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

Kulemu: Mi blong Parmai na nem blong mi Kulemu Pitalot. Na mi bin bon bipo yet papa blong mi wanpela luluai long taim Kulmiski i bin stap hia long New Ireland. Na long dispela taim papa blong mi i luluai tasol taim mi bin bon ol ino save wanem yia tru mi bin bon na ol i guess olsem, mi bin bon long 1914 o 1915 namel long disla tupela yai. Mi bin bikpela long taim blong wo na mi ting mi gat 13 yias o 20 yias mi bikpela man. Na displa pait i kamap namba tu war mi yangpela man pinis. ol Japanese ol bin kamap na ol bin tromoi bom lon town blong Kavieng. Na olgeta Chinese na masta ol i ron awei na ol i bin kam na sampela i bin stap long plantation long Biapua na long dispela taim tu ol man tu kisim cargo blong ol na ol bin pulamapim lon dispela long Biapua long haus blong wanpela masta ol i kolim masta Hosdrum. Ol bin burukim dispela stoa na kisim plenti samting moa blong ol Chinese. Ol Chinese i kisim lon court long ol Japanis. Na ol bin kam insait lon Parruai na ol bin wokim court lon em tasol ol i tok olsem, sapos man i wokim pasin bai ol kilim em, nogut bai stap na showim smpela. Ol bin sutim wanpela man ol kolim Lagun long Parruai yet. Ol man i lukim olsem, ol i poret na bik-head bilong ol i stop long dispela taim. Noken steal, noken bakarapim samting blong narapela man. War kirap stron tru long Kavieng town na ol Japanis i kirap na wokabaut kamap na sampela wokim camp long Lemekot na igo outsaitlon Luburu na long ples Nalip. Na sampela i kam sindaun long Wunararom, em ol kolim olsem Centai ol i pait long tank. Taim war i pinis ol i go tromoi long reef long Parapai. Em dispela kiap blong mipela ol i kolim lon Sikimasta em bin stap lon Rivitu. Lon dispela taim em i save kolim ol liklik pikinini go school, ol go school long Rivitu antap lon bush. Mipela Bikpela pinis ol kisim mipela lon centiry lon nambis. Mipela stap tu mipela i poret man i bik head bai ol kilim lon kanda, 5pela ,10pela, o 100 samtin olsem, na mipela stap isi tasol, ol tok wanpela samting mipela harim tasol, sapos ol salim wnapela lo brinim pas go long Lemekot, em mas harim tok tasol sappos nogat kanda bai go pas long skin blong yu. Dispela taim ol givim mipela sampela liklik pas ol dispela pas sapos mipela lukim namba wan bilong ol Japan na sapos ol askim mipela soim, na sapos man em i nogat em ol tok em i wanpela spai, em ol bai kilim em. Ol gutpela samting ol i wokim long mipela em ol i wokim garden antap long bush na ol singautim ol man ol i go wok long garden, ol i wok wantaim ol Japan ol i singsing na stap wantaim. Na mipela stap long nabis, wanpela samtin tu olsem ol i kiap lon mornin ol save tok Tanko, em bai ol i tanko long mornin. Long mornin ol save tok Japan English nambatan nipon namba wan na avinoon tu sam olsem tok tasol ol i wokim. Dispela ol lapun ol i buruk buruk long skin blong ol, taim blong mark taim maski leg i no go strait noken laugh, yu laugh kanda bai pas lon skin blong yu. Mipela stap lon nabis mipela kaikai fish na ol Japan i kam stap wantaim mipela na singsing wantaim lon sampela singsing blong ol. Wanpela singsing ol i singim olsem Lemetai em olsem kiap blong ol, govman blong ol. Em i lukautim disela aria blong ol Lolopie na ol Livitur. Dispela kiap blong Lemetai. Kambetai man blong kilim man sapos man i wokim rong bai ol i katim neak bilonng em. Na dispela i stap wantaim mipela i gutpela tru. Taim war i pinis na ol go bek ol i sore tumas. Wanpela singsing blong ol blong dance na bikpela taim bilong ol. Na taim ol go wok lon bush lon garden ol no play lon kaikai, em wanpela lo blong ol olsem, lon Sunday bai start lon Lolopi, Sali, Baruai lon Mararom go wokim garden blong wanpela man. Na disela garden ol i katim bush, tete yet planim kaikai na i pinis. Olsem na taim war i pinis mipela i sindaun gut lon dispela kaikai blong ol. Ol man i no play long plantim kaukau or tapiyok.Taim blong ol i go ol i go tasol na mipela tok tankyou tru long lukaut blong ol long dispela aria em tasol ol bin kamap nuipela na bikpela steal i kamap na ol shoim long dispela man ol kolim Lagun. Ol i sutim em na em i die, olrait olgeta i lukim na poret na pasin bik head nau i pinis lon disela taim, taim blong harim tok tasol. Lon wanem lon taim blong war nogat man bai kros lon meri blon ol. Em Japan ol i wokim long olsem mipela. Sapos ol laikim wanpela meri ol i kisim tasol na go silip wantaim, bihin salim i kam bek. Nogat wanpela meri i karim wanpela pikinini blong ol Japan. Dispela Sikimasta i olsem wanpela kiap na law blong ol em i no rong long ai blong em. Ol soldia i wokim olsem tu. Taim blong centiry, wok blong em long stap lon nabris na lukluk tasol lon nait, em sampela i start long avinon i go pinis long mid-nait olsem 12 o clock igo pinis long 6 o clock lon mornin. Na disela wok bai ol givim mipela rop, sapos mipela lukim sip bai mipela tie em. Mipela fivepela centiry, wanpela em i boss blong mipela, em lain blong mipela, nogat uniform mipela wok tasol. ---- THE END --