We had discovered the bones of the landslide is exposed to the cave, whose entrance was previously covered by cave-in. Director of St. Xavier in high school, Brother Patrick Howley, immediately sent a transcript of marks and some Japanese writing we had found, but it was several months before we heard anything about them back.
This is a form of elaborate letter, embossed with a lot of seals and signs that are in perfect English, first thanked us for our return artifacts, but more importantly, for our preservation of the remains of soldiers have been identified.
They went on to ask if they can send a delegation from Japan to download the rest of the artifacts, and give the body proper burial. They explained that it is of paramount importance to the families of those people who have received this last tribute of respect, and went on to ask if they can be allowed to send a Shinto priest to perform rituals.
That evening, we sat around in the library's brother, on the second floor of the monastery. Although I was not religious, I share with them the monastery occupies a small roof on the main floor, and joined them a cold drink and some after-dinner discussion about the letter we had received.
brother William Borell, our resident science expert, seemed to be no doubt that they should provide what we could accommodations available, you are Welcome to the island. "It is our Christian duty to offer them our hospitality, and it is our human duty to give your family the peace they deserve after so long. You have no idea about shame and humiliation that have been subjected, from losing their sons, in unmarked grave. They were forced to live in shame. "
General discussion seemed to agree with Fr. William, but Fr. Pat, who lived on Kairiru longest, has led to something that none of the others thought about it.
"We have to ask the locals about how they feel about it first," he said, sipping his night Glenfiddich. "There are a lot of hard feelings on Kairiru, especially in Kragur, on the north side of the island. Japanese have caught some of their people and treats them very badly, but not forgotten him. ImatiKebung We (meet) with people on this side, and then through Kragur talk to your people too. i do not have to remind you that there are trade-Japanese Trade in Wewak even Japanese tourists rarely come here ."
This more or less brought the debate into the evening, but Fr. Pat went on to tell us what he knew of occupation.
"There were thousands of soldiers stationed here Kairiru, manning anti-aircraft guns and the submarine base at the eastern tip of the island. Placing their arms in order to protect the antenna input in Wewak, igeografija sea bottom is very close to access the island before the substrate. natural bay approved them hidden port for refueling and rearming ".
My father was a veteran of the war in Europe, so far, I was enthralled in the story, and I question him more about the events that went on back then. He has another sip of his whiskey, and then lit a cigarette, deep drawing and thoughtful, while gripping a cigarette near the palm, as is often done.
"Yes, mate, there was a helluva fight around here, and Japanese forces in New Guinea, delivered just where WOM peninsula, rather than 20 km inland. In fact, there is a Japanese freighter sunk in the Strait, Right Large Musch, like many other remnants of war lying around in the bush ."
I was at a small monument to mark the people who died on Kairiru, located on the beach near the pier in St. Xavier in. There, mounted in concrete and painted white on a regular basis to keep them from rusting away were heavy machine guns, a mortar launch. Simply with the wet concrete on the basis of reading, "those who have fallen on Kairiru island." At that time I did not think much about it, but now I felt like I needed to go back and look again.
such as a school generator puttered into silence, and Pat got to head to your room for the night, he added, "Now we have to worry about unexploded ordnance Americans fell over the island, especially in wetland areas on this side. They sank into the mud, and are probably all been found yet. Bruniak villagers found a few years ago, and the boys discovered that in the new garden as we were last year, and very much alive and dangerous. the army had to leave them off, bloody exciting! "
In addition, he headed to bed, so I did, but I lay there thinking about what it must be like for poor people then. After a year Kairiru, I could not imagine what it must be like without antibiotics. Cuts, scratches and bites, infected almost as a matter of course, and I've gotten a number of them myself. It seemed that only antibiotics can stop the spread of infection, and I unfortunately have seen some pretty awful cases of ulcers that had gotten completely out of hand, both students and locals. I drifted off to sleep with images of misery in my head, a little gratitude that I was born in his time.
