A
Pinipit na Raga
This post is an adaptation of "Harvesting Corals: The Past and Today" from watnata.blogspot.com by Ismael Isikel , 2/05/2017.
The sea, like the land, has been a source of
sustenance for humans since the stone ages (ra
eae kai raumana tubuidat). In the Old Stone Age humans wandered from place to
place, foraging for food, eating, resting and moving on. Eventually humans
learnt to settle and do things by using the land and sea. One of the things
learnt was making and use of lime powder (kabang)
from corals. Initially wood ash (tobon na iap) was used but gradually humans found out that
coral stone from the sea was of the best quality. That was a long time ago and
today there is far more interest in harvesting from the sea, including the
continuation of search and collection of precious stones.
Coral stone (raga)
from the coral reefs are harvested and processed into lime powder. It is
practiced by the Tolai of Rabaul as well as other coastal villages in PNG,
including the Kiriwina coastals in Trobriands. The practice had been around since
our ancestors discovered coral as a mineral for processing into lime powder.
This powder is used for chewing betel nut (minamai
na buai) and ceremonial decorations.
The traditional method of mining coral is simple.
People wait for the right tide level and go out in canoes (umana oaga) and harvest the coral. The harvesting of coral
is not done on the deep sea bed but on the coral reefs. Now goggles and gloves
are used. Before the arrival of goggles and gloves bare hands and sticks were
used to break off the corals.
This practice has been in place for over hundreds
of years. Besides the economic benefits, there is no doubt that the continuous
practice, especially irresponsible practice, is very bad for the healthy
continuity of marine environment and its inhabitants. The introduction of the
modern currencies (Deutsche, British, Australian, and eventually PNG) hastened
the disruption, and in some areas destruction, of large areas of coral as
the lime became part of the goods exchanged in the modern economy. The lime
was, and still is, made and sold in the markets today.
One of the many bed effects of harvesting coral is
the smell. The smell of dying coral (ang
na minat na raga) is very bed and can remain in the air for months (gaigai). That is
the reason harvested corals are stored well away from the village. Usually the
harvested corals are left to dry by the shoreline (valian). Now,
how great would the smell come from large scale harvesting of rocks from the
seabed, remains to be seen.
Modern Interests on Marine Stones
Today (gori) seabed mining interest and activities has
found its way into territories rich in minerals for harvesting of the precious
stones (umana ngatngat na wat). The Bismarck Archipelago is one rich area. The modern practice of
harvesting differs greatly from harvesting coral in many ways. Some of the
obvious differences are magnitude, depth and the type of stones. The type of
stones that are of current interest are located well below the corals that is
harvested for lime.
Special machinery and equipment are going to be
used. Most of these equipment have not been used anywhere in the world.
This seabed mining in the Bismarck Archipelago will be the first of its kind
anywhere in the world where copper, gold and other minerals are going to be dug
and extracted. The seabed mine will generate wealth for people around the
world, not only PNG. After the minerals have been extracted, what will happen
to the environment in the future? Do we know for sure what will happen?
Preparation including scientific studies and
conferences on seabed mining started well before people in Papua New Guinea
were fully informed that it is possible to mine the minerals under the seabed
of the Bismarck Archipelago.
It is important to be informed on seabed mining
since it has found its way into our part of the sea. This is not just for
awareness but taking responsible action whether one supports seabed mining or
disapproves.
