From Menyamya
05 January 2012
BY SAMIL YAPI YANAM
Bows and arrows
Tapa and grass skirts
Were the days of my ancestors
I am a warrior in the making
A noble profession
To clobber the enemy
Was the rule then
No stranger to the enemy
Beckon the stars to shine
The forest is my cover
Where my life revolves
Feared by intruders
For death lurked its tongue
Tamed by a pinch of salt
Wild men of the hinterland
I am neglected by modernity
Today is my time
To wake up to the calls of destiny
Ignore me not
Neglect me once
Twice is too much
For now
Treat me as an equal
For I am you brother
I have forsaken my identity
To embrace unity
Only to be ignored
Where development is only a concept
Like in the days
Of my forefathers
Tell me it’s not late
While I struggle over
The interlocking spurs
To find peace among my kind
In this country
Of many cultures, languages and tradition
From Menyamya
Is my legacy to the world
Samil Yapi Yanam (34) was is from Tsewi village in Menyamya District of the Morobe Province. He is married to Boari Gingits Yanam and has two children,; Alberta Laura (5) and Mike Zumarley (3). He graduated from university and is working for the Ombudsman Commission of Papua New Guinea.
I read your story with interest and have only one comment to make.
There is only one Menyamya District facing the challenge of negligence of real development.
But the experience it faces is similar to many places in this country and it needs a revolutionary mind to change society's mindset to put others before self.
Posted by: Andrew Kumei | 12 December 2024 at 08:24 PM
This piece of writing really depicts our past, how our ancestors had lived before the first contact/first white men came.
Really happy when reading it. Thanks for that Mr Yapi Yanam.
Posted by: Omalie Malje | 16 November 2014 at 03:39 PM
Thanks. I just read your need for a travel guide to travel to Kerema from Menyamya.
If there were no response from anyone of the area, then I am more than willing to help you out.
I'm from Menyamya of the Wapi LLG.
Please do contact me for more information and arrangements.
Posted by: Vinson Silas | 06 July 2013 at 08:45 PM
Awesome! I was planing to do a trek from Menyamya to Kerema, but it is hard to get any information about the area.
Is this possible? Do I find a really good guide? And is it safe for a foreigner to visit this part of PNG? Many questions.
If you could give me any good advice, I would be very thankful.
Posted by: René | 04 August 2012 at 06:06 AM