Remembering the war in New Guinea - Interview with Likas Wagalia

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

Likas: Nem bilong mi Likas Wagalia. Mi bon long 1929, mi gat 81 years. Mi stori liklik long taim blong wo. Taim sista bilong mi maritim Sikimasta Kias. Em i planim burus long garden long Sande long apinun polis ikam singautim mi. Bai mi go wantaim tambu na mi go sutim pisin (hoka) kaikai bilong mi tupela wantaim sista. Apinun taim polis i paiarim mi long village. Sikimasta i gut pela man em i kiap na soldia na em i lukautim planti soldia tu. Sikimasta laikim sista blong mi na maritim em. Sista blong mi hamamas tasol. Ol ino wokim wedding, taim blong wo, marit tasol.

Mipela planim burus, na ol bik lain long Lamako i kam bung wantaim mipela, ol i ronowe long ol soldia long Lamako. Mipela save pulmapim wara long bamboo na go waterim burus. Biihain mipela kamautim burus go givim Sikimasta. Mipela ol mangi tasol planim burus, ol man go wokim garden. Ol man planim kaukau na banana. Sampela kaikai mipela storim na sampela go long ol Japanese. Ol Japanese i tritim mipela nogut, mipela igat sik o sua ol no givim mipela marasin ol tok die igo. Sampela man blong Japanese em Maisimi. Maisimi save kukim oil. Em save sigarapim drai na kisim wara blong coconut na putim long drum na ol i kukim i kamap oil blong kuk. Maisimi em boss bilong dispela wok.


---- THE END ----



This page was last updated on 1 June 2004.
Visit the Australia-Japan Research Project XXXAbout the project and using the website Print version of this page Visit Art Direction Visit the Toyota Foundation Academic entry guided tour Schools entry guided tour General entry guided tour Contact the project Visit related sites Study original historical documents Refer to academic articles on key topics Read interviews with those who were there Read papers presented at our international symposium See maps of the region and campaigns Meet individuals and hear their stories Find answers to common questions about the war in New Guinea Learn about the major campaigns in the war Browse photographs and artworks Explore key aspects of the war through contributed theme pages