“Nurture and Nature and the Shaping of a Manamb Child in Papua New Guinea”

As I contemplate on the nurture and nature debates by evolutionary and behavioural scientists today, I cannot help but share my thoughts on how individually I could have been shaped by my environment and how I grew up as a child. To think back at the late 50's and early 60's growing up in my village. I hope sharing this will get or young people to appreciate the village life which most of us in towns and cities could have shared with our children. Here is a part of my story:

"I grew up as a village child in the late 50’s and early 60’s. His father was a crocodile hunter and mother was an ordinary village woman. In those days village life was simple as men went about their business of hunting, gathering and cutting down sago, pulping it for women to squeeze the starch for cooking. Sago, fish and often crocodile meat was the staple for the six (male) children in the Malaubang (father’s name) household. The roles of men and women were pretty well defined. Each gender had their well-defined respected role and responsibility in society. Children tagged along with their parents to make sago, and go overnighting in the fresh water lake systems, sleeping  overnight (often for a few night) in thatched temporary houses on island like promontories dotted around the freshwater lake systems of the Sepik river. Play time was often determined by the seasons: night games in the drier seasons would include playing on the sand dunes of the banks of the Sepik river throwing burning dried stalks of tall elephant grass on the end of long bamboo slit hoisting devices known and “knau” into the Sepik river. In the wet

season, it was time to follow village men to burn grass on the islands created by flood waters and kill bandicoots and pigs. For most boys, the evenings were spent listening to legends and stories or daily important occurrences in the village in houseboys (“Sai”). 

During his childhood, there would have been a few houseboys around three or four main spirit houses (House Tambaran). The most memorable childhood memories of nature and the cultural was the unique calls of the cassowary from just across the river and the spiritual flutes being played from the House Tambarans. The musical spiritual sounds from these spirit houses that sent out mystical, musical harmony from within the House Tambarans to the rest of the village and the villages of Avatip and Yambon that make up the Manab tribe. As a child, the unique sounds of the flute (“Dakul”), signified discipline and respect from the citizens of the tribe by enforcing silence and respect for the House Tambaran and elders of the village.

The sad reality and remanence of this is that these experiences are not there anymore for our children and grandchildren to experience".

I hope this helps those young people wishing to discover their cultural roots.

@ The Manamb tribe speaks the Manambu language and is situated along the Sepik River, made up of three main villagers (Avatip, Malu and Yambon) and is located in Ambunti/Drekikir District of the East Sepik Province.