As Eli prepares dinner…

I sit with laptop on lap and reflect on some things Papua
New Guinean. It is becoming clearer to me that if I was to spend another twenty
years working and living in this country, I would still not fully understand
the Melanesian way of life and doing things.

Another twenty years of this… (Heaven forbid) 

Papua New
Guinea and Papua New Guineans appear simple.
Simple perhaps to the uninitiated eye but the reality is that things are never
simple in Papua New Guinea,
nor are the locals a race of simple minded folk. The Melanesian way is complex
and I’m going to share a short story with you that will explain why.

Eli has a cousin and her name is Regina. Regina
is the daughter of Eli’s fathers’ sister, Aunty Eli. Regina
resides with her cousin Alberta
(also Eli’s cousin) just outside of Goroka, in a small village called “Massey”.
Alberta is the
2^nd wife of Elyson, a local boy from “Massey”. Regina (Eli’s cousin) is “almost” married to
Phillip, also a local from “Massey”. I say almost married as Phillip is yet to
pay bride price for Regina.
Making sense so far? 

A couple of weeks ago Regina
and Phillip got into an argument and during the altercation Phillip hit Regina and drew blood.
Not a good thing by civilized standards or by local “Massey” standards. Regina and Phillip have been together for four years and
the payment of bride price by Phillip and his clan, according to Regina, is long overdue.

Regina,
sick and tired of being with a man that not only hits her but has turned out to
be a poor provider over the four years, decides to take him to court, the local
village court in “Massey”. This morning court was held at one of the local
“Massey” markets and the locals turned up in droves, partially out of curiosity
and nothing better to do but also out of support for both parties. 

I heard that court went on for most of the day and was
“tight”, meaning that there were heated arguments and resolution was not
achieved. Worth noting is that Papua New Guineans will never shy away from
trouble but when trouble comes and eventually passes, they are masters at
resolving all kinds of conflict. The local court system is prevalent in Papua New Guinea
and many disputes, both minor and serious, get resolved at this level. A
magistrate is supported by a committee and they have the power to dish out
fines, punishment and compensation.

The end result… 

Phillip pays K100 to Boss, one of Regina’s nephews who she has looked after
since a young boy. The payment of K100 known as “Sori Moni” (Sorry money) is
not full compensation but a payment in kind that demonstrates willingness by
the accused to participate in a resolution process and eventually pay some form
of compensation for the crime. The K100 was a payment made indirectly to Regina to show that
Phillip is sorry for hitting her. This still leaves the issue of bride price payment
unresolved.

Yep…   this is where
it starts to get confusing! 

The court will reconvene in two weeks. At which time Regina will make it clear to the court as to whether she
wants to remain with Phillip and then based on Regina’s decision Phillip will have to:

1)     If
Regina decides
to stay with Phillip, Phillip will have to agree and commit to a cash amount
and a time frame for the payment and settlement of bride price. 

2)      If Regina
decides to leave Phillip then the court will deliberate and decide on an
appropriate compensation amount which Phillip will then have to pay to Regina and her family.
This payment would be to compensate Regina
and her clan for the four years that she has been faithful to Phillip, the
cooking and washing she has done for him and the fact that she is now four
years older and therefore “less” valuable on the bride market.

Get it? And this by Papua New Guinea standards is a
relatively simple conflict. 

Court reconvenes in two weeks time…

(By the way… dinner was absolutely superb!)