During the next few weeks, in Papua New Guinea mode, no. Pat organized and hosted Kebungs on both sides of the island, and sought the reaction of all the big (important) people Kairiru. Of course, this meant providing all food and drink as much as he could afford it, it really is not much, to be a monk. Everyone in the school chipped in a bit, and somehow it was enough so as not to embarrass anyone, and at the same time, get the job done.
Strangely, there were people who objected Kragur the Japanese delegation, so many people from Dagari on our side of the island. It turned out that there was a recovery by Kragur people whose relatives were killed by Japanese. Before the Americans were able to round up all the survivors Kairiru, people were hunted down Kragur in the bush, and killed as many as they tried to escape the bombing and the Americans. They felt that their debt was paid.
One of the "big man" from dagar, on the southwestern part of the island, stood up and talked for a long time. I spoke Pidgin quite well by then, but it's my time to understand what it is referring to.
It seems that just before the Japanese were taken from the island of Americans, a group of Japanese soldiers raided the village garden above dagar, and while doing so, a village man was killed and his wife had been raped by soldiers. This story has become a need, when you finally finished telling us that this woman is still alive, and that gave birth to a boy after that, which is definitely half Japanese. When he pointed at me, I recognized the man I had seen before while I treated the village to aid post, but I talked with him, because he did not need any medical assistance.
Now, the real problem became clear. This young man claimed the right to payback for the death of her "father", the husband of his mother, but his real father was a man who raped her mother!
After that, it became clear no. Pat stood in the center of the circle gathered around the village. Assuming Melanesian-style speech, he first repeated what he said all the other great people who have spoken, and pleasant it is praised for his wisdom. Then he turned to a young man in question, and spoke with him directly, which is rare in Kebung. He spoke only in Pidgin, but what he said just this.
"If you want, I'll write Japanese Mastas, and ask them what they will offer a payback for the death of his father Uliup, as well as a crime against his mother, but what do you do if you refuse? You know, if you make trouble for them, you will have to go to court. "With this latest pronouncement, no. Pat returned to its place on the ground and pulled out unconcernedly Trade-Trade Cambridge cigarettes, and carefully passed out, one for each Big Man in a circle.
while he, a young man nervously got to his feet and stood waiting for his chance to speak. Fr. Pat whispered to me that is normal, as a young man, without status in the village would not speak to Kebung, and was waiting for permission from the Big Men.
Indeed, this is true, as after he threw betel nut into his mouth, the old man near the center of the circle, wheezed in Pidgin "Whusat Gat man I flow?" It is basically a challenge to pronounce, which is the status that he had, and he had a right to speak.
"My name blong Shaku," he began, giving his name. Afterwards, he began to stop the English speaking group, but generally Brother Pat. He said he grew up as a mongrel in the village with his uncle home. His life was very difficult. His mother grieved for many years for his father, as well as the payback is made for njega.Japanski gone, never to return, and after he grew up and realized he just wanted justice for his mother and himself. He said he was a priest at St. John's Seminary in Kairiru taught him to read and speak English a little, and after him, he learned the Japanese occupation. Now it seems that the chance that the returns, and he could claim a refund for his father. Before sitting down, he also promised to make no trouble for the Japanese Mastas when they come, but asked if he would meet them.
This little speech was amiably received by men, a consensus is reached soon. Fr. Patrick will write in Japanese and invite them to come to Kairiru, and it will also include a description of the request Shaku's decision and await their response.
dagar Walking back from the village to the school, Fr. Pat told me that he thought the Japanese would definitely like to solve this problem pleasurable, and because they were so grateful for our help, he felt he could come up with some kind of arrangement.
The letter was drafted and sent a couple of months for the entire discovery was forgotten in the day-to-day life of schools with 450 students.
Our first notification came in a morning radio broadcast of Wiru mission to Wewak. Fr. Knut cheerfully informed us in his thick Australian accent, that it was "bloody aaff Regiment NIPS sitting in the Marist Brother house in Wewak mission right now, waitin 'for a ride outside the Kairiru, the soonest possible time. They're Suckin' all me grog, Mate !"
