Malakur Primary School in PNG

“So you come back perhaps next Wednesday and see us?” pleads the boys, eyes wide open. “Ahhh no” I have to tell them, “it may be a bit longer than that, it may be a few years. But I promise to send the photos”

Our visit to Malakur St. Patrick Primary School in Papua New Guinea was thrilling. Upon arrival we were treated to a moving beautiful song by all the school kids. I was the last one off the island as my own little fan club showed me around the entire school. One of the third grade class rooms had a map allowing me to show them my home country. They were immensely proud of their school but needed more notebooks and pencils and I will endeavor to ship some with my photos. We had good fun shooting group portraits with the self timer as you will see. Oh and I am sorry; there are no prizes for finding the alien in this photo!

PNG-primary school

I shot portraits of the boys and promised to mail them prints so I am making good on that promise this week. The boys were very fun, curious and talkative and highly disciplined (this being a catholic school one of the teacher had a stick for instilling a bit of discipline. Hmm, not too sure about that one.) All of them very much wanted to learn and be educated. The boy in front with the red bag around his shoulder is Erman and he was my little body guard, cool as a cat, and wanted to carry all my equipment. While I will not be back next Wednesday, it will be great to re-visit Erman and the boys one day.

Again, I am wearing the red and white checkered shirt, how that ends up being my costume in every self portrait I do not know. I do have many others in my new Nomad Part II wardrobe (everything from Part I was already useless even before Part I started), Nigel you don’t need to buy a new shirt for me 🙂

6 Comments on “Malakur Primary School in PNG”

  1. I think the memories that remind you of your photos are far more valuable than the photos that remind you of your memories but great to have both. I'm sure they'll be a little better off for all your efforts. Great story.

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