The Bamogu Union story

MUSIC

By Rev SEIK PITOI
THE night had finally arrived.
The boys carried their guitars and walked for about 30 minutes from the 6-Mile shopping centre to a residence in Gordons, then further on to somewhere else in the industrial area.
It was a humid evening but with no vehicle available to drive them over, they hiked it. But the boys were excited.
This was their first time to do a cassette recording and they were all looking forward to the experience. After a few false starts, they finally got going, singing all their songs in style with their trademark harmony!
Soon, the group’s first recording, engineered by Walter Bay Studios, was released. Granted, there were many popular groups from their village and from other surrounding villages at that time, but these young men from Gabagaba village were determined to make a mark in the string band music industry.
They chose as their name, Bamogu Union. The members all contributed songs in their recording, with most of them being written by Sabadi Sabadi and Amos Leana.
Like other young men from the villages along the Papuan coast, music was part of life. Groups from the Hula, Hood Lagoon and Marshal Lagoon areas flourished in the 1960s and 70s, not to mention Motu-Koita villages and their favourite bands.
Then, there was the battle of lead guitarists. Some of those boys in those early years could get the guitar to do amazing things. Certainly not of the ilk of Tommy Emmanuel, Eric Clapton or John Warbat of today, the old boys nonetheless had a creativity that has to be admired.
I heard the names Homoka from Kido village and David Kedea from Vabukori who had amazing styles of playing lead.
Then the Hula and Kalo boys became prominent with Ripa Kamu, the David brothers, late Vali, Willie and Jerry, and Clement and Peni Pokana also pulling off remarkable guitar styles.
The Hekokis of Gaire had John Tau as their talented lead, while my uncle Egi Daure was from the early days in Gabagaba, and he was followed by the late Stephen Tauna whose fine guitar work is still great to listen to. Not to be left out, Bamogu Union also had their group of lead guitarists.
Kelly Gaba did the original honours, followed by Karo Gamoga. Then, Lofty Isaiah joined up and he proved to be an exceptional guitarist with a truly unique style.
The Bamogu Union band began jamming around every time they met in the village or in the city. In the village on the weekends, the group met at the Leana family home. During the weekdays, it was at the Pitoi family store at 6-Mile. The group’s initial members were Len Sabadi as President, Amos and Ken Leana, Sabadi Sabadi, Karo Gamoga, Lofty Isaiah, Kelly Gaba, Aria Gini, Noel Asi, Patrick Stephen and yours truly.
Typical of most young men at the time, practice usually began with a few beers, then singing or running through new songs, then continuing on with more drinking! Our parents sometimes wondered if we were really a singing group or a drinking group!
Eventually, the boys got serious and began to take their music seriously. We did another recording at NBC studios under the album, “Soldier Boy” or “Tuari Tauna”, a song about the sacrifice of soldiers in the time of war. It was written by Sabadi Sabadi who was then a PNGDF soldier.
Aria Gini was the group’s lead singer while Noel Asi and Sabadi Sabadi also shared the honours in certain songs. Their singing and music style was quite unique and was enjoyed by their listeners. Due to the fact that most of the boys lived in the city, there were many occasions when the group couldn’t sing at village functions or birthdays, despite numerous invitations to do so.
On the other hand, the band members were moving on in life. Some got married and we joked about how they were now “under new management” so they could join the team only when the “boss” said so! But it was all good fun and we cherished the times we could still sit and sing together.
Most of the songs we wrote at first were obviously love songs. Often a sad lament about the “one that got away!” It’s quite funny how after the lady of the house moves in and hears the songs, she wonders which song is about her! Which “lalokau” was he writing about?
Thankfully the ladies understood when it was explained that the songs were written not about us but for our buddies and their girlfriends! That usually did the trick!

God invades
At that time, the group underwent another change. God had invaded the group!
Sabadi Sabadi left the army and became a United Church minister, and then recently, joined the SDA church. Amos Leana left the public service and became a missionary in Samoa and then Australia where he currently serves, while Karo Gamoga graduated in law and has become a successful lawyer based in Lae. Patrick Steven graduated from AOG Bible College and is now a pastor at Cornerstone AOG Harvest Centre, while yours truly is also an ordained minister with the United Church.

We lost our brother Ken Leana, then the Deputy Secretary for Fisheries, to cancer, and our gifted lead guitarist Lofty Isaiah also went to be with the Lord. As others moved on in God and in their careers, Noel Asi decided to record all the remaining group songs for his solo albums! Noel did his recordings with some new boys he picked up to help him in his albums.
However, back at the 6-Mile store, another musical talent was brewing. This is my cousin on my father’s Gaire side. Young Hitsy Golou, who also helped out in my dad’s shop, launched out in his music career. Both he and Noel worked in my dad’s shop and eventually became famous singers on their own right!
It seems my dad’s shop was the launching pad for musical talents!
After Bamogu Union went quiet with most members moving on in God, some turned to writing gospel songs. Amos Leana, Sabadi Sabadi and the author wrote some great gospel tunes that are sung by many today.
Two members of the original Bamogu Union band, Patrick Steven and I, formed the Quiet Place group at AOG New Life Family Church in Gerehu. Joining with small brother Russel Steven (bass), Vargo Fave (guitar) and Joe Jamuna (drums), Patrick (keyboard) and I led the group in two separate recordings. I was blessed to have written most of the material we recorded.
Now as middle-aged men, all married with kids (and some with grandkids), with many of us serving God in some capacity, we can all look back and see that indeed, God is the giver of good gifts – including the talents He gives us (James 1: 17).
Those gifts and talents are to bless others and also to honour His name. Music has a tendency of lifting people up. Songs about life and love tell the stories that every human being is familiar with, therefore they will resonate with certain listeners depending on their given musical tastes, preferences and experiences.
Many other groups around the country have stayed together over the years and still sing together from time to time. The late Sir Kiki Geno and his Paramana Strangers and the Hornets of Assisi are a couple of great examples.
We admire them. We too do the same when time and circumstances permit. The camaraderie and friendship we fostered as carefree single young men in those days built relationships that are still strong today.
I have taught my wife and kids some of our old Bamogu Union and Quiet Place songs. Some evenings, we like to sit and sing the old songs! Indeed, it’s great to reminisce for old times’ sake!

• Rev Seik Pitoi is a freelance writer.