Remembering the war in New Guinea - Interview with Joseph Tokankan

Ol Siapan kamap long Rabaul: stori ikam long Joseph Tokankan (Interview)
(Indigenous perspective)
This interview was conducted by Dr Iwamoto Hiromitsu and transcribed/translated by Pastor Jacob Aramans

Bai mi statim stori bilong dispela Namba Tu Bikpela Pait olsem, long wanpela Sande mipela ikirap nogut taim ol balus ikam. Dispela em Wol Woa 2, ol lain lain balus ikamap. Mipela ikirap nogut na ol bikman itok dispela em ol balus bilong Siapan. Kantri Siapan bai kisim Rabaul nau. Ol itok tasol mipela ino lukim inap wanpela Sande ol sixpela kain balus ol ikamap na mipela ilukim na ol igo bek. Orait wanpela pinis ol isenisim wakabaut. Tupela ensin balus tasol iron. Ol ino stop long narapela, ol igo stret long Rabaul na tromoi bom. Ol imekim olsem na mipela istap tasol long ol ples bilong mipela na mipela harimtasol iwok long pairap pairap.

Mipela ino save ol balus ikirap long sip, long Siapan o we. Igo wan wik pinis ol itok war ikam klostu pinis. Na mipela istap redi tasol long ronawe igo insait long bus. Mipela ronawe igo insait long bus. Mipela ronawe igo insait long bus na redim ol hols bilong hait long en. Wan wan man redim hol bilong em na meri na pikinini bilong em. Mipela istap na ol itok klostu nau bai ol ikamap. Mipela slip long hols. Ol soldiers itokim mipela na mipela ibihainim ol. Mipela igo hait long hols ya, tasol mipela tinktink gen long ol ls ya nogut graun ibruk long wanem graun ino strong tumas.

Mipela igo wokim oi haus insait long bus. Na long narapela wik ol ikam em nau bikpela tru nau ikamap. Ol ibomim Rabaul, ol ibomim Talwat na ol ibomim Haus Guria. Oigeta boms igo nau long Rabaul. Ol itok ples bilong ol mision long Rabaul ino bagarap tasol Rabaul ibagarap olgeta. Orait mipela istap ken long narapela de na ol itok ol tromoi bom long Talwat na bagarapim olgeta. Pikpela King Gan ol

wokim long basis bilong Talwat ol ibomim pinis. Ol ibomim tu bikpela gan ol ibin setim long haus guria. Long wanem ol birua iluksave long dispela gans iwok long pairap ikam long dispela hap na ol

igo bomim ol stret.

Taim ol bomim dispela gans pinis orait ol sips ikam insait nau. Taim ol ikam ol ino igo quick long Rabaul nogat ol igo Watam Ailan. Ating olsom 20 woa sips, 20 kako sips ol krup krup na istap nambaut solwara ya. Ol sips ino pilai planti moa. Behain ol balus igo klasim ken ol ol ples bilong ol long taun na ol itok klia pinis. Olgeta gans no moa. Orait ol igo insait nau long Rabaul.

Ol ipait liklik tasol na behain ol bihainim ples igo. Ol kas tu ol igo. Ol ibihainim Kerevat rot ya ikam na pait nau istap nau long Kerevat. Ol ipainim ol soldias planti moa isindaun long sait bilong Keerevat. Ol iwokim planti hols (tanel) long kainkain daireksen. Ol isetim na sindaun wantaim masin gan na ol kainkain gans bilong woa.

Ol isindaun long en na nogat pait nau. Wanpela hapkas (mix rais. Em i Malaya em save long tokples Siapan na em tokim ol olsem dispela olgeta pus ya ipulap

long ol Ostrelians (Allies*. Em na taim ol Siapanis soldias iharim dispela toktok, ol sanpim gan ol kolim motar na sanap long na sut igo stret na pairap long dispela hap ol iting ol pirua istap. Oh man ol Ostrelians (Allies* idai olsem ol doks.

Nogat pait nau ol Siapan tasol imekim dispela. Ol ipinisim birua olgeta na liklik hap ol ronawe. Sampela ol itraim long pait yet. Ol mewkim olsem igo igo na katres ipinis ol itromoi ol gans istap ronawe. Ol behainim ol ples ya ikam ikam na sampela ihait long plantation long Bianing sampela iwinim dispela wokabaut.



This page was last updated on 1 June 2004.
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