New Guinea

ARATUA
Drummers drumming triumphantly
Greeting the ground
Pert pecs straining
Proud and round
 
Splashes of red
Streak seaward
Pushed by the wind
Powered by hand
 
Sleepy groups wander
Around the land
Waiting for sunset
To startle their land
 
Longfor reaches
Across the sea
Going home
From a promised land
 
IWA
Frosty conversations
Melt with the rising sun
Calling fishermen
For a day’s toil
 
Slow toil heightens
Catching drifting
Shards of smoke
From an evening’s feast
 
Rich spirits
Soar, above the crusty sea
Calling
Across the abundance
 
All lies quiet
As the sun rises
To drown innocence
 
Minute Iwa lies in the Milne Bay province of Papua New Guinea. It is part of the Marshall Bennett group of islands. It lies due east of Kiriwana Island. The island is home to around 700 people. They live a subsistence life growing crops, copra and fishing. There are no schools on the island so young Iwa;ns have to board on Kiririwana Island to attend primary school.
 
Iwa formed millions of years ago as a coral atoll. The atoll was uplifted by volcanic activity so that today the island comprises high limestone cliffs rising to 150m.
The island has coral reefs on its southern side. The northern side is home to a number of small golden sand beaches. On the beaches you can see rough shelters that house the fishermen’s canoes.
 
Due to its height and solidity Iwa Island is likely to survive any sea level rise due to global warming.The soil of the island comprises rich humus from the detritus of its rich foliage. Information provided by the Reef Marker onboard the P&O Pacific Pearl based on a life experience in 2013.
 
Kiriwina
Sunken skies hang heavily
Close to land and sea
Washing all
In mist
 
Winds strengthen
Pushing watery shards
Of sunlight
Neatly flattened
 
Pulsating blasts
Horn the morning
Parting the day
For brief glimpses
Of grit and salt
 
Clouds covern
Sweeping all
Into a bosom
Of dark tempest
 
Slowly, Kirirawana
Recedes
Growing smaller
Until lost at sea.