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PNG Frequently
Asked Questions
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via Papua New Guinea
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via Papua New Guinea
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Please note -- Whilst all care has been taken in preparing and maintaining the FAQ's about Papua New Guinea it is not possible to be able verify every answer. The information is provided 'as is' and I can not accept responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from the use of this information.
Please verify the information for yourself from a government source, travel agent or other similar organisation.
This database does not contain information about other countries. - It is only about Papua New Guinea (PNG).
History - General List of Categories
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- Approx how much was the Kina worth at the time of the initial float?
- Who floated the Kina in 1994?
- In what year was the PNG Kina floated?
- When did British New Guinea became Papua?
- When did Europeans first explore the highlands of PNG?
- When did PNG gain independence?
- What year did PNG gain Self Governance?
- Who was PNG's first legislative counsel?
- What year did the League of Nations officially hand over German New Guinea to Australia?
- What year did Jim (JL) Taylor die?
- Who was the first PNG defence force commander?
- How long did it take to fly from Sydney to Port Moresby in 1965?
- When did Sir Albert Maori Kiki die?
- Who was the first European explorer to penetrate any distance into the PNG interior?
- When was the University of PNG Opened?
- When was the first tea factory opened at Kurumul in the Western Highlands?
- When did Radio Mount Hagen first broadcast?
- When did the first people come to Mount Hagen??
- When did the first Australian patrols reach the Western Highlands province?
- When did the planting of tea start in the Western highlands?
- When did the Sogeri High School start?
- When was Papua (Southern part of New Guinea Island) declared a protectorate of Britain?
- How much was the minimum wage paid to a "native" of PNG in 1960?
- Where did the Amphlett Islands of the D'Entrecastuax group in Milne Bay get its name from?
- Did the British sign a treaty with PNG when it colonised it? Thanks Dianne.
- When was Samurai island first used as a centre for administration? Was the first centre set up by the British? When did the Australians take it over?
- Who was Papua New Guinea's first Woman minister?
- Where can I find information about the Imbonggu? History and today. Thank you
- does the arapesh, mundugumur and tchambuli tribes still exist and a short history of them is welcomed.
- The leahy family is so huge. Is there a place where we can see the leahy family tree?
- When was the Kina first used on the Internet?
- When were the first people living in the Goilala area of Central Province?
- How old is the tradition of Hiri Trading?
- Who was Goava Oa?
- Was the shell kina legal tender until 1960 (?) or did it only have an unofficial exchange rate. If legal when did the law come into effect and when was it repealed and what value was set for the pair of kina.
- What is a Kina Shell?
- How much is a Kina Shell worth?
- Where did the commander of the Japanese Army in PNG surrender at the end of the Second World War?
- Do you have any information on Don Westley, first school teacher at Bainyik in 1958?
- When were the Asaro mudmen first displayed?
- Who was JK McCarthy?
- Where is Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park?
- I was flying Electras to Lae in the 1960's and the bow of a sunken ship was visible just off the end of Lae airstrip - it was a good radar reference coming into Lae in bad weather! What was this ship and its wartime history? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
- I need to find out about the lae bros?
- What was the name of the person that won the 2006 Goldman Environmental Prize?
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- Approx how much was the Kina worth at the time of the initial float?
On the first day of the float the Kina was worth US$ 92 cents but immediately fell by 6.5 percent to 86.05 cents. The Kina, in Oct 2010, is now only worth around US$ 35 cents.
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- Who floated the Kina in 1994?
Sir Julius Chan was the Prime Minister at the time of the float of the Kina.
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- In what year was the PNG Kina floated?
It was floated on the 10th of October 1994 after a devaluation of 12% was unsuccessful.
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- When did British New Guinea became Papua?
British New Guinea became Papua in 1906.
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- When did Europeans first explore the highlands of PNG?
The inland Highland region, thought to be too inhospitable for habitation, wasn't even explored until the 1930s. Astoundingly, European explorers in search of gold instead discovered over one million people, living in fertile mountain valleys and in cultures that hadn't changed since very much since the Stone Age.
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- When did PNG gain independence?
By the 1960s there had emerged a significant independence movement in the country, and in 1975, after a brief period of internal autonomy, Papua New Guinea declared its full independence. (16th September 1975)
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- What year did PNG gain Self Governance?
PNG gained Self Governance in 1973.
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- Who was PNG's first legislative counsel?
It was Sir James Fraser, a Scotsman, who died in Port Moresby on the 13th of February 2007 at the age of 71. He arrived in PNG in 1976 from Tonga.
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- What year did the League of Nations officially hand over German New Guinea to Australia?
The League of Nations handed German New Guinea over to Australia as a mandated territory in 1920.
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- What year did Jim (JL) Taylor die?
