duncanperrin
My wife Janet and I Duncan Perrin from UK were managers at the Cultural Centre from 1983-5 when we were in our early 20's and it was an experience we always talk about and remember fondly. The place was set up by Muriel Larner, now an MBE.
We have 2 kids ( now 17 +22 ! ) both named after 2 of the workers who were employed at the centre then - Remy who was our cashier and Jeribian who was a daughter of Abaka - a potter. It was our kind of tribute to PNG and how we wanted it to stay in our lives through their names.
We met so many good people and as VSO volunteers mixed with both the expat and local population very easily. We often wonder how the place is or even if it is still open for business and have just come across a website with a picture of Sebi who seems to be running the place now. Wow! I remember her as a teenager with her mum Mongon (master weaver) and father Tani (master potter). We would be so happy to contact her or anyone who was connected with the Cultural Centre then.
My worry is Sebi may not be able to have access to the internet? Or is PNG wired-up these days? We have travelled over the world since then working as teachers in the Arts and talk about PNG as if it happened to us yesterday. Even my kids talk about it as though they were there! My daughter was conceived there so I guess that kind of counts. We have PNG artefacts on our walls like our old friends. Is there anyone out there who cares about my story or can offer help? We so want to go back there it would be such an event after all these years.
We have 2 kids ( now 17 +22 ! ) both named after 2 of the workers who were employed at the centre then - Remy who was our cashier and Jeribian who was a daughter of Abaka - a potter. It was our kind of tribute to PNG and how we wanted it to stay in our lives through their names.
We met so many good people and as VSO volunteers mixed with both the expat and local population very easily. We often wonder how the place is or even if it is still open for business and have just come across a website with a picture of Sebi who seems to be running the place now. Wow! I remember her as a teenager with her mum Mongon (master weaver) and father Tani (master potter). We would be so happy to contact her or anyone who was connected with the Cultural Centre then.
My worry is Sebi may not be able to have access to the internet? Or is PNG wired-up these days? We have travelled over the world since then working as teachers in the Arts and talk about PNG as if it happened to us yesterday. Even my kids talk about it as though they were there! My daughter was conceived there so I guess that kind of counts. We have PNG artefacts on our walls like our old friends. Is there anyone out there who cares about my story or can offer help? We so want to go back there it would be such an event after all these years.