Remembering the great Simbu leader, Kondom Agaundo
11 September 2015
MATHIAS KIN
KONDOM Agaundo was the son of a fight leader, Agaundo, of the Narku tribe. He was born at Wandi village probably in 1917. His mother’s name was Singa.
Agaundo died when Kondom was still young and the boy grew up with his mother’s people at Kogai near Kundiawa.
By the late 1940s, the young man was already outspoken and charismatic and much liked by his Narku people.
In 1951, when he was in his thirties, Kondom was appointed a Luluai and became the kiaps’ favourite among all the other Luluais of the area.
He was a popular agent for the work of the kiaps and missionaries in the Simbu, Eastern and Western Highlands.
Among the Simbu tribes, he assisted the kiaps to stop tribal fights and conduct peace settlements. Although a fair man, he was feared among his people because of his associations with the kiaps and the police.
As a strategy to control and hasten the pacification of the Simbu people, the colonial administration took Kondom to visit many areas outside Simbu - to towns on the coast and overseas - to see how government and business was done.
When he returned from these trips, Kondom brought many new ideas about business, government and social services like roads, schools and health centres.
Today Kondom is remembered for many things including being the first person to bring coffee to Simbu. He planted his own coffee garden near his home at Wandi and from here he distributed seeds to other villagers.
He also introduced cattle and goats to his village. In 1959, he was the first Simbu to own a semi-permanent house and he rode his own horse which made him an awesome figure among the Simbu people. Prior to that only missionaries and kiaps had horses.
Also in 1959 Kondom was elected president of the Waiye Local Government Council, the first in the highlands.
In 1961, he was appointed to the second Legislative Council, a precursor to an elected parliament in PNG. Kondom was the only person who at the time represented the central highlands. Among his early compatriots were Pita Lus from Maprik, Mathias Toliman from Rabaul and John Guise from Milne Bay.
On a visit to Australia in 1963, Kondom addressed an audience at Canberra with these famous words:
“....In my village I am a chief among my people but today I stand in front of you like a child and when I try to speak in your language you laugh at my words. But tomorrow my son will come to you and he will talk to you in your language, and this time you will not laugh at him....”
In the first House of Assembly elections in 1964, Kondom Agaundo lost to his Eastern Highlands friend, Sinake Giregire of Daulo. After that, he devoted his time to other areas of development like roads, schools, hospitals and business.
He spent more time on coffee growing also and assisted other areas of Simbu to also grow the crop. Later that year, he became the first chairman of the Kundiawa Coffee Society which in 1966 became Chimbu Coffee encompassing other coffee growers in the district.
In August of that year, Kondom was returning from a meeting in Goroka when he was killed in a vehicle accident on the Goroka side of the summit of Daulo Pass.
The vehicle in which Kondom was travelling nearly collided with a bigger works vehicle on a bend. It skidded off the road into a trench killing Kondom instantly.
In 1982 when the Simbu Provincial Building in Kundiawa was built, it was called Kondom Agaundo House in honour of this great leader of the Simbu and highlands people.
In more recent times, the high school near his grave at Wandi Village has also been named after him.
Today Kondom Agaundo is remembered as a great man and a heroic figure who championed the colonial transition period to bring social development and economic prosperity, especially coffee, to the people of Simbu and the highlands.
Refreshing stuff, Kondom Agaundo in motion by Mathias Kin.
Privileged to be a Highlander and a Papua New Guinean. Special to be a Simbu.
Thank you & God bless.
Posted by: John Tonar | 28 January 2022 at 02:25 PM
Thankyou for sharing. I don't know much detail but now it gives me an insight of our great leader.
Posted by: Betty Zachery | 17 February 2021 at 08:48 AM
it was in 1966, one of the biggest funeral serves ever happen in wandi for the late kondom agaundo who died on the car accident. thousands pour in all over simbu and highlands as a whole to pay their last respect. more than 1,000 pigs were slathered by narku, endugla, sambugla, naur and kamaneku tribes of waiye local level government of kundiawa gembogl district of whom he was their president. kondom agaundo was an authentic leader full of wisdom with assertive skills. he is a peace maker and have no enemies. at the age of 6 I still have good memories to recall when he belted his own son for not attending school at wandi primary school (now kondom agaundo memorial high school)
Posted by: Philip Kai Morre | 27 July 2020 at 09:06 PM
While traversing the Okuk Highway from Mt Hagen to Simbu, I usually see his resting place & the memorial erected over it in his memory, but didn't know much about this great Highlander & Simbu pioneer.
Thank you PNG Attitude for shedding some light on his history.
Much appreciated.
Posted by: Peter Manus Anda | 27 July 2020 at 01:22 AM
A wonderful piece. He is indeed one of the iconic leaders Simbu ever had. I am being inspired by his testimony. You don't find such crop of leaders these days.
Posted by: James Pari | 25 July 2020 at 01:49 PM
Wonderful history. Thanks. That should inspire all of us.
