BY MICHAEL DOM
Authors note: This is an unedited essay which is being posted now because of the current feature on language loss in our country. While the text could certainly benefit from a good editor, those folks are hard to come by, harder to convince, and probably demand hard currency. What’s more, since I lost the original document and had to copy this from a PDF printing copy, it is very fortunate to have my thoughts here still intact, so consider this raw and unvarnished.
Tok ples na bai yu pilim sem
Long leit 1980’s na 1990’s taim mi stap primeri igo inap sekondri skul ol tisa isave krosim ol sumatin na putim bikpela lo i tambuim tokpisin, tokmotu na tokples long taim bilong skul.
Sampela ol tisa save mekim dispela lo i tambuim tok ples kamap strong tru tasol ol narapela inosave strongim tumas na tu ibin igat wanwan tisa husait ino save wari long strongim dispela lo bilong skul.
Long dispela taim mi bin stap liklik mangi long as ples bilong Tok Inglis, Inglan, na bihain ikam bek na skul long Papua Niugini olsem na mi nogat save sapos trutru dispela lo i tambuim ol arapela tokples long skul em ibin kam long edukesen dipatmen o nogat. Mipela ol liklik pikinini tasol na bihainim toktok bilong ol tisa taim mipela istap long ai bilong ol.
Long taim mipela sumatin iet istap em nau ol mangi save mekim tokpisin long laik.
Mi tingim gen olsem planti taim insait long klasrum ol meri wanskul isave krosim na putim ripot long ol mangi sapos ol i toktok igo ikam long Tok Pisin.
Em hap wok bilong ol meri long mekim ol mangi pilim sem bilong wanem dispela pasin istap insait long olgeta meri long graun na ino niupela samting. Givim sem em i rot bilong ol meri long pait wantaim arapela. Givim sikin pen em i rot bilong ol man long pait wantaim arapela.
Na tu mi bin luksave olsem ol skul meri isave gut tru long tokinglis, na rid na rait bilong ol i kamap moa beta long ol skul mangi.
Tasol ol meri wanskul tu igat taim bilong ol iet long hait na tokpisin tasol mipela ol mangi ino save wari tumas long ripot.
Em ino hap wok bilong ol mangi long ripot nogat. Sapos wanpela ripot mipela save tok olsem ‘em mekim olsem ol liklik meri na karai igo long ol tisa’.
Ating lo itambuim tokpisin na tokples ibin putim sampela powa long han bilong ol meri.
Tasol wanwan taim ol mangi kisim iau pen na sem long ai bilong ol wanskul na laik bekim pait long ol meri husait ripot em gen bai putim ol iet igo insait long narapela ripot nogut na kisim narapela pen igo antap.
Eh, sori tumas ol mangi save kisim sem long ai bilong olgeta meri wanskul na tisa. Ating dispela ol pasin imas mekim mi poret long lainim tokpisin.
Em stori bilong mipela liklik skul mangi long abrusim lo i tambuim Tok Pisin. Na Tok Motu tu ol skul itambuim.
Tasol long skul bilong mi Waigani Kumuniti (nau em Primeri) dispela tokples i bin stap hait olgeta na wanwan taim tasol mipela save harim sapos planti ol wantok Papua sumatin i raun wantaim.
Mi iet i save long toktok long Inglis tasol olsem na mi harim tasol na bihainim ol mangi long taim bilong pilai na stori, we nau ol tu isave laik long traim tokinglis bilong ol long mi.
Ating em i gutpela pasin bilong ol pikinini long lainim tokples igo ikam long taim ol i stap skul na pilai, tasol mi sori long mi iet olsem tokpisin ibin tambu long skul na ol poroman bilong mi ino laik salim mipela long pilim sem na kisim iau pen long han bilong ol tisa.
Bihain long skul i pinis ol poro save hamamas long tokpisin igo ikam na long dispela taim mi igat sans long lainim haphap tokpisin. Tasol mi iet inogat pasin bilong stori tumas na taim mi raun pilai wantaim ol poro mi save mekim liklik tokpisin long wanwan taim.
Igo moa, ol poro iet isave tokim mi long ‘noken wari long tokpisin, yu save gut tru long tokinglis’ na dispela emi soim olsem igat strongpela tingting olsem tokinglis i moa beta long skul gut na bihain taim long painim opis wok igat bikpela makmak.
Em wankain tingting bilong olgeta mama papa na tisa long taim bipo na long nau tu dispela tingting istap strong tru.
Na tu, insait long planti famili ol mama papa save tok strong long ol pikinini imas traim tokinglis tasol na ino wari tumas long skulim ol long tokples na ol skul tisa save tokim mama papa long mekim.
Em bin kamap wankain long mi iet.
