning or planting tools.
Then she would leave the house for her usual business of the day. At times she will visit gardens that are nearby but will also go a long distance to her other garden located far off the village. A rural mum would brave the long walk to her garden daily and in return trip in the evening.
A walk through the valleys, climbing steep hills, crossing creeks or rivers and in enduring heat, hunger, thirst, tiredness and whatever else you can imagine, this is what every typical mother in a rural outback setting goes through as her normal routine. Yes, a rural mum does this on a daily basis for the love of her kids and family. What every mother does in the rural outback in the country on a daily basis is for many valid reasons including of course, the survival of her family and domesticated animals.
From her garden harvest, the best of the produce is preserved for sale to generate a family income. A portion of that income would be tucked well away from the reach of her family members in order to reach a certain target amount. That is so it can be used for worthwhile causes in future such as school fees and other family obligations.

Without them we would never be on this earth or living this life

The unconditional love of mothers in rural outback settings is different to mothers in towns and cities. Rural mothers walk long distances in rain or heat to put something on the table for the families. At the same time, they feel it is their responsibility also to save up whatever money they can through for their children’s school fees any emergency that may arise so the family is not caught totally off guard as far as money is concerned.
In towns and cities, mothers sit in the comfort of cool offices to work and earn something from to pay their children’s school fees. That’s for the working class but some other mothers in urban areas venture into street vending or get involved in other informal activities to generate incomes to support their children attending school. But there is a big difference between the rural and urban mothers. While urban mothers have a little extra to save for their children, their rural sisters try to save nearly all their earnings from selling garden produce or domestic animals.
There is very little for them to spend on themselves or other members of their families. Instead of buying food items for a change of diet or a change of clothes she would hold every kina to see her savings grow.
School fees for secondary or tertiary students are especially a big burden for the struggling rural mums. Even if they save up all their earnings, they will still not be able to meet all the school fees.
The desire to spend money on desirable items is in every person’s mind including even the mothers in rural outback. But such desires are held back for the sake of their sons and daughters’ education and a good future them. But what is seemingly sad and unfair is that when a son or daughter succeeds in studies gets a job, he or she would bear the name of the father, not the hardworking mum!
It is rather as sad for a loving mum who has silently stood the test of time for her son or daughter but her name goes unnoticed but a dad’s name pops into the limelight in the family and tribe.A word to every successful student in whichever remote and outback part of the country to bear in mind: When you make it through and live a better life after education, please do spare a thought for that tough woman who endured tough times in the wilderness to see you through in your education journey.
Let us all who have ventured out into the outside world from under the loving care of those wonderful women not forget them.
Without them we would never be on this earth or living this life. Thumbs up to all women, especially the rural mothers.

• Paul Minga is a freelance writer