Unitech Graduation 2020

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BUKAPENA GOVERNMENT STATION (TOWNSHIP) IN MUL DISTRICT OF WESTERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE.

 Bukapena Government Station is wholly surrounded by a clan well known amongst other clans/tribes in the Western Highlands called Nenga Andakel. The neighbouring clans are: Nenga Rulgump Clan, Nenga Andakomon Clan, Nenga Kumdimp Clan ,Mele Kememp Clan who are the immediate neighbouring clans for Nenga Andakel. However, the neighbouring Nenga clans including the Mele Tribe do not have any land rights or possess any interest in Bukapena Government Station. Thus, the Bukapena Government Station is situated well within the heart of Nenga Andakel Clan.

The Bukapena Village alone hosts six (6) Government Services and the legitimate landowners are the Nenga Andakel. There was no ILG ever been registered in the name of Bukapena within the Lands Department and if any ILG lodged then it is without proper landowner consultation and no proper land investigation is done.

The only six (6) government services established during colonial era are:

• ·         Bukapena Community School (Currently Known as Bukapena Primary School).
• ·         Mul District Headquarter & Mul LLG Council Chamber
• ·         Bukapena Health Centre
• ·         Bukapena Rural Police Station
• ·         Bukapena DPI
• ·         Bukapena Council Market.

 These Basic Government services serve almost all the people of Mul-Baiyer and part of Hagen Central District of Western Highlands Province and they become integral part of the better living standards of the rural population.

It is also known that during the colonial era, my forefathers were smart enough to bring all the vital  government services to my village without fair market value of land during compulsory customary land acquisition. Only the Nenga Andakel Clan sacrificed their customary land to allow for government services to be constructed and they are the legitimate landowners ever since and they will be for unending generations. If any claims or compensations are to be paid to Bukapena Government Station then it has to be paid to the Nenga Andakel Clan and not any other clan, tribes or individual.

On behalf of the Nenga Andakel Clan members and leaders, Mr.Jacob Hon Derk who is the Former Councillor and Clan Leader expressed the Nenga Andakel Clan’s grievances to the Department of Lands and Physical Planning on Post Courier dated 28^th March 2018.  This issue arose upon a published gazetted compensation payment for the Bukapena Station which was claimed by unknown clan, tribe or individual in the Mul District of Western Highlands Province.

Mr.Hon strongly objected and boldly requested Department of Lands and Physical Planning to stop the payment process of the gazetted land compensation payment for Portions 9,409,391,254 and 1256c or whatever latest updated portion numbers of Bukapena and further request the Department of Lands & Physical Planning to further investigate on the ground the legitimate landowners of Bukapena to avoid entertaining the so called paper landowners of unknown creatures in Port Moresby.

Mr.Hon said that, Failure to stop the payment process will result in legal action(s) against these claims and he is off the view that further disturbances to the Government Services will be minimised at this level if payment process is stopped and allow proper land investigation to proceed thereon.

Mr.Hon said copies of written objections were lodged with the Department of Lands and Physical Planning via the Acting Secretary’s Office the objection was registered for deliberation.

Estimated Clan Boundaries of Nenga Oiyamp

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Hotmin Mission Station, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

Hotmin is a Mission Station established by Missionaries back then and exist today which is located at the boarder of East and West Sepik Provinces in Papua New Guinea(PNG).

Hotmin is one of the remote villages in the East and West Sepik Provinces amongst other remote villages in other provinces of PNG. It lies along one of the Major Rivers in the Sepik Region known as May River. The main medium of transport is by river utilising the wooden dug-out canoes with 20-40 horsepower motors  attached at the end of the canoes. They also use wooden paddles to paddle the canoes to travel through the Rivers.

Travelling on rivers takes almost a week to reach Wewak Town which is the Capital City of East Sepik Province. They start at May River towards North-East direction to Waringai and Mowi where the May River Meets the Sepik River which is one of the Largest Rivers in PNG. Going with the current to Wewak is quite quick and easy but coming back to Hotmin is a bit of challenge for locals as they go againts the river current which needs more energy. They also have access to Vanimo if they travel upstream from Waringai along the Sepik River and exit at certain locations where they take PMVs to Vanimo Town which is the Capital City of West Sepik/Sandaun Province.

The other medium of transport to have access to Hotmin is of course by Air Transport. Fly into Hotmin by fixed wing airplanes or by choppers.  In the past the missionaries used fixed wing airplanes but this is no more in operation due to the rundown of the Hotmin Airstrip. However, choppers are flown into this village regularly by Mineral Exploration companies like Highlands Pacific, PanAust, Xrata,Niuminco, Minco and the list goes on. Flying in by chopper from Boram Airport in Wewak would take about 1 hour and 30 minutes on a good weather pattern. 

Fly  in from Kiunga or Tabubil in the Western Province which is the shortest route and would take roughly 30 to 50 minutes but this route is quite risky due to regular cloud cover and highrainfall over the Star Mountain ranges. Choppers also fly in from Mount Hagen at the Kagamuga International Airport which will take approximately  2 – 3 hours but this is not safe as it is a bit long journey.

Fly in from Frieda Airstrip of Frieda Base Camp for PanAust Limited would take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Areal Picture of Hotmin Village (Part of the Village) 

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MOUNT MUL

Mount Mul is the third highest Mountain in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and it is located in the Western Highlands Province. It is commonly known as Mount Hagen. The Original and natural name of Mount Hagen is Mount Mul. The locals: Nenga, Munjika, Komka, Kutump, Mele, Ramdi, Kumdi tribes use to call in the Melpa Language of Western Highlands as MUL KOMONGA. The name MUL is in the local language which means something that exist during the creation.

The name Mul was somehow changed to Hagen and the mountain is currently known as Mount Hagen. The Mountain was named after a German Colonial Officer Curt von Hagen (1859-1897). The third bigest city in Papua New Guinea is given the name of  this Mountain.

If it was not Curt von Hagen then the name should remain natural as MOUNTAIN MUL and probably the city could have been given the same name or otherwise.

When?How?Why?What?Who? Actually involved in this name change of the Naturally Known MUL is the next articles.

Mount Mul Range

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