FAMILIES IN MODERN PAPUA NEW GUINEA - GRADE 10

The family is the key to modern life in all cultures of the world. There is the nuclear family consisting of father, mother and children. Traditional culture gives the responsibility to the man to look after his wife and children.

Modern western culture places emphasis on gender equality that makes all members of the family to be of equal importance. But the fact remains that men have the responsibility to protect their family from violence and injury.

Other cultures give the man total rights over the women in the family. The Moslem family places the women under the authority of fathers/husbands, brothers and uncles. The women in the family may have to be escorted by the men of the family whenever they leave the house.

The family in many cultures is the centre of worship. The Jewish family performs religious ceremonies and reading of the Koran at set times.

They celebrate the Passover that recalls the Jews leaving Egypt after the plague was visited on houses in Egypt and the Jews painted a sign above their door post.Many modern families go to church together to celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday or Sunday. 

There is the old saying that the family that prays together says together.Christian families may read the Bible that tells the children to honour their father and their mother. 

As well, St Paul tells the parents not to make their children angry.Families in Papua New Guinea suffer from many outside influences. Men may spend much time drinking alcohol and returning to the house with violence for the wife or children.

Home brew is becoming a drug that is made in the villages and can cause severe illness to those who drink.Many families buy a bucket of home brew that they place on the ground and drink with a cup until drunk. 

Some home brew contains chemicals that make the drinker go blind and cause death.Older boys can cause problems in families if they come home drunk and violent. 

There are teenage boys who will bash their father if he gives them trouble to the point that the teenage boys are the bosses of the house.

The key to a happy family is the husband/father and wife/mother. The family will remain strong if they promote respect and love among all family members.

They send their children to school and do their best to make sure that they do not suffer from hunger and shame at having no shoes and clothes for school. The parents prepare their children for school with books at the home.It is good if English is spoken in the home. 

Children find problems at school if their only language at home is Tok Pisin. Parents need to make sure that they know where their children are as much as possible. 

They have their children tell them where they are going and when they will come back.Children must not grow to be teenagers with the idea that they can go where they like and come back when they like. 

There are often reports of young people who go out and are found dead a few days later. Girls are raped and killed.

In modern PNG there is the practice of people kidnapping children and selling them. Often we read of a small child who went to market with their mother and disappeared. Often they are never found.