A Perspective on Melanesian Cosmos, and Environment.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) achieved Political Independence in 1975 and developed a constitution based on five principles of humanistic, ethical and cultural values: The 5th pillar being the Protection of Natural Resources and Environment Principle; which calls on every Papua New Guinean to guard and share his or her natural resources and environment for the common use and benefit of all, and future generations. This principle similarly encourages the people to develop concern for the needs of their countrymen and woman and to share the benefits of their gains with others and the future generations, and the maintenance of Papua New Guinean Ways – this principle urges Papua New Guineans to appreciate valuable norms and traditions set by their fathers, and weave them into the political, economic, and social fabric of a modern PNG state.

This was a significant guideline for every citizen to protect and cherish their natural resources and cultural values and apply them in national development practices. The ¹Haus Tambaran Declaration thus set out to re-enforce the foundational core of this pillar, to help its people as well as those who come across it to know that there exists a voice that has spoken out through the decades before and after independence in 1975, one which has been passed on from generation to generation, one which has called out through great men such as Bernard Narokobi, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, Sir John Guise, Sir Paulus Matane, and others today who have echoed the fundamental truths of the Melanesian way. A voice that defines the metaphysics of a Melanesian, inspire its epistemology, moral philosophy, and logic of a Melanesian leading him or her out from the darkness of chaos into the light of order.

This voice calls out even today from the midst of the Haus Tambaran and among old wise men and woman not corrupted by foreign ways, even to those who are still entrapped in a foggy dream of finding their way in life as a young, successful man or woman full of ambitions that have yet to be fulfilled. Still locked in Dreams that bother them day and night, and at times driving them into depressed states, seeing others driving around in flashy car while they walk the streets from one end of the city to the other, earning a meager wage that is chewed up by soaring rental fees while others live in high class houses, with a trickle of it into food and daily needs while others have it all covered and catered for.  Yes, we do need more like everyone else, but the question remains; will we ever be satisfied?

This is the materialistic dream that has entrapped many young Melanesian folks in a dream of monetary accumulation rather than finding value in priceless wisdom that has been passed on from generation to generation in the halls of the Haus Tambaran. These dream has blinded most people to value a carton of beer more than a tree that has been around for generations, or even a shiny car and a place among the affluent of the society over a pristine river that has provided and sustained the lives of the ones who made it possible for this one person to exist today, only to walk into the halls of the highest offices of the land, conjure up deals through the backdoor, and sell the sovereignty of those who had passed on, who exist around him or her, and those who will come after him just for monetary and materialistic fulfillment. There are many young leaders of this nation who have heard the voice but have eventually gone astray, some living independently outside of the comfort of their parent's home, trying to find their way in life but have lost their identity through drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and materialistic wishes.

And so today the voice calls for stability, order, and purpose. A purpose higher than oneself enough to reach into the future and sustain those who will come later into the world, even if it means sacrificing time, energy, and resources to make that happen. Because if we don’t act today to make a stand to preserve and protect our land, tomorrow it will be overridden, stripped off, raped off all its resources, and left breeding nothing but chaos on the land. And there will certainly be no more space for complaints and regrets because we acted rightly and honorably today. As far as virtue ethics is concerned, there are many biblical principles that closely resonated with the Melanesian way of life, one of which is to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”, which is a natural practice to Melanesian's, we work together to build houses, curve out canoes, make gardens, and go hunting together, we moved together as one unit made up of a whole, just like how Socrates defined a perfect human being more than two thousand years ago as “a collection of all human beings put together, as a collective, as a ‘we’ put together that makes perfection”.

In the Melanesian context, this voice is the collective voices of all who are and have become a part of the Melanesian consciousness, who stand for and show their solidarity in preserving the cultural identity and ways of the Melanesian people. More so those who support the preservation of the landmark that is deeply rooted in the heart and ethos of more than 430,000 people living along the ²Sepik River basin.