The Cane. Real men and real women in Papua New Guinea grew up with the Cane. Kids were required to attend school every school day. And often times with firewood or kaukau for the teacher. Sometimes waking up and walking great distances over mountains, brooks or rivers. Absenteeism was punished by the Cane. Punctuality was demanded by the Cane. Obedience and respect were taught by the Cane. How to treat elders, when to talk & where to talk. Politeness, honesty, hard work, responsibility were all taught by the Cane. At school and often back home in the villages by the old guards. Real men and real women grew up with the Cane. Our parents knew the Cane very well. So people knew how to treat everyone else, their responsibilities and how they were expected to behave. Towards elders, strangers and everyone else. – Jackson Kiakari

Real men and real women in Papua New Guinea grew up with the Cane.

by Jackson Kiakari, Monday 13th February 2023.

Sometimes when I look at old pictures like this, I can't help but think of something called The Cane!

Many of the different stories I hear about growing up in the 50s, 60s & 70s are often not complete without a tale of the Cane. From the islands, to the coast and inland to the highlands.

The Cane.

Kids were required to attend school every school day. And often times with firewood or kaukau for the teacher. Sometimes waking up and walking great distances over mountains, brooks or rivers.

Absenteeism was punished by the Cane. Punctuality was demanded by the Cane.

Obedience and respect were taught by the Cane. How to treat elders, when to talk & where to talk. Politeness, honesty, hard work, responsibility were all taught by the Cane. At school and often back home in the villages by the old guards.

Real men and real women grew up with the Cane. Our parents knew the Cane very well. So people knew how to treat everyone else, their responsibilities and how they were expected to behave. Towards elders, strangers and everyone else.

Sadly, that is not so today.

We litter at will. Migrate enmass to towns and urban centers without any real purpose. Loiter around all day only to rest in the night and continue again tomorrow. And call that living a life.

Kids can choose whether to attend school or spend the day with peers. Can't even walk to a school nearby. Or arrive late for living 17 meters away from the school.

There's no real legal age limit for drinking and smoking. Anyone can go to a nightclub. Especially the unemployed and depedent! And every conceivable social vice is permitted by parents' ignorance and society's growing acceptance.

Movie stars and pop icons have long replaced a simple teacher or policeman with shoes back then. Who were looked upon with jealous admiration as role models and icons by our parents who wore grass skirts and "arse tangets".

Everybody is in a rush to make it somewhere, nobody has time to respect the rules, order and civility. Kids can answer back to parents without any fear of punishment or discipline. Forever in a swearing contest with no real authority, or winner.

Sometimes when you walk past the stench and debris of a public place in the lone hours of 2am, it's hard to tell if human beings were there during the day or pigs had convened for some animal rituals. If you discount clothes and mobile phones, there's no real difference anyway.

It seems the absence of the Cane has a direct correlation to the absence of common sense and order. I might be wrong. Just wondering out loud.

Today the Cane has been replaced by tolerance. And responsibility, house chores and respect has been replaced by Tiktok, Boombox, wok mas go yet and stay where you are. Hope they are proud of the world they create for themselves tomorrow.

But every once in a while, we see good old pictures of a civilized past. And we lament the yester-years. The good old days.

Where not everyone was educated but they behaved better than Educated Elites. Not everyone had a job but everyone had plenty.

Who didn't have fancy clothes but knew how to dress decently and neatly.

Who didn't go past grade 10 but wrote and spoke good English.

Where friendship was genuine, people kept their word and honored their commitments.

The golden ages when everyone knew the Cane.

Insert: Tabari Place - Boroko, July 1980
File: Pacific Manuscript Bureau