When I first began writing here on this page I made a rule to myself to keep out as much of my  personal emotions as possible. You know, to write about the important issues of national concern, issues that all Papua Niugineans could debate and discuss.

 So far, it’s been pretty good. The socio-economic and political issues have been flowing and there hasn't’t been any shortage of material for writing. In the last couple of weeks though, it’s been harder and harder to keep emotions off.

Two weeks ago, I sat on a PMV bus to work. I looked out the window and thought of my baby who had been sick with vomiting and diarrhea the whole weekend, the sleepless nights, I thought of the endless waiting for a doctor, the hefty consultation fee (a price we pay for faster, more reliable service) and the even heftier prescription. I thought of how I had to fight to get onto the bus all the while being acutely conscious of my bilum, the men and boys all around me. I thought of the boys that stood around pretending to fight to get on a bus all the while their feather-like fingers feeling pockets and bags. I thought of the mothers that stood making an honest living selling buai but having to keep an eye out for police officers who are far more interested in harassing women than chasing true criminals that are untouchable although they steal hundreds of thousands on a daily basis.

All these depressing thoughts churning in my head. UNTIL - I remembered those inspiring, lively, intelligent, hopeful and good-hearted young Papua Niugineans that I had met over the last couple of months. Conviction and substance are two traits that are very rare amongst young people these days, most just being happy to finish school and get a good job. The common thinking is that "heavy politics stuff is for radicals or wannabes. I just want to finish school get a job, take care of my family if I have to but ultimately I want to take care of me. People that get involved in protests and all those public forums are making their lives more complicated than it needs to be." Those are most common attitudes amongst the youth when it comes to making a stand for something that is your right as an intelligent, responsible and good young Papua Niuginean.

 I was thinking all those thoughts and not paying attention to what my eyes were seeing, when all of a sudden, my eyes made my thoughts halt and I really looked and saw something that had a profound impact on my thoughts. A simple phrase that could’ve come out of a rap song or a political, graffiti-ed in blue paint on a wall crammed with other names, phrases, dates and pictures. Below is what I saw.

The thing that got to me was remembering high school, when seeing an individual boys' name in a public place was supposed to be a of measure of coolness; this person had connections, had an element of danger that was meant to be appealing in that bad-boy  way. So the person that graffiti-ed this phrase most likely fell in the 12-22 category. In other words young! I thought that was a pretty heavy statement. Most lines of graffiti have sexual references, cultural references or a certain clique's name. This was my first time to see something political. Major wow! factor for me.

It appears that young Papua Niugineans are disenfranchised and are sick of being pushed around, lied to, deceived, intimidated and robbed… See the thing about being pushed around is, eventually you either play dead for good or you kick back and punch harder than you've ever gotten pushed in your life.

©Klaireh