Vale Monica - an unremarked & kind woman is dead
19 April 2013
PETER KRANZ
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE IS SAID to have galloped across a battlefield after one of his victories and, upon seeing a young enemy soldier dead with his arm across his chest and a peaceful look on his face, pointed at the body and said to his generals, "That is a good death."
But in truth there is no 'good death'. Death is painful and sad and bitter and regretful. Maybe Dylan Thomas had it right. "Do not go gentle into that good night."
Auntie Monica died at Port Moresby General Hospital yesterday. Auntie Monica was not famous, or particularly noteworthy in bikman terms.
She was just a good ordinary PNG woman and mother who was bereft of proper health care in her last days after struggling hard for many years to eke out a living at the ATS settlement.
She was a kind and generous woman who helped many of her tambus and friends and supported her family with a few toea here and there when she could afford it.
I did not know her well, but still remember her fondly. She visited us several times when we lived in Port Moresby and always brought a present of fruit, vegetables or a small carving.
It is easy to forget the impact of one family death in Papua New Guinea when we are confronted by images of bomb blasts in the United States, drone strikes in Pakistan and slaughter in Iraq.
But Monica deserves to be mourned too. She was only 49, ran a trade store at ATS near the Assemblies of God church, supported her extended family for years and was a kind-hearted and generous soul.
She was taken ill last weekend and her relatives rushed her to hospital. They started raising money for her to be flown to Kudjip hospital where they believed she could be given better care.
But it was too late. She died yesterday of 'unknown causes'.
The doctor said he could find no explanation for her demise. The relatives immediately jumped to the conclusion that it must be sanguma.
This seems to me to be a telling example of what may be wrong in PNG. A loved woman is taken seriously ill, there is no adequate immediate health care, she sadly dies, her relatives seek an explanation, but the doctors cannot give one, so sorcery is blamed.
This is repeated in dozens and hundreds of similar cases in PNG every day.
I have no answers, all I can do is try my level best to persuade the relatives that this was an unfortunate death by natural causes. No amount of recrimination or blame can bring her back (not in this world anyway).
So there are no 'good deaths'. Only the dying of the light.
May God bless Auntie Monica's soul.
Update - Rose pulled some tambu strings (it always amazes me how she can do that), the money was released and Monica's body it now on its way to Goglme for a proper burial.
Posted by: Peter Kranz | 27 April 2013 at 07:44 AM
Bludi PNG bureaucracy! We tried to send some money (Western Union via the Post Office)for the Haus Krai and to take Monica back to Goglme for burial, but the Post Office at Boroko would not accept my sistas' ID.
They need a drivers license or passport, which she doesn't have, even though we gave an address and her employment details.
I even rang the PO Boroko manager and told her all the details, but nogut.
So what happens to the money if the Boroko PO refuses to release it?
Bugger!
Posted by: Peter Kranz | 26 April 2013 at 12:57 PM
Many sincere condolences to her families and friends in POM and in Simbu. May her soul rest in eternal peace.
In every "haus krai" many people blame "sanguma" when doctors give no explanation for the death. However, we must know that post mortem is not always possible in all PNG hospitals. Doctors cannot perform magic. They lack machines and equipment to identity the causes of death.
Not all deaths are cause by sanguma. PNG needs to develop this mentality.
Posted by: Joe Wasia | 22 April 2013 at 11:04 AM
I remember buying some provisions at Monica's trade store at ATS and she insisted on giving me a carton of beer for free.
She said "Don't give any away - it's just for the family. My gift."
The occasion was Monica's daughters 'coming of age' - the first menstruation ceremony, which is a big celebration in Simbu society.
Westerner's like to hide from this, but I think it is a great tradition. Rose does too. See here -
http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2011/06/female-initiation-rites-in-the-simbu-culture.html
Why are blokes so scared?
Posted by: Peter Kranz | 21 April 2013 at 05:52 AM
Michael - Na Angra wagai kaninga.
Monica was from Goglme, Simbu.
Posted by: Peter Kranz | 20 April 2013 at 07:50 AM
Tru tumas brata bilong mi Pita Krantz. Planti meri na sampela man tu isave dia nating nating long ol haussik bilong mipela taim nogat gutpela dokta o sapos nogat marasin.
Tasol, yu noken faul-faul tumas long dispela toktok bilong brata bilong mi Dilan Tomas - emi tok olsem, harmim, taim em tok olsem long tok Inglis;
"Do not go gentle into that good night, / rage, rage against the dying of the light"
Emi gat as tingting olsem:
"Noken stap isi isi tasol sapos tutak i laik karamapim yu, pait, pait strong tumas long paia-lait inoken dai"
Em wok bilong yumi ol man istap long giraun yet.
Posted by: Michael Dom | 19 April 2013 at 07:23 PM
Condolences to the late Monica's family and friends.
Your story and the reason for her death is all too common.
Sorcery is blamed because people have no other explanation. This is an age old problem.
The way forward is education, not merely to the 8th grade but to the level where each individual can give a medical explanation.
This can take generations depending on how our government prioritizes education for all.
Almost all haus krais I've attended always has one hush whisper during refreshments of "ol bagarapim em" (they killed him/her).
Posted by: Maureen Wari | 19 April 2013 at 06:08 PM