Tasol em bai hat long mi daunim dispela tingting bilong ol tisa na ol mama papa bilong wanem mi iet i wanpela PhD holder husait i bin raitim skul pepa bilong em long Tok Inglis. Em ating mi inapim dispela mak ol ibin tingim long en.
Nogut mi kamapim giaman tingting long wokabaut bilong mi iet. Tasol long lukluk bilong mi, igatim planti ol narapela PhD na wankain saveman meri ol iken toktok long tupela na tripela na fopela tokples na igo moa antap long tokinglis.
Tingting bilong mi nau igo olsem, i tru olsem save bilong mi long tokinglis ibin helpim mi long rid na lainim na raitim ol wok bilong mi long skul. Tasol dispela save bilong mi long Tok Inglis em ino makim olgeta save mi igat long em, nogat, em i kamautim wanpela hap mak tasol bilong ol kainkain save istap namel long kastam na pasin bilong Western edukesen.
Mi ting olsem igat arapela hap save bilong yumi iet istap long Tok Pisin, Tok Motu na Tok Ples we mi abrusim sans bilong mi long lainim na kamapim save bilong mi long narapela rot we ino istap long skul wok tasol.
Ating het bilong mi emi kilia liklik long tingting insait long Tok Pisin taim mi stap long haiskul long en. Em long taim mi yangpela na pasin bilong pilim swit long tok stori na tok gris na raun nating i save kamap strong tru.
Long tok tru mi ino bin igatim strongpela sikirap long raunraun olsem ol poro blong mi na mi save laik istap wanpis na ridim buk.
Igo moa long dispela taim mi yangpela mi lukim olsem ol mama papa na ol tisa na tu olgeta sumatin isave givim bikpela luksave long tokinglis bilong mi na susa na brata bilong mi.
Em nau dispela gutpela save long tokinglis em i kamap olsem wanpela powa bilong mi we nogat planti arapela mangi long komuniti igatim wankain strong. Ating faivpela o sikspela tasol ol poro bilong mi igatim wankaim save long tokinglis bilong wanem ol famili bilong ol tu i bin stap long arapela kantri.
Ating het bilong mipela mas ibin solap liklik long dispela kain luksave ol arapela lain i givim long mipela long ol kain tokinglis mipela igatim. Em mi noken save.
Tasol tokpisin em i pulap long olgeta komuniti na mipela ol dispela tokinglis mangi isave laik toktok na poroman gut wantaim arapela mangi olsem na mipela lainim tokpisin igo antap. Wanwan tu ibin lainim liklik tokmotu na em ol laki mangi.
Wanem toktok mi harim na lainim long taim mi liklik mangi em ikamap gen long tang bilong mi na ino hevi tumas. Em long mangi taim tasol long haiskul sampela liklik senis i kamap.
Long haiskul tu mi tingim ol wanskul bilong mi save sem long mekim tokples bilong ol iet long skul, na les long mama papa bai toktok long ol long tokples na bai pulim ai bilong ol arapela lain igo long ol.
Na mi ting olsem dispela pasin bilong ol long sem long harim tokples i pinisim mak stret bilong lo itambuim tokples long skul.
Tasol narapela tingting em bin olsem tokples igatim strong na nek bilong ol tumbuna olsem na ol lain bai ino inap laik long toktok nating nating long ai na iau bilong arapela man meri nogat, em tokples bilong ol tasol.
Em tupela tingting istap na mi save sore tasol na stap wanpis bilong wanem mi tu wanpela turangu inogat save long tokples.
Ating sapos mi bin prenim wanpela meri Papua bai mi inap long lainim tokmotu tasol asua.
Bihain taim mi skul long yunivesiti mi lukim olsem inogat wanpela namba bai mi kisim long Tok Pisin, Tok Motu na Tok Ples na mi tu lusim tingting olgeta long traim long lainim gut ol dispela tokples.
Liklik hap tokpisin mi save long en em tasol mi tromoi sapos mi stap raun wantaim ol arapela sumatin. Na tokmotu sori tumas lau be diba lasi.
Mipela yunivesiti sumatin i stap long bikpela skul na i mas ridim na harim na tingting na toktok long Tok Inglis tasol long kisim olgeta save we stap long lainim.
Ating ibin asua gen olsem ol yunivesiti meri isave aigris long ol mangi husait iken tromoi tokinglis moa iet long ol mangi husait inosave tromoi tokinglis tumas. Em nau ‘peer pressure’ na resis long meri na skulwok i rausim tingting blong kisim save long ol arapela tokples bilong mipela iet.
Long nau iet mi lukim olsem mi asua liklik bilong wanem ol poro na famili na arapela lain komuniti bilong mi isave toktok na stori long ol dispela tokples we mi lusim igo nating.