Our ship, TAU-K, it is usually at least once a week in Wewak for the goods, as was just about to leave this morning, no. Pat and a few other monks went along to welcome our guests and accompany them on their way back into Kairiru. It was time, "" Talley-O "of the season at the equator, and this has brought a fresh Northwest wind and rain almost every day for three months, so the trip to the island can be very tough and tiring, and a little nausea-inducing in choppy sea. it was a 12-meter aluminum landing-craft, powered by two Volvo Penta 105 hp marine diesel, with a drop front loading ramp. it could make a good very good speed, but roughly constant water spray is far from a pleasant journey.
In the meantime, no. Bryan Leak, who was deputy director in St. Xavier's, under the supervision of schools throughout the workday to get the whole place ready for our guests. Fr. William, who had been imprisoned by the Japanese in Hong Kong during the war, he knew the culture better than anyone, and gave us our best advice.
"Everything must be clean and neat," he said with authority. "Keep it simple and do not forget to bring lots of flowers for the Guest House. I remember like roses in the garden of the monastery in Hong Kong, and they plundered mercilessly give their girlfriends. We have Roses, but there are many orchids ."
Br. William was a real expert on the flora and fauna of the South Pacific and Asia. He has written several research papers in the area around Singapore, which has since been released. He later earned a masters degree, without examination, from the University of Melbourne in Australia. We all took his advice, as usual, and set to work.
ship has not come back to the island until just before dark the night, which is always around sedam.Putnici were cold, wet and tired, but not very hungry, because most were small marine bolesti.Vjetar was so strong that we were forced to take a longer route around the eastern side Musch, to take advantage of calmer waters on the leeward side of the island. This two-hour trip turned into 4 hours of travel against the wind most of the way, especially coming up the gorge.
As the ship was tied to the pier, a large group of boys from the school gathered around him. They spontaneously struck out a loud chorus Island welcome song that everyone knew, or had learned from the beginning to the St. Xavier's. This seemed to greatly please the delegation which waited respectfully on the board until the song was finished.
There were seven men in the group, all dressed very neatly into any shirt tropical suits or white shirts and shorts, socks and sandals s. One who seems to be the youngest, came forward and told the assembly, "We thank you for the welcome song, and we would like to thank Fr. Patrick Howley for his call Kairiru. "With that she bowed formally, and everyone began to unload the ship, and carry the luggage to the beach to the guest house.
noticed a small monument to the times, immediately turned towards her, and has translated the inscription, they knelt in a short prayer. This is a large group of boys who had gathered, a witness in silence, taking their cue from the monks and other teachers present at their arrival.
Continuing on to the house we had prepared for them, we were rewarded with much slaughter, and thanks for the accommodation. They seem very happy that everyone will have their own room, and island-style shower we are having fixed the tank is more on the hill, made a little joke, when they realized that the cold water!
After leaving their luggage, they have followed us through Brother dining room, which is actually a small separate building from the Monastery. Until now, the hands got his country, his back legs, and with it, once again their appetite too.
Rice and Kau Kau (sweet potato) is cooked in great abundance, and cook the girls did something that I really liked the Mungo beans that we grew up on Kairiru. Stir-fried with Kau Kau (sweet potato), this is a wonderful story, and all the many kinds of fruit for dessert, it was the best meal I've especially enjoyed from beginning to Kairiru. Fr. Desmond has contributed to a main dish and roast beef, which has been carefully accumulate in the refrigerator at St. John's Seminary, and Kairiru.
with the leading monks praying this time, we all sat down together, and were just about to start dinner, when one of the men got up, and through an interpreter, asked whether he might be permitted the honor of giving toast before we started. He appeared to be a senior member of the group, and his hair was completely white, but without a shadow of its fullness.
Of course, this permission was given immediately, and reaching into his pack, pulled a large bottle of Japanese scotch, premium kvalitete.Krug estimates that it has earned, he gave him a few moments to compose his toast, and the glasses are filled. Finally, he turned around stiffly and faced the east, and lifted the cup.
