IDNO

T.151630.RPT

Description

On Catalogue Card: "239. S.P. New Guinea. Gumine. 35mm.Ekta." [Poignant's manuscript]
"4 and 5. Kuman and little Kuman wave after plane." [Poignant's typed text]

Place

Oceania Melanesia; Papua New Guinea; Highlands Region; Chimbu Province; Gumine District; Gumine [Simbu Province]

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Kuman; Kuman (also known as Little Kuman)

Photographer

Poignant, Axel

Collector / Expedition

Date

1969

Collection Name

Poignant Collection

Source

Poignant, Roslyn

Format

Colour Transparency

Primary Documentation

Other Information

T.148696.RPT - T.152693.RPT were located in the drawer file of transparency sheets, numbered C1021/.

T.151606.RPT - T.151628.RPT were located in a transparency sheet, numbered C1021/124.

Publication: Image published in Poignant, Axel and Roslyn. 1972. Kaleku. London: Angus and Robertson, p.45.

Bibliographical reference: Poignant, Axel and Roslyn. 1972. Kaleku. London: Angus and Robertson, p.41 - 45. This extract comes from a children's book, written about a boy named Kaleku and his family in Gumine: "Kuman took Kaleku to the council meeting where he listened to the men's talk. Afterwards, Kuman spoke seriously to his son.
'Tomorrow you are going away to school. Now you must listen to me very carefully because I am your father. My father's father was Kuman, his son is Dai – your grandfather – and I am Dai's son Kuman Dai. Are you listening?'
'Yes, Father.'
'In the time before,' continued Kuman, 'children always followed their parents in everything they did. Now you must go to school and learn new ways. You must not be a bi – head because I send you to a new school. If you work hard there, one day you will be a big – man, not only in Gumine, but also in Chimbu, and perhaps even in New Guinea. But you must always respect the ways of the old people from the time before.'
On the last day of all, the children wandered on the mountainside high above the gardens.
Looking across the wild mountains, Kaleku thought:
'This is my country.'
'How far away is Kudiawa?' Erita asked.
'Far, far away over those mountains,' replied Kaleku.
'Long ago, before there were any roads, Grandfather walked there. It took him many days. I shall fly there in no time at all.'
It was late afternoon when Kuman took Kaleku to the airstrip on the other side of the valley. The clouds were already beginning to settle on the mountain tops.
The tiny plane came in to land, and, as soon as the stores for the government station were unloaded, the pilot called Kaleku.
'It is time to go,' said Father. 'Always remember, Kaleku, the things I have taught you about the ways of the old people from the time before. Old and new ways must mix together.'" [KK 16/08/2022]