Em nau mi nogat gutpela rot long toktok wantaim ol arapela man meri (especially ol meri basta!) long ol kain nek we istap insait long tingting, pasin na kastam bilong mipela Papua Niugini.
Dispela nau em olsem mi brukim wanpela bun bilong mi pikinini man bilong Papua Niugini. Mi inap long sanap na wokabaut tasol bun inogat strong olgeta long mak we mi inap long kisim.
Na sapos wanpela bun i bruk?
Longpela taim igo nau long mi pinisim skul long yunivesiti, bihain mi painim wok saientis na kamap wanpela yangpela generesen bilong Papua Niugini igat tingting na laik long strongim kantri bilong mi.
Long 2012 tingting bilong mi i kirap long traim lainim sampela pasin bilong raitim ol essay na opinion pepa, em long Crocodile Prize, na mi putim wanwan wokmak igo insait long kompetisen.
Na tu mi traim tanim tokpisin long wanwan tok-singsing (poems) mi raitim pinis na nek bilong ol i kamap swit moa long maus bilong mi iet.
Mi ting olsem wanem long mi ino bin traim han long raitim dispela tokpisin long taim iet. Na tu, mi ting olsem wanem na save bilong mi long raitim tokpisin em i liklik tumas tasol long toktok mi save maus maus nating igo.
Mi luksave long asua bilong mi iet na ol arapela lain mi stap wantaim na traim long skelim sapos ol tu istap wankain longlong olsem mi long raitim na ridim na skelim save long tokpisin.
Ating yumi igatim wankain longlong long ol tokples tu laka.
Na long raitim tokinglis tu yumi igatim klostu wankain longlong long ridim na raitim long olgeta primeri igo inap yunivesiti sumatin.
Mi tingting igo bek na skelim ken dispela lo itambuim tokples long skul.
Ating em lo nating inogat gutpela as bilong en olsem na ino inap karim kaikai gut.
Long nau tete mi wok long mekim sampela liklik wok painim aut long dispela pekato bilong mipela long i tambuim tokples long skul.
Em nau mi lainim olsem dipatmen bilong edukesen ibin strongim lo na polisi bilong koloniel gavaman bilong bipo long mekim Tok Inglis i kamap wanpela tokples tasol long olgeta skul.
Gavaman long bipo i rausim olgeta Tok Ples skul na daunim mak bilong Tok Pisin na Tok Motu olsem em ino toktok stret bilong ol man meri long lainim long skul na kisim save.
Dispela painim aut i mekim mi pilim bel hevi na kaikai tit wantaim.
Em olsem mipela ol Papua Niugini bihainim dispela koloniel pasin na daunim yumi iet long noken luksave long lainim na mekim ol arapela tokples bilong yumi.
Narapela painim aut mi mekim em long ol sampela saveman husait i luksave long kamap bilong tokinglis na tokpisin long ol komuniti.
Ol ibin luksave olsem “tokinglis em i bilong ol bikpela manmeri na tokpisin em i bilong ol grasruts manmeri” na i mekim kamap ol narapela narapela ‘class’ long komuniti.
Dispela i karim kaikai long tingting bilong yumi iet olsem tokinglis bilong ol waitman em istap antap moa long tokples bilong yumi iet.
Ating mipela laik kisim skul save na bikpela koble na yumi apim ol waitman igat Tok Inglis na ol tokinglis lain (olsem mi iet) igo antap na mekim olsem ol i gutpela moa long yumi ol blakskin igat Tok Pisin na ol lain isave paitim tokpisin na tokmotu na tokples tasol.
Dispela kain mathematics em i kavakava momo kane.
Na bai ol tumbuna ting olsem wanem?
Ating em bai orait long ol tumbuna bilong wanem ol i laikim bai yumi stap gut na kisim wankain gutpela sindaun na bikpela kago olsem ol waitman meri.
Dispela em i gutpela tingting long ol sampela man meri husait i laikim divelopmen ikamap na ekonomi iken stap strong na Papua Niugini bai kamap sitisen bilong bikpela ples Giraun.
Ating tingting bilong yumi istap kagoboi iet.
Husait i tok olsem Western edukesen, kalsa, kastam na pasin istap insait long Tok Inglis em i moa beta long dispela driman bilong yumi long kamap “helti, hepi, welti na wise long 2050”?
Ating PNG bai kamap olsem wanpela “kantri bilong ol blakman igat bikpela moni” long dispela polisi blong tokinglis.
Tasol insait long skul igo inap long wokples planti bilong yumi Papua Niugini istap longlong long tokples na arapela lain istap longlong long tokpisin na yumi pilim hevi long ridim na raitim.