As he spoke only Japanese, I have no idea what he was saying, but it was very intense and full of emotion. Finished the toast, he snapped his glass to his lips and drank alcoholic beverages in one quick bite, we all follow. This formality completed, we sat down, and the dinner began in earnest.
of seven people, only the youngest, who spoke on the shore, could not speak English, and he was there as an interpreter. Now, he has risen to introduce the delegation to the entire group of monks and other staff members, like myself, who were invited. Four of the men were representatives of families of people whose label we had found. One is a Shinto priest, and second, we had assumed was the eldest, was a veteran, who was a doctor on the island of voke, a 40-kilometers to the northeast. He was incredibly fit and healthy looking, and I noticed his agility when disembarking from the ship.
I had a flash picture of what it should look like a young doctor thirty years ago, and was somewhat lost in thought, when my turn came to introduce.
When I stood to them my name and where I was with, they were exclamations of surprise when they heard I was from Kanade.Doktor told us that he was in Canada, and traveled to Banff National Park, and also attended the Calgary Stampede a few years ago. He seemed to have been much impressed with the beauty of Banff and Canada as a whole. He went on to us a lot of stories, through an interpreter, about how he and his family spent three days on a ranch in Alberta. They had gone on the trail ride in the mountains, and he got very excited in describing Cinnamon Bears were stunned in the bush.
I was most pleased, however, the way he finished the story, saying that Canada is a wonderful place, and how friendly all of them while traveling. I am a bit shy he was convinced that the people of my province, Saskatchewan, Alberta would even overshadow the hospitality, and that's what we lacked in the mountains, we made for the breath-taking open spaces, and thousands of crystal clear lakes, teeming with fish .
monks soon sounded in his recommendations for places to visit in Australia and the joke was soon led to a lively discussion on a variety of places and themes. The poor interpreter was barely able to eat dinner, he kept so busy in your profession!
Everyone was tired after a long day of traveling all from Japan, but more than a trip to the island, so they asked if they could justify. They were informed that they intended to start a funeral service at dawn the next day, and to most of the day. Fr. Pat assured them that he will be provided as much privacy as possible for their ceremony, and the next day was a school day. He asked that no one uses the football field located along a small monument on the beach, where they intended to perform the service, and peasants on market day, usually held in the vicinity, was not scheduled for that day.
We all retired for the night, but I noticed that the kerosene lights in the Guest House remained until long after the generator silent for ten. I fell asleep to the sound of what seemed like chimes ring down, and steered their dreams into some uncomfortable territory that woke me several times.
The next morning dawned clear and unusually quiet for the rainy season and flood in the morning along the slopes of Mt. Malangis was stopped early. Until seven years ago, when the school bell rang for breakfast, a steam rise from the lawn and the sun was so bright it hurt. As I dressed for breakfast, I heard the sound of a big gong ringing plaže.Normalan series of waves on the beach was very subdued, so I could hear singing in intervals.
Walking down the path from my house on the slope above the school, I could see that our customers have already built a funeral pyre of driftwood that the boys had been collected for them as part of our preparations. As yet no other world, but I could see wisps of smoke coming from several braziers were placed around the site.
the day was a busy one for all at school as usual, and we never noticed his activities until just before school broke for lunch, when the boy drew the attention of a large column of smoke rising from plaže.Plamenu jumped high above the pyre, and were clearly visible from učionice.Dima billowed up vigorously for more than a hundred meters and then was carried off to the east is Tally-O wind, which picked up during the day.
New Guineans do not cremate their dead, and this has led to many conversations with the boys this afternoon during work in the gardens, as we all did, ten hours a week. They were very curious about why the Japanese wanted to destroy the bones of their Timbunas (ancestors), if they were supposed to take home and keep them, as they do. I tried to explain a little about Shinto Buddhist ideas for them, but they were mostly just glad that the bones of soldiers went missing.
