Harvesting Coral

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.