Kiap Jim Taylor died in June 1987 at the age of 86. He died at Goroka after spending 61 years in PNG (New Guinea)
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- Who was the first PNG defence force commander?
Ted Diro was PNG’s first defence force commander from self-government in 1973 to 1982
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- How long did it take to fly from Sydney to Port Moresby in 1965?
The plane (Locheed Electra's) would leave Sydney at midnight and arrive after sunrise about nine hours to nine and a half hours later. (with a stopover in Brisbane)
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- When did Sir Albert Maori Kiki die?
He died in March 1993.
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- Who was the first European explorer to penetrate any distance into the PNG interior?
D'Albertis was the first European to penetrate any distance into PNG's daunting interior. Reaching the northwestern tip of New Guinea in April 1872, D'Albertis marched inland for about 20 miles.
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- When was the University of PNG Opened?
The University was established in 1965 but was not officially opened until August 1967 by the then Governor General of Australia, Lord Casey.
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- When was the first tea factory opened at Kurumul in the Western Highlands?
The tea factory was opened at Kurumul on the 7th of July 1967 by Mr. Charles Barnes, the then Australian Minister for Territories.
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- When did Radio Mount Hagen first broadcast?
On the 6th of June 1966
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- When did the first people come to Mount Hagen??
Scientists believe people lived at Kuk swamp near Mount Hagen 20,000 years ago.
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- When did the first Australian patrols reach the Western Highlands province?
The first Australian patrol, led by kiap Jim Taylor and the Leahy brothers, entered Western Highlands in 1933.
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- When did the planting of tea start in the Western highlands?
Tea plantations began near Minj in 1964. Since then, there has been large-scale reclamation of the Wahgi swamplands for this crop.
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- When did the Sogeri High School start?
It started in June 1944 when the first 18 students moved into what was the 113th Australian Convalescent Depot.
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- When was Papua (Southern part of New Guinea Island) declared a protectorate of Britain?
On the 6th of November 1884. The Royal British Navy had a show of strength with the following ships present - Swinger, Harrier, Raven, Espiegle, Dart and the largest battleship in Pacific waters the Nelson all being in Port Moresby harbour.
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- How much was the minimum wage paid to a "native" of PNG in 1960?
16 Pound, 5 shillings per year. (25 shillings a month)
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- Where did the Amphlett Islands of the D'Entrecastuax group in Milne Bay get its name from?
The Amphlett Islands are mere specks on a good map of Milne Bay Province. Here is an answer I have received from Harry Amphlett.
The islands are reputedly named by Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, though I suspect they were named by his son, Captain John Moresby who seems much more likely. The Amphlett concerned was his friend, Edward Albert Amphlett who was Fleet Paymaster for the Australian Section of the Royal Navy. Edward was baptised in 1828 and joined the Navy in 1842. He is descended from the Amphletts of Worcestershire.
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- Did the British sign a treaty with PNG when it colonised it? Thanks Dianne.
Who would it have signed with? There are 800 + language groups within PNG.
In 1885, Germany formally annexed the northern coast and Britain took similar action in the south. In 1906, Britain transferred its rights to British New Guinea to a newly independent Australia, and the name of the territory was changed to the Territory of Papua. Australian troops invaded German New Guinea (called Kaiser-Wilhelmsland) in World War I and gained control of the territory under a League of Nations mandate.
See also -- http://www.vanderheijden.org/ng/history.html
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- When was Samurai island first used as a centre for administration? Was the first centre set up by the British? When did the Australians take it over?
Can anyone help?
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- Who was Papua New Guinea's first Woman minister?
Was it Nahau Rooney or Dame Josephine Abaijah? Can anyone help?
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- Where can I find information about the Imbonggu? History and today. Thank you
Sorry, I do not know the answer to that question. Perhaps a reader can help?
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- does the arapesh, mundugumur and tchambuli tribes still exist and a short history of them is welcomed.
This question is easily researched using a search engine such as Google.for example and I will only give one example for each as I am positive a search on Google will find many more references.
Arapesh -- http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/delsamples/arapesh.pdf
Tchambuli (see Chambri) - http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Margaret+Mead
Mundugumor - http://www.interculturalstudies.org/mundugumor.html
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- The leahy family is so huge. Is there a place where we can see the leahy family tree?
Sorry I am not aware of any family tree for the Leahy family.
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- When was the Kina first used on the Internet?
Not sure. I have seen a copy of the Post Courier (p39 30 Oct 2006) saying PNG could now sell goods and services on the Internet thanks to pioneering work done by Data Nets Limited (Sundar Ramamurthy) and the Westpac Bank. This paved the way for Air Niugini to offer flights for sale over the Internet using Kina.