We are the sons and daughters of beloved Papua New Guinea that, visionary statesmen like Chief Kondom Agaundo boldly spoke about.
Be proud, be bold and be confident of the heritage and never surrender your space, ability, potential and skill to effect change in the field you're planted.
Oh arise, sons and daughters of beloved Papua New Guinea.
Sing that song and play and do your craft with confidence.
Posted by: Corney Korokan Alone | 04 August 2019 at 10:57 AM
Chief Kondom Agaundo was an inspiring and great leader of Simbu and his words and effort contributed to the great development of Simbu and the country as a whole.
Just a suggestion, why not the Simbu government plan an annual activity or event such as "cultural show" or "Simbu day" and named after him as the remembrance of Chief K Agaundo.
The new generations like us will know the history and legacy of our leaders and fore fathers during the transitions period since 1933,November 15 when Simbu first had contact with white man, Fr. Alphonse Schaefer at Gembogl Village, etc...
Eg: "Chief K. Agaundo's Show" or "Kondom Agaundo's Day"...
Posted by: Waike Goro Waike | 03 August 2019 at 07:04 PM
Agaundo was a great leader and a God chosen leader in the History of Simbu and Papua New Guinea , his words fulfill his dream, his tears make his sons the blessed people. today no one can laugh at his sons and daughters, they are the men and women of great honor.
Chief Agaundo has gone but his words are remembered by his children and the same words will passes down from generation to generation, in remembrance to his words; those that are to come will became great man like the man in the royal palace.
Posted by: Peter Morua | 22 May 2019 at 01:12 PM
Nice to know him. He is a great leader
Posted by: Bill Pintari | 16 April 2016 at 09:08 PM
Kondom Agaundo truly is a great man full of wisdom during those time. Without fear, he delivered a speech at Canberra: " Today I stand in front of you like a child and when I try to speak in your language you laugh at my words. But tomorrow my sons and daughters will come to you and he/she will talk to you in your language, this time you will not laugh at him/her.....
This is the foundation on which we have build up to where we are now. Thank him for those words....
Posted by: Bill Pintari | 16 April 2016 at 09:06 PM
This is very educational and inspiring brief history of a great leader.
I did not know enough about my tribesman.
Thank you Mathias.
Posted by: Kindin Ongugo | 20 September 2015 at 05:43 PM
A very inspiring piece. We need more of such narratives to motivate Papua New Guineans to work hard towards the advancement of their communities which will amount to the progress of PNG as a whole.
Posted by: Bernard Singu Yegiora | 16 September 2015 at 04:48 PM
Great and inspiring piece. Thanks.
Posted by: Dr Clement Waine | 16 September 2015 at 02:32 PM
Mathias, very educational. And Daniel it's about time the government should make the process of attaining naming rights on public infrastructure using public moni rigorous and the public figures who qualify for this honour. Not politicians going on a naming spree as if they are using private funds!
Posted by: Ghandi Katao | 14 September 2015 at 01:31 PM
Great story for the new generation!
Posted by: John Kaupa Kamasua | 11 September 2015 at 07:33 PM
This is a great story of a true leader and someone,who has his people at heart and no stain of corruption on him.
Simbu leaders and also leaders in this country should follow the footsteps of this great man.
Such an honest leader contributed to directing MV PNG to the land of milk and honey and now the compass is malfunctioning.
Posted by: Jaffie Amani | 11 September 2015 at 11:50 AM
Mathias good research and great story on Kondom Agaundo for our present and future generations to know about this great Leader.
looking forward to reading some more of Simbu history in the near future.
Posted by: Karl Aina | 11 September 2015 at 11:26 AM
So true my brother Daniel Kumbon. We will meet in Kundiawa next week.
Posted by: Mathias Kin | 11 September 2015 at 10:27 AM
The great heroes of our history deserve better.
PNG Unitech gave a spot on campus named after the great Simbu leader, but the university has failed to acknowledge the person by two mistakes....
1) Paraphrased the quote of the Canberra speech, saying "Tomorrow my sons and daughters will come".
2) Not inscribing the full name. Unitech initialled 'C Agaundo' (lest we embarrass ourselves by calling some person Kondom). What a disgrace for a high learning institution which cannot honour and respect our leaders of the past.
This is a shame, given the article giving prominence to such a great man.
Posted by: B Bomoteng | 11 September 2015 at 08:52 AM
Truly Kondom Agaundo, Sir Wamp Wan, Sir Tei Abal and other such leaders were great men.
It is fitting that the seat of power in Simbu should be named after Kondom Agaundo. PNG should start recognising such men who rose to dominance during the colonial administration period.
We should name new schools, roads, streets etc after such men. They were there first and laid the foundation.
If we dig up their 206 bones now, we won't see deformities of corruption so apparent in today's crop of leaders.
Posted by: Daniel Ipan Kumbon | 11 September 2015 at 07:24 AM
A great piece to ponder upon to know the history of my great leader. Good one.
Posted by: Jimmy Awagl | 11 September 2015 at 06:05 AM