PM lauds peacekeepers of Biage

Prime Minister James Marape has commended the Biage people of Northern (Oro) for the significant role they played in World War II up to today.
Marape said this at an emotional ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Isurava along the Kokoda Trail yesterday attended by the Biage people, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Northern Governor Garry Juffa, Australian High Commissioner John Feakes, members of the Australian and Papua New Guinea defence forces, Australian and PNG officials, plus 200 Australian trekkers making a pilgrimage and their porters. The dawn service was the culmination of a special two-day trek by the two prime ministers from Kokoda, Isurava, staying over night in camps along the way.
It was the first time the Biage people had seen two prime ministers together at the same time on the track.
“The Biage people are a peaceful people who live peacefully up till today.
“They stand watch, on this solemn occasion (ANZAC Day), every year gone by up till today.
“They teach us, the rest of PNG, and the world, about peace at all costs.” Marape said the Biage people were a peaceful people forced into a war that was not their own and greatly assisted Australian forces during the dark days of WWII.
Governor Juffa also spoke about the remarkable role of the Biage people, who he said formed the bulk of the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’, during WWII.
The Biage people, to this day, continue to show their peacefulness and hospitality by being guides and porters in the lucrative Kokoda trekking industry, one of PNG’s biggest tourism product.
The Biage people are from a rugged and unforgiving area in the country along the Kokoda Trail you will find the villages of Isurava, Alola, Hoi and Kovelo.
They also come from Abuari, Haela, Felai, Kaile and Hagutava villages along the Felai-Abuari Track and Savaia, Ebei and Kanga villages on the Kokoda flatland.
Isurava was the site of a significant WWII battle and is now one of the most sacred sites along the trail.
During the period from August 27 to 30, 1942, under almost constant attack, soldiers of the 39th Australian Militia Battalion and the 2/14th Battalion, Second Australian Imperial Force, with the help of the 2/16th Battalion and the 53rd Battalion, held back the advancing Japanese at Isurava.
It was here that Private Bruce Kingsbury of the 2/14th Battalion was post-humously awarded the first Victoria Cross ever won on Australian territory, as Papua then was, for bravery.
“I want to appreciate the Biage people, chiefs, children, those who were here past, present and those who will continue on living with the memories of this place,” Marape said.
“I want to say thank you to the Biage people for your continued hospitality.”