Data Nets ran and advert in The National proudlly annoucing the launch of PNG's first e-commerce transaction on the 27th of October 2006. I assume they would have run a similar advert in the Post Courier.
Papua New Guinea's first e-commerce website -- http://www.esishop.com.pg/
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- When were the first people living in the Goilala area of Central Province?
Scientists have found stone tools and other evidence that suggest people lived at Kosipe in the Goilala mountains 26,000 years ago
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- How old is the tradition of Hiri Trading?
The Motu people from the Papuan coast around Port Moresby celebrate the Hiri Moale festival each September. At this time of year the tradewinds change and for hundreds of years brought Motu seafarers home from a hazardous voyage to the west trading pots for much needed food.
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- Who was Goava Oa?
Goava Oa was a person who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by Sir Hubert Murray simply because it was speculated that he had committed murder not because it was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
He was later released in his old age by Sir Donald Cleland.
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- Was the shell kina legal tender until 1960 (?) or did it only have an unofficial exchange rate. If legal when did the law come into effect and when was it repealed and what value was set for the pair of kina.
Sorry I do not know the answer to that one. I do not think it was ever an offical currency. The only money that I know of that is considered to be legal tender is the traditional Tabu money used in East New Britain and that was only officially recognised recently.
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- What is a Kina Shell?
The Kina Shell is manufactured from the shell of the Gold lip shell (Pinctada maximums) and was part of the traditional payment and medium of exchange in Papua New Guinea. The shell gave its name to the modern currency of PNG -- The Kina.
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- How much is a Kina Shell worth?
The Kina Shell was an object of value and an essential part of the bride price payment. The value is guided from the condition of the shell, the size and the colour. Most valued were the ruddy coloured Kina Shells.
In the past, 8 Kina Shells were worth a fully-grown pig in some areas and for one shell a person could obtain one small pig. The value of the Kina Shell varied from region to region depending on how easy it was to obtain one.
I believe that up until the 1960`s the Kina shell had a fixed exchange rate of 12 shillings per pair.
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- Where did the commander of the Japanese Army in PNG surrender at the end of the Second World War?
It was at Cape Wom, Wewak at 10:15am on the 13th of September 1945, when Lt Gen Hatazo Adchi surrendered unconditionally in the presence of over 3,000 troops to Maj Gen HCW Robertson CBE DSO Australiam Army.
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- Do you have any information on Don Westley, first school teacher at Bainyik in 1958?
Sorry, I have not been able to find out any information for you. Perhaps a reader might be able to offer something?
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- When were the Asaro mudmen first displayed?
It has been quoted that they were first displayed to the general public at the inaugural Goroka Show held in the Eastern Highlands Province in 1957.
The original mudmen come from the village of Komunive - 30 minutes by road from Goroka - in an area commonly referred to as Mando.
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- Who was JK McCarthy?
J.K. McCarthy was one of Papua New Guinea's legendary patrol officers.
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- Where is Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park?
Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park is eleven km's out of Goroka by four wheel drive.
It is an area of around 80 hectares set in beautiful mountain scenery. The park includes a botanical sanctuary, where exotic plants from all over PNG have been added to the local, natural orchids and rhododendrons. There are clearly marked walk tracks and a lookout at 2450 metres with panoramic views.
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- I was flying Electras to Lae in the 1960's and the bow of a sunken ship was visible just off the end of Lae airstrip - it was a good radar reference coming into Lae in bad weather! What was this ship and its wartime history? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry I do not know that answer but I will ask around and see if anyone can come up with an answer.
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- I need to find out about the lae bros?
Do you mean the Leahy Brothers? If that is the case try at http://www.pngbd.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-6503 but once you have the correct spelling of the name I am sure you will be able to find your own information.
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- What was the name of the person that won the 2006 Goldman Environmental Prize?
Anne Kajir won the prize. Kajir won the award for her efforts in uncovering evidence of widespread corruption and complicity in the PNG government, which allows rampant, illegal logging to destroy the largest remaining intact block of tropical forest in the Asia Pacific region. Kajir is the chief executive officer of the Environmental Law Centre in Port Moresby
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Please note that this is not "Ask Jeeves" - you cannot type a whole sentence as your query. Enter a single word, a phrase, or several words and press search.
Please remember that this is a FAQ database about Papua New Guinea.
Doing a search for PNG or New Guinea or even P.N.G will probably not return much. Keep the search simple. i.e. if you want to find out the population simply enter "population" without the quotes. There is no need to have PNG / P.N.G or whatever in the search string.
Also - Spelling is important searching for 'inkom' will not return items related to 'income'. If you are searching Lady Carol Kidu just enter Carol Kidu or even Kidu. You are not searching the WWW only these FAQ's so the topic has already been narrowed to PNG related topics for you.
