Treasure hunters dig for gold at church mission

 A GROUP of men from the Morobe patrol post in Huon Gulf are digging a hole in front of the Zaka Lutheran circuit building hoping to uncover “hidden treasure”.

The men claimed that gold bullions were buried at the Zaka mission station by German missionary Karl Mailender when the Second World War began.

They believed that the gold was collected along the Waria alluvial plain by Mailender during his evangelism missions upstream in Mougomi.

Maya Oiye, a former Sapa village councillor went to the site and saw four men from his village.

Oiye said the men were armed and warned church circuit president Pr Francis Siki and secretary Phil Hetri not to reveal what they were doing to the Sapa, Dona, Kobo, Zare and Aingse communities. 

“Armed guards were posted outside their (Siki and Hetri) houses to make sure they stayed indoors when the men were digging,” he said.

Metal detectors were used to identify the location and the digging started.

Siki said his grandparents, who “respected the Gospel” offered the land to church.

“It allowed Mailender to settle and carry out the evangelism work,” Oiye said. 

“There was no gold or treasure of any sort buried there and this is typical cult mentality.”