As old age took its toll on Phil Fitzpatrick, whose Pukpuk Publications had produced more than 50 books, most of them by PNG authors or about PNG, and ill health besieged me, so the Crocodile Prize foundered and its supporting agent, PNG Attitude, faltered.

Anyway, my discovery of the card (it’s dated 10 September 2012) made me want to write a new piece on Francis’s importance in PNG literature. Of course, there is also the magnificent collection of Francis Nii’s writings, Man Bilong Buk, still available from Amazon.

My state of health made the research, compilation and creation of such an essay too great a cognitive challenge, so I asked AI Claude to assemble a profile of Francis’s contribution to the Crocodile Prize, which flourished between 2011 and 2016, together with a review of his overall contribution to PNG literature.

PREFACE BY AI CLAUDE

I'm glad I could provide a comprehensive profile of Francis Nii's involvement with the PNG Crocodile Prize. His story is truly remarkable - overcoming significant physical challenges to become such an influential figure in Papua New Guinea's literary scene. His work with the Simbu Writers Association and his mentorship of young writers created a lasting legacy in PNG literature. It's inspiring to see how he used literature not just for personal expression but as a vehicle for community building and national identity development.

Francis Nii and the PNG Crocodile Prize for Literature (2011-2016)

Background and Early Involvement

Francis Sina Nii was a prominent Papua New Guinean author whose promising career as a banker was cut short by a vehicle accident that left him a paraplegic In 2011, his literary career flourished when he encountered Phil Fitzpatrick and Keith Jackson who had established the Crocodile Prize to rejuvenate PNG's flagging literary scene. Despite facing significant physical challenges, Nii became a towering figure in Papua New Guinea's literary landscape.

Initial Participation (2011)

At the first Crocodile Prize writers' workshop at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby in 2011, Francis Nii was present in his wheelchair, listening intently and contributing to the conversations about plotting a road ahead for the competition. What made his participation remarkable was that in his submissions to the competition and contributions to PNG Attitude (the blog that supported the Prize), he had never mentioned his physical condition, focusing instead on writing rather than seeking sympathy.

Literary Achievements and Recognition

Francis Nii won the Crocodile Prize Essay Award in 2013, establishing himself as a significant voice in PNG literature. His work was featured prominently in the annual Crocodile Prize anthologies, which were collections of the best entries submitted to the national literary awards. The 2013 anthology included his work alongside other well-known Papua New Guinean authors such as Martyn Namorong, Michael Dom, Lapieh Landu, Leonard Fong Roka, Sil Bolkin, Emma Wakpi, and Jeff Febi.

The Simbu Writers Association

One of Francis Nii's most significant contributions to PNG literature came through his co-founding of the Simbu Writers Association (SWA). During his time in the critical care ward of Kundiawa General Hospital, he founded this association, which focused on publishing home-grown PNG writing and guiding locals into literature.

In 2016, as treasurer of the Simbu Writers Association, Francis Nii worked alongside re-elected president Jimmy Drekore, vice president Jimmy Awagl, and newly elected secretary Angela Kaupa to review the achievements and challenges of 2015 and plan for the future. The association had initiated the Simbu for Literary Excellence Program in 2014, an annual debate, quiz, and literature competition for provincial high and secondary schools.

Hosting the Crocodile Prize (2015)

In late 2014, at the Crocodile Prize Awards ceremony in Port Moresby, Francis Nii and his friend, the prize-winning poet Jimmy Drekore, announced they had set up the Simbu Writers Association. They also declared their intention to host the Crocodile Prize awards ceremony and writers' workshop in Kundiawa in 2015. This was a significant step in decentralizing the literary movement in PNG.

The 2014 Crocodile Prize awards were held at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, where a strong contingent from the Simbu Writers Association was present, including Francis Nii, who had won the essay award the previous year.

International Recognition (2016)

In 2016, Francis Nii received a McKinnon-Paga Hill Fellowship that enabled him to participate in the Brisbane Writers Festival, where he presented a seminar on the development of the Simbu Writers Association. This fellowship, sponsored by the Paga Hill Development Company and Prof Ken McKinnon (former PNG director of education), recognized his contributions to PNG literature.

At the Brisbane Writers Festival in 2016, Francis Nii shared how he and others established the Simbu Writers Association in 2014 to encourage the present generation to write and be published.

Publications and Editorial Work

Beyond his own writing, Francis Nii was a prolific editor and publisher. His publications included Paradise in Peril (1st edition), Fitman, Raitman & Cooks: Paradise in Peril (2nd edition), Reading Comprehension Textbook (a language and literature skills learning aid for Grades 10-12 students in PNG and Melanesia), and The Resonance of My Thoughts: A Collection of Essays.

He also served as editor for various books including Ku High School Anthology 2014, My Journey by Jimmy Awagl, My Struggle by Jimmy Awagl, Simbu High & Secondary Schools 2015 Anthology, and The Dangers of Drugs and Their Effects in Papua New Guinea by Philip M Kai.

Legacy and Impact

Francis Nii was a central figure in the development of PNG's Crocodile Prize which, since emerging in 2010, helped rejuvenate the country's flagging literary scene. His work extended beyond his own writing to mentoring and encouraging other writers, particularly in Simbu Province.

Despite facing significant physical challenges, Nii was instrumental in building a model for the establishment of a regional literary presence in Simbu and beyond. He prepared a presentation for the Brisbane Writers Festival that explained how the Simbu Writers Association began to build a prototype of the administrative infrastructure required for the development of a national literature in Papua New Guinea.

His literary influence extended to his family as well. His daughter, Charlene Nii, was inspired by her father and pursued writing herself.

Francis Nii passed away in August 2020 at the age of 57, leaving behind a significant literary legacy in Papua New Guinea. Keith Jackson, the Australian journalist, publisher, and co-founder of the Crocodile Prize, paid tribute to Nii as "a bright star who never let his serious handicaps and brushes with death interfere with his achievements."