From where he stood, the trees looked beautiful and superior to the other trees and plants nearby and he was curious to know more about them. He left what he was doing and went closer to the trees to have a good look at them.

As he approached, it seemed the surrounding trees and plants were bowing inwards towards them if showing respect.

He thoroughly inspected the trees and realised that they were new to him and foreign in the area. He had never seen such a tree in his entire life.

Out of curiosity he plucked off a leaf and fresh blood flowed out.

Then, from nowhere, rain clouds gathered overhead and thunder rumbled and there was a heavy downpour. Fearfully, he ran to the second tree for cover.

Lightning flashed from the second tree and simultaneously cut off his left arm and leg. He fell to the ground and remained unconscious.

While unconscious he could see that the sparks and the flashes of lightning from the two trees blinding and killing him.

After a while he awoke. It seemed he was not dead but just dreaming. The rain and the lightning had subsided.

And, to his surprise, his wounds were healed.

But he had been cursed by the two trees to become a spirit being. He was to dwell in that bush forever to look after those two trees.

Although his left arm and leg had gone, he was able to stand upright on one leg and even walk and run perfectly well as he used to do before with both legs and arms.

So Nongoti became the spirit being who looks after the two lightning trees. He named the two trees nopara, meaning lightning in the Siane dialect.

Nongoti and the two nopara trees still exist today. The noparas can be seen in the Siane area. They are regarded as sacred by the people of Siane and nearby villages.

Nongoti is currently featured on the Eastern Highlands provincial flag. He was to become popular in the Asaro Valley.