Last night I had the opportunity to attend my 1st Haus Krai. In PNG when someone dies the family and relatives of the deceased organise a gathering to mourn and remember the passing away of their loved one and friend. The Haus Krai or gathering can go on for days and finishes when the body is taken home for a formal funeral service. Last night's Haus Krai was held in memory of Diana Kerowa, a final year Accounting student and also a student in my IS422 class. As I mentioned in a previous blog post Diana was brutally murdered at Kumkumung this past Saturday morning.
I have lived in PNG now for almost six months and during this time I have been invited to “join in”. I have witnessed joys and hardships, wins and losses, and now sorrow and grief. I feel a deep honour to have been invited into the lives of the PNG people.
Diana's body will be taken back to her as ples at Mt Hagen up in the Western Highlands some time today. There will also be a contingent of students travelling with the family and relatives. The ”going home” of a deceased person in PNG is a very important thing. Us ”whities”, generally speaking, do not have a concept of a “place”. A family place, an ancestral place, a place of belonging.
A place to go and rest.
Farewell Diana, may your soul rest in peace.
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