Igo moa, long pasin bilong ol grasruts igat wanpela asua olsem inogat kalsa bilong rid na rait long Tok Pisin, ol man meri laik maus maus tasol na hamamas nating long harim singsing long tokpisin na mekim tok pilai na tok bokis tasol.
Ating wankain longlong istap long ol lain ino save rid na rait long Tok Motu na Tok Ples. Em long mi tu.
Na gen, i luk olsem pasin bilong yumi long les long rid na rait long Tok Pisin na Tok Motu na Tok Ples i stap wankain tasol long Tok Inglis. Bilong wane mol sumatin bilong nau ino save gut long toktok, na rait long Tok Inglis, na sapos yu skelim wok bilong ol, em soim olsem tingting i paul turu.
Save bilong rid na rait na stretim tingting em wokmak bilong skul.
Tasol pasin bilong yumi iet soim piksa olsem yumi laik igo bek ken na bihainim pasin tumbuna long kisim save long toktok tasol, olsem ‘oral tradition’.
Em nau ol planti yut isave sem long traim long rid na rait na ol yut i lusim dispela gutpela wokmak bilong skul long taim ol i stap nating.
Igo moa, ol yut bilong tete i save laik harim olgeta singsing tasol bilong ol musik lain na i luk olsem ol dispela ol man meri i kamap olsem ol tisa bilong ol wankain olsem ol tumbuna save givim skul long oral tradition.
Ating em gutpela o nogat bai yumi lukim long pasin bilong ol yut long wok na sindaun long komuniti. Mi iet ting olsem planti yut inogat wok, sindaun i baragrap na nogat gutpela save long het bilong ol long kirapim sans na laip bilong ol iet. Eh, yumi stapstap.
Dispela imas niupela kalsa bilong blakman husait igat pasin bilong maus maus tasol na inogatim gutpela save long rid na raitim, pasim na surukim save bilong ol long kirapim pasin na kastam iken kamap moabeta.
Ating edukesen dipatmen na ol skul na tisa bilong yumi ibin i sotim sampela save bilong mipela we inap long kamap taim mipela istap liklik pikinini iet.
Em i luk olsem mipela grasruts nau kamapim wanpela lo i tambuim rid na rait long komuniti laip laka.
Nogut mi tingting krangi nating na igatim planti yangpela pikinini husait ol mama papa i skulim ol gut tru long tokples bilong ol iet.
Nogut mi toktok tasol long luksave bilong mi long sait bilong ol ‘urban’ o siti skul sumatin tasol ol ‘rural’ o asples skul sumatin ol i stap orait tasol.
Nogut mi popaia long skelim bilong mi olsem taim tokples i lus em i makim olsem bun bilong pasin, kastam na kalsa em bai bruk wankain tasol.
Sapos mi asua long dispela tingting orait long wanem as na planti lain isave tokaut olsem ol yangpela bilong nau inosave igo moa long hausman na hausmeri long kisim skul long kastam bilong ol iet.
Sapos mi asua long dispela toktok orait bai wanpela inap stretim tok long dispela ripot olsem ol planti tokples bilong yumi bai lus olgeta.
Sapos mi asua long skelim bilong mi ating em i gutpela olsem ol kalsa bilong yumi bai senis igo kamap wankain mak olsem ol Western kantri wankain olsem yumi kisim Tok Inglis.
Sampela saveman itok olsem ‘tokples i lus na bai yumi inap long kisim bek, tasol taim kalsa i lus em igo olgeta’. Ating dispela em ino wanpela hevi long wari long wanem yumi stap long ‘modern age’.
Ol arapela saveman itok ol yangpela imas igat strongpela graun aninit long lek bilong sanap strong. Dispela strongpela graun em i stap insait long pasin na kastam na kalsa bilong ol iet na kamap olsem as bilong wanpela diwai iken karim kaikai.
Mi nogat bikpela save tumas long dispela ol tingting i kamap taim mi mekim liklik wok painim aut.
Tasol long tingting bilong mi, sapos yumi laik istap iet wantaim dispela lo i tambuim tokples long ol skul, ating nogat wanpela gutpela senis bai kamap long strongim bel na tingting bilong ol yangpela man meri bilong Papua Niugini.
Em i liklik samting tumas long itambuim ol sumatin long toktok long tokpisin, tokmotu na tokples long skul.
Ating as bilong dispela lo itambuim tokples em i kamapim diwai inogat kaikai bilong en, olsem na ol planti moa sumatin i lusim skul pinis isi tru long lusim dispela wokmak bilong skul long rid na rait na kirapim tingting bilong ol iet.
Edukesen lo itambu long tokples long skul na mekim mipela olgeta kamap olsem longlong nating.
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