BEYOND THE FOOTHILLS OF TORRICELLI

The cry of the Rengile

This article is an analysis into the operation of the Tenkile Conservation Authority operating in the Lumi area of West Sepik Province. This article aims to bring to light the current practise of the conservation program.

Tenkile or Rengile in Onele language is the name that refers to the Scott’s Tree Kangaroo, a protected species in the Torricelli mountain range of West Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

Rengile, in ages gone by, was a delicacy within the Torricelli mountain range communities. Their population during that time was fast decreasing due to increase hunting activities. The Rengiles were in danger of extinction and their cry was not even heard. In 1990, Professor Tim Flannery, a scientist, in his field work and research, suddenly describes a new species of Tree Kangaroo, called the Scott’s Tree Kangaroo, Rengile or famously called Tenkile in Olo language (Sullivan,2002). Later in 1993 he describes another species called the Weimang or the Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo. This was a break-through! Finally, the cry of the Rengile and its cousin, the Weimang, was heard and they were saved from extinction.

With the initial work done by Dr Flannery, the Tenkile Conservation Authority (TCA) was established in 1993. In 1994, Jim and Jean Thomas were employed by Zoos Victoria in Australia to oversee this project. Fast forward to today, a base has been established and the TCA is now gearing towards making Torricelli a fully protected area.

The Positives

TCA has now grown from its humble beginning to a giant it is today. It now a major project in the conservation industry. Looking at the positives and the impact that it has on the community, TCA:

1.       Is a registered non-government organization in Papua New Guinea (TCA PNG).

2.      It’s policies and spin offs benefits moratorium communities (villages that sign agreement to temporarily stop the hunting of Rengile).

3.      Provides substitute proteins like fish, rabbits and so forth.

4.       Provide water tanks, VIP Toilets, Solar lights, (all these cost the villagers at least some money).

      5.   Provides employment

   opportunities for the people.

The positive impacts and benefits thus, are an indication of the potential that conservation industry has. This also demonstrates the potential to boost the local villages, the local economy and to add value to the lives of the people.

The Negatives

In any organisation, there are always strengths and weaknesses; TCA in this matter has also some loopholes. According to TCA reports (TCA Annual Report, 2016) and others:

1.       The Board of the TCA are all foreigners- (There is no indigenous person or National [Papua New Guinean] in the TCA Board).

2.       The Indigenous people are only employees of the Organization and are not decision makers.

3.       There is no evidence of Indigenous Land Owners in the decision making body.

4.       TCA is aiming, as per its constitutional objective (TCA Annual Report 2016, p. 4), to take on the  REDD + (Reduced Emissions from avoided Deforestation and Degradation) & PES (Payment for Environmental Services) project, which has a huge implication as far as the inherent intrinsic values of the Torricelli people are concerned that relates to benefits*. 

Comparison to Similar Conservation Projects in the Country

Similar to the TCA is the YUS Conservation project. This project is located in the east from  direction of Madang. It is also conducting a similar project but with different partners. The YUS conservation programme also has certain features that are different to the TCA.

YUS conservation programme features:

1.      YUS have an operational livelihood project- which features coffee with an international market ready for use- direct export.

2.      Have a scholarship programme (a specific partnership  with Balop Teachers College) that sponsors student teachers who goes back to teach at their schools

3.     Have a Coffee and Cocoa Corporative. This Corporative is registered with the PNG Government representing the people in the conservation area. 

In comparing the programme features and benefits that TCA give to the local communities in contrast to YUS, the difference is striking. The YUS conservation project has gone extra miles further. They have depth in their intent to add value to the lives of the people. YUS conservation project gives and adds more value to the life of the YUS people as compared to the TCA.

Concluding Thoughts

The cry of the Rengiles has been heard and their plea has been successfully answered. The Tenkile Conservation Authority is credited to saving and protecting the lives of the Rengile population and its nearest cousin, the Weimang.  Finally, as the cry of the Rengile is slowing down, there is another cry, echoing out from beyond the foothills of the Torricelli mountain ranges. This is a new cry, this time it is not of the Rengile, nor  of the Weimang, but it is of the Wape and the Upper Onele people. It is a cry of the life of much needed basic services and development.

As this crying is going on, the fear of it diminishing and silently going off and ignored like the morning Torricelli mountain fog is also imminent. The question that has to be answered now is, is TCA on track to answer this cry? If it is not, should it be improved to be better suited to attend to this cry? Or is there a better alternative to answer this cry?

Bibliography

Tenkile Conservation Alliance. (2016). 2016 Annual Report. Retrieved from www.tenkile.com

Tree Kangaroo conservation program: Managing the YUS conservation area. Accessed from https://www.zoo.org/tkcp/managingyus

*You can read and try to analyse and discover the implications of the benefits in your own time if you are interested.