The Call

This year’s independence celebrations started with a jerk of bustling activities in almost every designated communities within this beautiful nation.

The morning mist in Amele area of Madang cleared off with interesting noises of music and cheerful voices, most of which may have been normal to some people all throughout the year.  The special aura of independence hangs in the air like water vapor of some sort. Though oblivious to the people, the aura manifested itself chiefly through the different forms of celebrations enacted by people as actors of a great drama specifically scripted for the Papua New Guineans to play. 

Waking up early in the morning, my mind drifted back to my small village in the hinterland of West Aitape. How is my village and my kinsmen celebrating the birth day of this great nation? Coupled with other astounding thoughts, a unique thought conspicuously consolidated itself in what I vaguely deemed as a troubling conscience call. It was small at first, like the soft pounding of a few drops of rain on the roof of a house heralding a storm, the call gushes forth afterward as a rumbling billows filled to the brink and running over its pathos with intensity.

My mind though grasped with the euphoria of the celebrations ahead was dumbfounded with the troublesome conscience call  fueling a very sad hypothermia. 

To be independent and to celebrate the independence day of this great nation suggests an embracing of this great nation’s values, of which, this great nation is founded upon. Values that inherently constitutes the very fabric of our society of which we have greatly drifted off the course that has been fore marked by the founding fathers.  

Patriotism, the flair, the idea of  independence that has given breath to the honorable aspirations of this nation’s founding fathers is no longer evident in today’s generation. The spark that has fueled our founding fathers to kindle the flame, the flame that grew until it was a blaze, the apex, the climax which we are celebrating now as ‘independence’ has to be restored.

Oh, it is sad and heartbreaking when corruption scenes are enacted every day in our public offices, our corporate offices, private chambers and along the dingy streets of our pity petted  and pampered self-lives. Succinctly, the act is enacted in a vicious cycle where individualism and greed dethrone godly patriotism and consequently fuels regression that saps life out of all else as a nation.

O’Rourke, a good thinker in his analysis of life concludes that, “anyway, no drug, not even alcohol causes the fundamental ills of the society. If we’re looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn’t test people for drugs; we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love for power” (Karl Haffner, 2004).

Reflecting on O’Rourke’s words, should we all be blamed of our own demise? Oh, the question has a tail that has deadly stings that follow us all in all walks of life.

Emblazoning our predicament, the great Henry Ford of the car industry famously remarked, “money doesn’t change men, it merely unmasks them. If a man is naturally selfish or arrogant or greedy, the money brings that out, that’s all” (Karl Haffner, 2004).

Sadly, human nature has an ugly side that cannot be subdued. The human disposition initiated by the fall in Eden has a thread that brings ruin to all civilizations. Alas, if any solution would do, please give me patriotism. 

Are there any patriotic sons and daughters of Aitape Lumi, of West Sepik, of Papua New Guinea who can take up the baton of the pioneers to continue the home run that has now regressed to a slow walk? 

Are you the one the call of a troubled conscience is stalking and haunting you to rise up to the challenge of backing your complacent independence celebrations? Yes, through demonstrating that you are willing to take your place to carry on the patriotic task of taking your people, your province and your nation forward?

Wherein, give me a patriotic son of this land if ever there is one, for patriotism without action is not enough; for truly, this call of troubled conscience is a call no true son and daughter of this land will shun.

Happy Birthday PNG

Reference

Karl Haffner, (2004). Pilgrims problems: Turn your troubles into triumphs on the road to God’s front door. Pacific Press Publishing Association.