Tania Nugent: Today we bring you a film made here in Goroka by the Yumi Piksa team of the University of Goroka, set up to train Papua New Guineans to tell their own stories through film. In this film, we meet artist, George Sari, who tells the tale of the mythical figure Nokondi, custodian of the environment in the Eastern Highlands Province.
George Sari - artist: Before our God Venapa created everything, he decided that the custodian for the environment was Nokondi. Nokondi is in charge of the mountains, rivers, birds, everything. Before we go hunting, gardening, or collecting nuts there is a law passed from generation to generation made by the creator to look after all birds, rivers, mountains and forests, so we all follow the laws of the creator, so we all look after the environment. People, bush, mountains and forests are together, so they all live in harmony. The soil is our life. The soil is taken care of by a spirit. When you plant food you must acknowledge the spirit of the soil. So that he blesses the food and it grows big and plentiful.
The laws of our forefathers are being forgotten. I haven't been taught how to paint. I have been listening to the stories of my grandfathers that have been passed on to the children in the communal house. So I got this story and thought, if my father dies, it will be hard to go back and get this story. I paint Nokondi as a spirit with half a body. All this information has been passed down orally. My father knows all the stories from the past.
Auwo Maruwaizo Tate - grandfather: Listen to me children; I want to tell you a story. Before, it was not like it is now. We go gardening, we look after our pigs, we plant yam, taro and sugarcane. All from my generation have passed away. I am the only one alive. And I am passing this on to you. So listen to me and follow me. If you follow me, you will become good men and good women. If you don't listen to me, and you do your own thing, you are going the wrong way. You are not going to be good men and women. So listen to me, because everyone is hearing this now. This was told to me by my father. He went through initiation in the men's house. What they told me, I followed. I go gardening, look after pigs and share with others. If you do that too, you will have food and pigs to give to your friends and relatives. If you do that, you will be good men and women. This is the end of my story.
Waula Sari: Nokondi has one leg, one hand, half a body, half an eye, half a nose. Everything of his is half.
Jim Sari: When Nokondi goes around to some other place, he has jump. He hops on one leg. So when he has a long way ahead of him, he jumps and jumps, hopping on one leg. If I'd lived in the past, I would have believed in Nokondi. Religion tells us that we shouldn't believe in him. We should only believe in God. I don't believe in Nokondi.
George Sari: When someone breaks the rules, by hunting too much or cutting too many trees, and spoils the environment, he will receive some kind of punishment. He could get sick, have bad luck or even die. We are not respecting Nokondi. That is why we have this climate problem now. That is because Nokondi is not happy. The seasonal timing for planting has now changed. Sun, sun, sun, sun and rain, rain, rain, rain. Our seasonal timing for planting and harvesting is out of tune. Something is wrong. My father says that we don't have respect for Nokondi. So now the history of my ancestors is fading away. I feel that we should preserve it in some way. And we should look closer at the environment, re-plant the seeds and bring the spirit of Nokondi back.
