Oct 26, 2009 — BY BRUCE COPELAND In the 1930s, there was a thriving social life among expatriates, mainly plantation owners, who travelled the territory in
In the years I spent as an army officer at Igam Barracks, I took officer cadets to the meeting of the Morobe and District Historical Society with the president Phillip Holzknecht.
Students learned much about the history of New Guinea. The most interesting was Salamaua town that grew out of the gold mining days at Edie Creek. It was the spring board of much history involving Australians.
There was the Kaisenik massacre that was a punitive raid by miners against the killing of new miners on the Black Cat Track. The area faced severe combat against the Japanese. The town was destroyed by Japanese fighters.
There were old people who came and talked about life on Salamaua. It was a centre point for the social activities with aircraft flying in to enjoy the social activities on the weekend. There were few other centres for the expatriates.
Salamaua was the port for embarkation and disembarkment of miners leaving and departing from Edie Creek. There was a hospital, radio station, hotel, bank, post office and shops where miners collected their grub stake. There were weekend houses and a busy airstrip.
I wrote a report on PNG Attitude. Many people who had never been there ridiculed the suggestion of social events involving boater hats and white trousers with ties and long white dresses for the women.
I was repeating the reports from the historical society meetings, led by former Salamaua resident Bert Weston.
The person who came to my support was Malum Nalu who was born in Salamaua. I thought he was my friend. He wanted us to promote the Black Cat Track together.
But the attack against the trekking group on the Black Cat Track spoiled trekking on the track probably permanently.
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