Remembering the war in New Guinea - Interview with James Tumat

Dispela Stori ikam long James Tumat Geme (Interview)
(Indigenous perspective)
This interview was conducted by Dr Hiromitsu Iwamoto and transcribed/translated by Pastor Jacob Aramans

Dr Iwamoto : Wanem nem bilong yu?

Tumat : Nem bilong mi em James Geme.

Dr Iwamoto : Amas krismas bilong yu?

Tumat : Mi no save long krismas bilong wanem mi nogat save.

Dr Iwamoto : Yu igo long skul tu?

Tumat : Mi ino igo long skul. Mi stap tasol long peles inap mi bikpela.

Dr Iwamoto : Taim Japanis ikam yu liklik boi o yu bikpela pinis?

Tumat : Mi bikpela pinis. Olgeta wok bilong Japan mi wokim. Olgeta wok bilong rot, ples balus wok nambaut long bus long kemp mi wok long em. Japanis iputim trotol yu kilim long em mi wok long em. Japanis iputim long kempe, mi bikpela pinis ya.

Dr Iwamoto : Olsem wanem ol putim yu olsem kempe?

Tumat : Bilong wanem ol lukim mi long strong bilong mi na toktok bilong mi. Orait ol Japan ol kolim nem bilong mi man bilong wok, toktok.

Dr Iwamoto : Wanem kain wok yu mekim?

Tumat : Mi save painim ol man husait isave mekim trabel. Mi save stopim ol. Sapos trabel ibikpela tumas mi save kisim ol igo long ples na stretim toktok o trabel.

Dr Iwamoto : Hamas man ikamap kempe olsem yu?

Tumat : Mipela planti ya. Igat sampela long narapela ol ples. Mi tasol bilong hia.

Dr Iwamoto : Dispela kembe ikam long peles bilong yu tasol o ikam long narapela ples.

Tumat : Dispela kembe istap long Naram iolsem bosim dispela eria bilong Nongura na olgeta ples istap raun long hia. Inap long Nagupan ikam na igo inap long Nangali. Mipela olgeta isave bung long Nagura.

Dr Iwamoto : Wanem kain unifom yupela werim. Kep, siot?

Tuamat : Kep nogat. Siot igat namba long em.

Dr Iwamoto : Ol Japanis igivim yu raifel?

Tumat : Nogat. Ol givim mipela hap palang tasol bilong paitim man. Taim bilong pait ol Japanis ol man bilong koros. Pasin bilong ami ol save kros. Raifel ol itambu. Nogut mipela sutim ol man long em. Taim bilong pait.

Dr Iwamoto : Wanem kain pasin ol Japanis imekim long man meri bilong yu?

Tumat : Ol save kisim ol man meri long wok tasol. Mi ino save harim tok ol paitim em nogut tru. Lo bilong Japan olsem, man hambak ol paitim orait em harim tok.

Dr Iwamoto : Wanem kain wok. Wok long gaden o plentesin?

Tumat : Wok long gaden, kaukau, banana na ol iwok ya. Dispela bikpela bus ya mipela katim, wokim, stretim na klinim na nau tasol planim kaikai long em. Em mipela save wokim dispela. Na wok long ples balus. Kar isave kisim mipela igo long Rabaul, Kokopo na bihain kar ikisim mipela long em.

Dr Iwamoto : Ol man tasol o ol meri tu ?

Tumat : Ol man tasol. Ol Japanis long moning ol kirap kisim ol man igo long wok na ol meri istap.

Dr Iwamoto : Japanis igivim pei long yupela?

Tumat : Nogat ol givim kaikai tasol long mipela.

Dr Iwamoto : Ol Japanis igivim pei long ol kempe boi olsem yu?

Tumat : Nogat ol givim kaikai tasol. Tru ol baim kaikai olsem popo, banana mau na wanem kain kaikai yu laikim ol bai baim long moni bilong ol yet. Ol kolim moni bilong ol kumdio. Mipela iwok nogat moni, mipela wok nating. Dispela moni ol usim long taim bilong woa.

Dr Iwamoto : Ol Japanis dokta istap long hia?

Tumat : Nogat doktas istap long hia. Sapos mipela iwok na sampela samting katim man, ol yet ipasim dispela taim yet. Wanpela dei tasol ol givim marasin. Sampela taim mipela save usim bus marasin bilong mipela yet.

Dr Iwamoto : Ol Japanis kirapim sampela skul long hia?

Tumat : Nogat skul. Em taim bilong woa ya. Long narapela ples ol iwokim ol skuls, tasol long his nogat. Nogat bikpela skul long hia.

Dr Iwamoto : Yu lukim Pita Torot idai?

Tumat : Mi lukim Torot.

Dr Iwamoto : Yu lukim Japanis ipasim Pita Torot?

Tumat : Mi lukim tasol ol ikarim em ikam. Ol istap long tambelo long dispela ples mipela iwok long em. Ol kempe iwok long em. Mipela ino inap igo insait long dispela hap, ol Japanis itambu long mipela. Taim em idai pinis ol man ikisim em ikam mipela ilukim. Mipela save ol kisim em na katim nek na kilim long dispela ples.

Dr Iwamoto : Mi ritim olsem ol Japanis igivim em poisin.

Tumat : Ating mi tok pinis mi ino lukim ol kilim em long naif o raifel o poisin marasin mi no save. Mi lukim tasol taim ol kisim ikam. Bodi bilong em ikam long igo long ples bilong em Rakunai.

Dr Iwamoto : Taim dispela woa ipinis, ol Australia ikam ol imekim wanem long yu bikos yu stap polis boi wantaim Japan.

Tumat : Taim ol Japanis igo pinis na ol Australia ikam ol makim mi olsem tultul long lukautim ol man long ples.

Dr Iwamoto : Ol Australia ikros long yu?

Tumat : Nogat em pait ipinis. Ol givim long bihainim lo bilong gavman long lukautim ol man long ples. Namba tu long luluai, em bikpela namba long ples.

Dr Iwamoto : Em tasol mi askim pinis, gutpela tru.

The end



This page was last updated on 1 June 2004.
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