Sir Max gets a fitting honour

The National Weekender
COVER STORY

By JAMES G KILA
THE name Max David is synonymous with Brahman Catholic mission station in the Bundi LLG and neighbouring areas in Usino-Bundi district of Madang.
The locals from there call him Wawi Max a title accorded to a grand chief or a kukurai as the people of Madang refer to their paramount chiefs, because of his exemplary leadership and exceptional sense of service to the Brahman, Bundi and Ramu people.
Sir Max is also a common sight along the Madang-Ramu highway. He travels to Madang town regularly in his ‘old bomb’ Toyota Land Cruiser to collect supplies for the mission station which he had built and has been serving assiduously for many years.
A leader from Bundi, Edward Kurame could still recall those days in the 1950s when this expatriate lay missionary walked the jungles in the shape of Hercules the legendary hero of European descent because of his muscular and huge stature with broad shoulders.
Last Friday, Dec3, 2021 the Brahman Catholic mission station literally came alive with festivities when the local MP and Education Minister, Jimmy Uguro visited to deliver several impact projects to the rural wards in the area including the district’s roofing iron roll-out and sawmills for the people to cut timber to build their permanent houses to live in comfort and style.
However, Minister Uguro on the day, bestowed the honour upon Sir Max David.

Locals from Brahman cheering Sir Max with his new vehicle.

The minister was accompanied by the Secretary for Education, Dr Uke Kombra who at the event made an important announcement regarding work to start on a new Sir Max David Agriculture Technical College.
Uguro told over a thousand people who gathered that the naming of the new agriculture college after Sir Max David was significant and a honour for the long-time Catholic missionary whose dream was for positive changes to happen at Brahman and Bundi area generally.
“Max David was a technical man who had a big dream for positive change to happen to the lives of people at Brahman and the neighboring rural communities,
“Sir Max David did not just dream. He walked the dream and built infrastructures at the mission station and changed the lives of many people who has passed out of Brahman high school as students over the many years,” Uguro said.
Notably, Uguro was one time a student at Brahman high school whom Sir Max David had helped to pay his school fees for him to pursue his education because he noticed the potential in young Uguro then.

Sir Max David and Education Minister Jimmy Uguro about distributing roofing iron sheets to villagers at Brahman in the Usino-Bundi electorate of Madang. – Pictures by JAMES KILA.

During his schools holidays young Uguro also worked with Max David at Brahman learning trade skills.
It was a very colourful event at Brahman station which saw people from wards 13, 16,17,18,19 and 21 converge on the mission area where the minister delivered roofing iron for the people under the Usino-Bundi District ‘Kapa Senisim Morota’ roll-out programme as well as the launching of a new sawmill for the rural people of Brahman in Bundi LLG.
A segment of programme which brought high applause from the people was when Minister Uguro announced the presentation of a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser for Sir Max.
The new vehicle has Sir Max David Agro Technical College printed on the sides
The local people cheered and splashed flower petals as Sir Max David was presented the key to the new vehicle and did a test run around the ceremony ground.
Sir Max, who now used a special hearing device since had now gone old and a little deaf to the ears.
Ugoro told the huge gathering that it was through Sir Max David that he along with many others had fared well in life.
Uguro’s former teachers at Brahman namely, John Kari, who was one of the speakers at the ceremony and his former principal at Brahman, John Yama were there to acknowledge the minister and his entourage. It was a joyous reunion.
In his closing address to the people of Brahman, Minister Uguro told the people that Sir Max is now old and a little frail and could not hear very well. However, his son Jimmy would continue the work to provide vital and impact projects to serve the rural people.
Uguro said Sir Max David is indeed a beacon and a shining star who shall be remembered throughout time.

  • James Kila works at a supervisor with the public relations section of Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Ltd in Madang