The collage of roofing tin maroon and rusted captures the eye almost as immediately as the neon green paint finish on the residential structures littered along the side of a prominent mountain slope near the Gorobe settlement at Badili. Green Haus; a singular phrase, yet when used by locals, it is plural for the green coloured residences above Badili. This green residential utopia has housed all manner of nationalities. American, Australian, British and Filipino have called this place home amongst the Papua New Guineans there. Yet it is not this quality that I wish to emphasize, but the fact that within its flimsy tin fencing and guarded gates thrives a group of people, No a village that embodies the principles of the old - Pasin Luksave. The moment you enter her gates its high fives to the Kerema guards. The Misiman family with beautiful liklik kids with bright large brown eyes selling twisties, lollies and buai send an atei owa my way. The Central family selling the same items next door, they too sing avinoon tru as I walk by. The Southern Highlanders dont need urging and are already waving as I pass by. My adopted Filipino father and his adorable wife are my next stop. Seated on an old dark green office chair with an SP brown bottle in hand Paps Nono playfully suggests I need a wife to cook. I politely decline and after much laughter I leave them sheltered behind a large stepped masonry retaining wall and continue the walk home. I pass my Baining brothers unit and I am met with the smell of food. A Boina ravian is well received and repeated again at the next flat. Such is my journey from gate to beloved Haus Boi . Its a world village and it is my home. # Just another day in Paradise.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 06:52:23 +0000
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