They are carefully stored in Fr. William was a closet in the room of science, and many boys are afraid to go in that room, even while Fr. William was there! Now, at least, their spirit would not come around to bother anyone. I bowed to their beliefs, and went on with her Hoeing.
At the time the work was over at 5:30, we saw the ceremony on the beach was complete, as the site is vacant. We all went for the much-anticipated shower and rest before dinner at seven. As I passed the monastery, Fr. Bryan leak call me to ask if I might have some nicer clothes for dinner that night. It seemed that the Japanese delegation had asked if they could make a special presentation that evening, and we were all together in the library above the monastery after dinner. I decided to wear my best Canadian clothing, jeans!
We all like to rush through the evening meal, in anticipation of what might be in store later. At the time of sunset light is required to be included, all gathered in the main room of his library. Fr. Pat was brilliant in the Pilipino shirts and colorful circle of the circle, island-style wrapped around his waist. He even had trimmed his beard!
We all sat quietly holding our drinks, which is poured into tropical moisture condensation, while the Japanese men came to take their place. All gifts were formally seated before us, a doctor and interpreter remained standing.
He started thanking us once again for all of our hospitality and respect that is given to complete their funeral services. Then, he asked us to gather on the balcony of the monastery, where we could see large piles of goods they brought with them, stacked under the blue tarp on the lawn below.
to his character, gathered around the two boys pulled back the tarp to reveal a stunning display of merchandise. These are the gifts sent to families of dead soldiers, as well as the Japanese government, we are told. Any cans of many strange and interesting food, and plenty of electronic gadgets, from the tape deck to an amplifier and cameras. There were many things that are obviously for the boys, and they set a big cheer when he explained to them. When it was distributed with the help of the head prefect at school, we all returned to our seats, and the doctor seemed to have something else to say. After the first refilling our drinks from its offer Scotch, once again waited for him to speak.
started very quietly, with a view to the ocean, and told us her story. I will now relate, as best I can.
He moved to the sea-based voke the island in June 1944, he was one of the thousands of others who had been captured by Allied forces after the surrender of Japan. He was brought to the island Musch, along with about 9 or 10 thousand other people, and left for three months before the country in Japan.
As we listened, it seemed to me that he must have considered himself lucky to have escaped, when more than 200,000 of his compatriots met their end in New Guinea. I was wrong.
Musch smaller coral island, which lies between the mainland and Kairiru, and this is one of the naturally occurring sources Kairiru or soils support lush vegetation on the volcanic islands.
At that time, he was holding a glass with a shaking hand, and his voice became emocionalan.Tumač Sat looking down at his sandals, quietly translating each phrase as it is said, and we were all cast into a spell of silence, broken only at night, buzzing insects.
As he turned to finish his story, I could see the tears streaming down his face, though he remained in control of himself. He said the Americans did not leave the guards on the island, only the PT-boats patrolling around him day and night. There was no escape, as well as all the tribes on the mainland were against them, and the local population was taken off the island.
people are eating all live on the island, to the coral and reefs are also hunted as much as they could, but just not enough food and drinking water for many people. In the end, they turned against each other, and he was just one of 900 men who survived. At this point he was so caught up in emotions that he had to stop for a minute. I have never forgotten his last words in the many years since then.
He said: "Our people and a lot of bad things in war, but they were not the only ."
After such an outburst of openness, it seemed that there was nothing but sit in silence and grieve a little for my poor comrades. Fr. Desmond, the spiritual leader of the monastery, he suggested we all say a little prayer for the men whose bones we had found, and all the people who lost their lives in war, and Japanese, and in other ways.
At the meeting politely broke up soon afterwards, and as I walked back up the hill with another teacher, we talked about the evening. We had spent many happy hours of snorkeling and swimming on reefs Musch, who had muddy streams break coral. As we parted, we had to admit that it would never do the same.
is not a surprise any more, however, as we are about to learn the next morning. We awoke to the sound of drums Kundu come from the village, and soon the procession was seen coming down the trail. It was Shaku, comes for his return?