The Kakin tribe of Western Highlands Province displayed a unique peace-making attitude that seems to evade many Highlands tribes in Papua New Guinea. A colleague of mine told me how her tribe had suffered a massive loss when an upcoming professional tribesman had his life cut down by members of an enemy tribe. It's an all too familiar scene: men of an enemy tribe ambush the enemy, and kill in cold blood. But the aftermath is NOT a familiar scene as far as this story is concerned. It's a breath of fresh air. It's a flicker of hope—hope that PNG Highlands people are being endowed with wisdom that can eventually bring an end to the constant tribal wars that plague many parts of that region. This is their story.
Several years ago, in the height of a local level government elections and rivalry between the Kakin tribe and an enemy tribe; a young man was brutally attacked. His "enemies", by virtue of simply being from another tribe attacked him mercilessly and left him for dead in the gutters of a street in Lae City. Yes this did NOT even happen at home ground. He had no weapon but he so was tall and strong that the only way his attackers could sufficiently cut him down was to attack his legs and cripple him at his knees. Then they ruthlessly beat him to a pulp and left him for dead in a drain. It was a sheer miracle that he survived the night; albeit unconscious. Two early town workers discovered him in a heap of drainage rubble and took him to the hospital. Word soon got out and relatives poured in to the hospital to check on him. Julias Nentepa Nii was paralysed from the neck down. Relatives had him transferred to Port Moresby for better medical care. He couldn't move a muscle. Couldn't feed himself. Couldn't even go to the bathroom. Couldn't turn himself on his bed.
Julius was a promising Mining Engineer. A graduate from UNITECH, destined to serve not only his tribe but his country—which naturally includes the enemy tribe!—with distinction. He scored a job with OTML and was on his way up. He had gone to Lae for a break. He had no idea how fatal that break would be. The Kakin tribe loved this young man. His star shone brightly and they would beam with pride just thinking of him. And now they were filled with sorrow and anger and intense hatred for their enemies.
For one whole year his tribesmen and family constantly served him at POM General Hospital. They fed him, cleaned him, turned him, kept him company, prayed for him, prayed with him. Julius was no longer able to do what he didn't have to dream of doing. He didn't have to dream of walking, running, sitting up, reading, writing, talking with his family. He didn't have to dream of going to the bathroom on his own, or feed himself or change his own clothes. No. They were all natural trivial incidental matters. His dreams were bigger than that. But after the attack, he could only wish for those little things which the world took for granted...and the world still does.
After fighting for a year in a hospital bed, this young man left. His people mourned their loss. They mourned his empty bed.
The young men of Kakin wanted blood. The insatiable thirst for vengeance bubbled on their lips and their hands shook with sweat. "We must avenge our brother!" they cried to their elders.
Now stood their elders; in a threshold. Wise men that lived long lives and witnessed constant bloodshed. They had seen the results of unbridled passions and shallow emotions. They've seen many years over violent cycles of life; futile killings and payments of compensation that result in short-lived peace. They're tired. "Our way isn't working. We kill a few of them. They will kill a few of us. Then we kill a few more and they will kill even more. Where does it stop? When does this cycle end?"
"How many can we kill to equal the value of the life we have just lost? How much compensation can they pay to equate this life? Never enough. Nothing can satisfy our loss. So we will not fight. We will not seek vengeance. We will not seek compensation. But we WILL FORGIVE. We shall let this go. We will pursue PEACE."
And so the Kakin tribe pursued peace. The cool heads soon won over the hot hearts and they agreed to peace. To let it go.... No one was to take up arms against the enemy. And no compensation was to be claimed for that priceless life lost.
The Kakin Tribe has not sought revenge for the loss of Julius. Not only would they not enjoy his success, they'd never enjoy his mere existence. But they will not seek to destroy the existence of others to settle their souls. No. The elders had spoken. The people had listened. The Kakin tribe sought peace with its neighbours. They buried Julius between a fork in the main road to neighbouring tribes. They wanted their neighbours to know they no longer wished to fight. They no longer held on to grudges held for generations. They have forgiven and want to be forgiven.
Neighbouring tribes have marvelled at this unusual response of the Kakin. A story of a man in a neighbouring tribe demonstrates the towering example and inspiration the Kakin have been to others. The man lost a pig; stolen by a member of an enemy tribe. And he wanted revenge. He wanted blood and wanted his relatives to support him. His relatives scolded him. "Yu tingim ol Kakin tu?! Ol lusim wanpla Mining Engineer na ol no kros pait go bek long ol birua blong ol! I no pik or dok or kakarak i dai. Save man em dai ya! Na yu? dispela pik tasol na yu laikim mipla go pait?!" ("Don't you remember the Kakin?! They lost a Mining Engineer but they didn't seek revenge on their enemy! It wasn't a pig or a dog or a chicken. An intelligent man died! And you want us to pick a fight with our enemies over a pig?!"). The man swallowed his pride and let it go. The influence of the Kakin!
The Kakin are worthy of our respect and stand tall as examples of peace. They also demonstrate the ability of PNG people to change for the better and to decide at pivotal moments that the way things are do not need not be the way things are. We can shift our mentality and embrace a new mindset. It's totally possible! No matter how stubborn you think we as a people are. Wisdom is streaming down into people's hearts. Slowly yes. But surely it causes change.
I write this because I think change and goodness must be celebrated.
I celebrate with the people of Kakin. I thank you my colleague Freda Nii for this story. If no one else is encouraged, my own heart being lifted makes it worth it!
God bless the Kakin!
And God Bless Papua New Guinea
Ganjiki
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"INSPIRING PASSION"
