Remembering the war in New Guinea - Interview with Tokuvul Lasle

Dispela stori ikam long Tokuvul Lasle (Interview)
(Indigenous perspective)
This interview was conducted by Dr Iwamoto Hiromitsu and transcribed/translated by Pastor Jacob Aramans

Dr Iwamoto: Hamas krismas blong yu?

Lasle: Mi no save.

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

Lasle: Mi bikpela, mi no bin sev yet.

Dr Iwamoto: Taim ol Japanis ikam, ol i sindaun long hia?

Lasle: Ol sindaun long ples, ol Jipan kisim mi na kam lusim mi long pilapila karavia mipla bung na bihain ol isalim mi igo long sip mipela ikeria long Una antap long Kokoda. Japanis i pait wantaim Australia na mipela i keria blong Japan go na bihain, pait i kam bek nau yet em Australia i winim Japan nau na mipela i ron awe nau, lusim Japan nau. Mipela i ron awe kam long hap blong Morobe long Warea, mipela i kanaka long Warea. Mipela i stap wantaim.

Taim pait i kam bek nau orait Australia i kisim mipela, orait mipela igo long Una (ples). Sampela i keria bilong Australia, t sampela igo long sampela igo long ami, olsem l soldia bilong Australia. Mipela ol arapela lain ol i kisim mipela igo long ami ken nau long mipela i kost watses bilong Australia mipela igo skul long kemp blong Australia long kost watses. Na bihain ol i salim mipela long wok olsem long PNG.


Dr Iwamoto: Yu wok nambawan taim long we?

Lasle: Mi cost watses nambawan taim long Rabaul.

Dr Iwamoto: Yu lukim Japanis na ripotim long Australia?

Lasle: Yes.

Dr Iwamoto: Hamas pela yia yu wok long Rabaul?

Lasle: Mi no stap long taim long wanpela hap, mi raun raun planti hap liklik long taim bilog dispela woa. mi go long Buka,mi go long hap bilong Kimbe long West New Britain. Orait igo woa i pinis na mi stap long dispela hap. Bihain mi go long Buka nau em woa ipinis, bihain mi go long Lae na mipela igo nambaut long peles bilong mipela.

Dr Iwamoto: Yu kisim namba?

Lasle: Mi kisim namba

Dr Iwamoto: Wanem?

Lasle: Coporal

Dr Iwamoto: Hamas man i kamap soldia olsem yu?

Lasle: Mipela bikpela lain.

Dr Iwamoto: Sampela man long peles bilong yu ikamap soldia olsem yu?

Lasle: Sampela man long peles bilong mi ol i soldia na igo paslain long karim gan na sampela i wok boi olsem kago keria.

Dr Iwamoto: Dispela wok ihat?

Lasle: Ihatpela tru. ino isi wok,sampela bilong mpela ol japanis i kilim, mipela sampela i orat.

Dr Iwamoto: Olsem wanem yu lukim Japanis?

Lasle: Taim Japanis ikamap, peles ipulap long ol Jiapan Oli ronim ol soldia bilong Austrailia,o ol kilim sampela Austrilia siv ilian man, na mipela tu ol pulim mipela long go long Niugii long karim kago, ol i pulim tu sampela man long ol peles ol i wokim gaden. ol man long peles tu oli halivim ol Jiapan long wok gaden, na ol arapela wok, ol i poret tu long ol Jiapan tu,olsem ol i paitim ol, kilim ol.

Dr Iwamoto: Ol Jiapis i paim yupela tu?

Lasle: Nogat.

Dr Iwamoto: Dilim Kaikai?

Lasle: Olgeta samting mipela kaikai, mipea kaikai bilong mipela.

Dr Iwamoto: Wonem peles yu go long kokoda?

Lasle: Mipela ilusim Kokoda igo antap long oi mauntan..... pait igo long wanpela bikpela maunten istap kolostu long mosbi, em Austrailia ipait igo bek gen nau.

Dr Iwmoto: Hamas caria istap wantai Japanis?

Lasle: Olgeta peles, Papua Niugini olgeta mipela istap wantaim, karim kago bilong Japan, na planti bilong mipela idai nambaut, mipela ino planim ol ...mipela ilaik panim, Jiapan i paitim mipela, noken em istap sting nating long bus. mipela ino stretim na planim gut bodies. Japan i mekim nogut mipela. mipela nogat kaikai mipela kaaikai kuru bilong limbum, kuru bilong kanda mipela i kaikai. Nogat kaikai long dispela taim mipela igo long woa, nogat. Japan tu inogat kaikai.

Dr Iwamoto: Yu kisim kaikai long dispela manmeri bilong Kokoda tu?

Lasle: Nogat, taim mipela igo igat liklik kaikai, na taim pait ikam bek ino gat moa kaikai.

Dr Iwamoto: Yu no kaikai?

Lasle: Nogat. mi nogat moni, ol ino givim mipela inap moni na kaikai. Sampela idai long kaikai.

Dr Iwamoto: Planti man bilong yupela idai?

Lasle: Idai long bus, long ol maunten ya, idai nambat.

Dr Iwamoto: Yu save hamas idai?

Lasle: Mi no kauntim, mipla i nogat save long dispea taim.

Dr Iwamoto: Yu ronawe long dispela pait?



This page was last updated on 1 June 2004.
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