The Sepik River at The United Nations 60th Human Rights Council
Speaking at the UN opened a pathway for global attention, advocacy and solidarity. It meant that the Sepik River story, our story, was now on the global human rights record.
My Sepik, My N’gusunga
N’gusunga is an expression of the wealth and well-being of the community pertaining to the lakes, the river, tributaries, swamps, marshes, the forests, the spirits of the water called “Wonjumouks”1 and the spirits who dwell on land and in trees called “Wunjumbus”2 and all life and non-life forms.
N’gusunga – A model for Knowledge Transfer
The traditional indigenous way of life gave meaning, purpose and understanding which guided our ancestors for over 50,000 years of survival on this land
Reflections on Decolonization: Reclaiming Identity and Charting a Future for Papua New Guinea- By Shayanne Waide
Decolonization is both a global and deeply personal process. It is movement to unshackle societies from the visible, invisible and insidious legacies of colonization. Globally, it reflects the dismantling of systems that perpetuate inequality, exploitation...
Heritage at Risk: Defending Chambri Women’s Culture from the Advancing Frieda River Mine
The women of Aibom village in the Chambri lakes of Papua New Guinea (PNG), are renowned in the Sepik region for their traditional clay stove-making, a craft passed down through generations. These women are custodians of a cultural practice that embodies their...
Frieda Mine Development Dilemma: Frieda River Communities Demand a Future on their own Terms- By Shayanne Waide
In challenging the innovative development narrative, it is imperative to weigh the costs against the benefits. Asking the question, “Can critical public infrastructure, skilled employment, and business opportunities truly compensate for the sociological, physical, psychological and environmental toll on the lives and heritage of the Frieda and Sepik river communities?”
Sacrificial Lamb
THE SEPIK IS NOT A SACRIFICIAL LAMB Beneath the verdant canopy of Papua New Guinea's pristine rainforests and the shimmering depths of its azure seas, lies a paradox: a land overflowing with natural riches, yet its people remain desperately shortchanged from these...