About a 15 min walk from the University's main gate (Unigate) is the suburb or settlement of West Taraka. The locals commonly refer to West Taraka as the “Wild West”. Why? Apparently due to the high concentration of raskol element and an area which is noted for violence. Supposedly one of those places that even the nationals do not venture into. The West Taraka boys have a reputation around Lae for being the toughest and roughest. Golden rule : if you have no business in West Taraka : stay out !!
Unless…
You are a West Taraka local or you venture in with someone that is a local. Well, Eli is a local girl and so are her family. So yesterday, I had arranged to meet Eli at Unigate at 2:00pm and walk in. I had been looking forward to this walk all week, so Sunday as 2:00pm approached I started get very excited.
Eli turned up at the gate just after 2:00pm with a couple of her cousins. The plan was 1st to walk and meet her family and relatives and then to go off and watch a few games of the locals playing volleyball. The hospitality and friendliness of the PNG continues to amaze me. Eli's parents were certainly no exception to this and I was made to feel very welcome, not only by her parents, but also by her many relatives which also live in the neighbourhood.
I took some pictures of some of Eli's relatives (the above photo is her Dad, Mum and Bubu) at their home and also photos from the volleyball game and a few of the spectators.
White people do not venture into West Taraka….
…this white man did!!
…and loved every minute of it.
See the photos for yourself.
Its not that bad i used to hang out in east and west Taraka when I was 14-17. Only had a gun pointed at me once, when I was returning home to unitech around midnight. I didnt have any money on me so they let me go. My friends sorted them out later I heard. My biggest worry was the task force catching us smoking :)
Task force and mobile squad remain a worry. They are a law to themselves. Normal law abiding citizens now fear the thugs and also the police. As far as West Taraka although it has a reputation of being the “Wild West” – I like the place and come and go as I please. One’s peronal safety in PNG towns remains contingent upon one’s level of interaction with the locals. Then again there’s random crime – such as your incident walking back to Unitech late one night – this type of crime happens everywhere in the world.
Thanks for your comment and feedback.
R