ANU, UPNG visits Milne Bay to study history
A team from the Australian National University (ANU) in Australia and University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) is in Milne Bay Province to study the province's diverse and deep cultural history.
The focus of the research is on the movement of people in the past.
The team comprises two male professors and a female PhD Archeology student from ANU and a lecturer and an Archeology final year student from UPNG.
Led by professor Dr. Ben Shaw from the Archaeology School of Culture, History and Language at the Australian National University, the research is specifically based on how the people in Milne Bay moved and settled thousands of years back.
"We are looking at how long people have lived in different places around Papua New Guinea on the islands, the mainland and who they interacted with" he said. "we are looking at the remains that people left behind; the shells that people ate, fish bones and fire places used thousands of years ago"
Dr. Shaw emphasized that once the research is concluded, all information gathered will be returned back to PNG.
"Our number one priority is to make sure the stories come back to the schools, communities, the people of Milne Bay first and foremost because that is where the research is conducted.” Dr Shaw said.
Dr Shaw added that the pillars they work by is honesty, transparency and respect when they are among communities in rural areas.
Meanwhile, the Head of Department in Anthropology, Archeology and sociology at UPNG, senior lecturer Vincent Kewibu says it's important for Papua New Guineans to be involved in this research as it is our very own culture and history.
"This is Papua New Guineas history, and people are now realizing the importance of our history as it is our identity and heritage at the same time.” He said.
The research in Milne Bay is a four-year project which started last year.
The team is currently making their way to Kimuta Island in the Lousiade LLG of Samarai -Murua District.