Story bilong Eliab Thomas (Interview)
(Indigenous perspective)
This interview was conducted by Dr Hiromitsu Iwamoto and transcribed/translated by Pastor Jacob Aramans

Dr Iwamoto: O.K start. Thomas: Nem bilong mi Eliab Thomas. Mi bilong Madina. Taim bilong wo mi bin liklik. Wo i bin kamap long 1942 na mipela igo long bush. Na stap na klostu nau bai wo i pinis, about two years left na ol i kisim mipela bilong go skul long Siapan. Every weekend tasol mipela igo long skul i save stap long em. Ino bilong rit na rait tasol, bilong singsing long Japanis language, Japanese songs, a bit of counting na igo olsem. Na liklik march around long ples. Olsem prep o kindagarden. Kain skul olsem. Ino gat rit na rait yet. Ating sampela hap long kantri long New Ireland ol igo rit na rait tasol hia long mipela ino gat skul i kamap olsem. Dr Iwamoto: Yu save nem bilong tisa? Thomas: Aguchu. Dr Iwamoto: Em tisim yu long tok pisin? Thomas: Yes, i save tok pisin. Tasol taim mipela igo skul i yusim Japanese langguage. Ol i laik bai dispela ples ol pikinini i mas spik Japanese language. Dr Iwamoto: Hamaspela pikinini igo long skul? Thomas: Dispela taim em mi ino inap long rememberim nau. Counting the villages, Luapul, Madina, Lugagul na Munavai. Four villages. Every weekend mipela i save go. Tri Sande mipela i kam bek. Go Friday, Satete istap na Sande kam bek. Dr Iwamoto: Pikinini i hamamas igo long Skul? Thomas: Olgeta i hamamas. Dr Iwamoto: Ol i laikim dispela Japanese tisa? Thomas: Yes. Dr Iwamoto: Yu ting Japanese tisa i gutpela man? Thomas: I gutpela. Mipela i liklik na mipela i admaiarim moa. Mi laikim tumas. Dr Iwamoto: Hamaspela mun pikinini igo long skul? Thomas: Ating i luk olsem two years mipela igo skul igo inap long two years. Tru ino gat proper classroom. Mipela i save go sindau tasol long waisan. Ol man i save slip long camp em na mipela igo olsem. Sindaun tasol. Ino gat proper desk or samting. That time tu pencil i sot, buk i sot nating. Dr Iwamoto: Nogat pencil? Nogat buk? Thomas: Nogat, nogat whatsoever on the school. Dr Iwamoto: Bihain long tupela yia skul i pinis? Thomas: Nogat. Wo i pinis. Dr Iwamoto: Bihain long tupela yia wo i pinis? Thomas: Yes. Wo i pinis. ---- THE END ----