Menu

Home

Home > History, Biography, Autobiography

Samarai - Pearl of the Pacific by Lloyd Nolan ISBN  978-1-921452-61-1
Samarai - Pearl of the Pacific by Lloyd Nolan ISBN  978-1-921452-61-1

Samarai - Pearl of the Pacific by Lloyd Nolan ISBN 978-1-921452-61-1$49.50 AUD

Initially an outpost of Empire propagation the pax Britannica, the island of Samarai to the south-east of PNG gradually transformed into a prim and manicured administrative centre. Gone were the rollicking and boisterous days when men caroused and brawled while seeking respite from the rigours of the fever-ridden goldfields, and the predations of local warriors. The island grew in importance and its reputation become such that it was known as the Pearl of the Pacific.
FOREWORD
I am delighted to write yet another Foreword for another meticulously researched and well written book by Lloyd Nolan, an ex-Patrol Officer (Kiap), who with others of that courageous group and with selfless missionaries, facilitated the transition of Papua New Guinea to the country it is today. It is a country where the ancient culture of ‘payback’, which resulted in constant conflict, is gradually being substituted with aspirations to peacefully resolve conflict situations, with reconciliation replacing revenge.
Lloyd Nolan’s first book, Savage Paradise - Pacifying a Payback Culture, described his work in the Goilala Region, north of the capital Port Moresby, and paints a fascinating history of a rugged, beautiful and exotic island that is still being reshaped by volcanic activity and is unforgiving for those who are unprepared. In my Foreword to that classic book I noted that it is ‘an engaging narrative which brings alive the adventurous, courageous, and valiant personalities, who contributed to the pacifying of the tribes that inhabit Papua New Guinea’.
In my Foreword to that impressive history of Papua New Guinea, I extolled the virtues of the study of history, and I excoriated those who describe previous events as irrelevant, and even painful, reminders of an unenlightened and sordid past. Yet, it is precisely the study of history that explains the governmental structure of our present-day societies and identifies the origins of the principles upon which our civilization is based.
I continued my quest to reinstate the study of history in my Foreword to Nolan’s second book, Samarai - Outpost of Empire. This is the first volume of a trilogy about the island of Samarai where British and then Australian colonial administrators were first based. I noted, slightly affectedly, that the book ‘aims at rectifying this historical neglect in our schools and seeks to tackle the demons of ignorance’.
As expected, Samarai - Pearl of the Pacific, the second in Nolan’s magnificent trilogy, ameliorates the apathetical attitude to, and even disgust of, history, existing in Australia (and elsewhere). This is especially important because Papua New Guinea has been an integral part of the Australian story. As such, Pearl of the Pacific continues the historical narrative, detailing the history of Papua New Guinea until 1942. The book constitutes another gem, and one of the pearls is the story of the schooner Olive Branch and its photograph (shown overleaf) conveys so much. The Book of Genesis mentions the olive branch, a sign that the Great Flood was over, and a dove of Peace flew in bearing an olive branch, a wonderful and enduring symbol of reconciliation.
Nolan’s book is undoubtedly a fine, diligent, and detailed study of Australia’s contribution to this mysterious land to its north, a historical narrative which would otherwise surely be unavailable, considering the place of history in Australia’s educational system.
Papua New Guinea was granted independence on 16 September 1975. Some commentators have claimed that independence was a premature decision of the Whitlam Labor government as 49 years later the country is still trying to reconcile past customs with the responsibilities, and opportunities, of a modern, independent country. At present, olive branches are surely needed to ensure the country takes its rightful place among the community of nations.
A lunch meeting in Brisbane in September 2024 hosted by the Australian Institute for Progress had as their guest speaker the Hon. Peter O’Neill CMG, a previous Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. With an Irish Australian father, a Kiap, and a Papuan New Guinean mother from the southern highlands he shared personal history through both the days of colonial power and independent government. It was an intriguing story of tribulations, involving the clash between traditional chaos and aspirational order. Nolan’s books serve as a reminder of the validity of a quote attributed to Confucius, the prominent Chinese philosopher (551–479 BC) who said: ‘To study history means submitting yourself to chaos, but nevertheless retaining your faith in order and meaning’. Indeed, Confucius’s quote captures the essence of Nolan’s book well because it compellingly describes the machinations of politicians and adventurers who contributed to the colourful history of this tropical paradise, Papua New Guinea.
Despite massive foreign aid provided by Australia and more latterly, the People’s Republic of China, ingratiating itself to South Pacific countries, not much is filtering through to the provinces which are sadly in need of infrastructure, roads, bridges, flood mitigation, hospitals and essentially, schools, as seven million people can neither read nor write. In the current year, Australia is providing over $600 million in Overseas Aid Assistance and has provided over $2.5 billion in budget support loans since 2019 with little accountability as to how this government largesse is spent.
Samarai - Pearl of the Pacific is superbly and beautifully written and researched, and its historical narrative is both enlightened and captivating. CopyRight Publishing should be congratulated on its willingness to publish this important and valuable testament to the enduring power of history – in this case a vital part of Australia’s history.
I look forward to reading the final, third part of the trilogy which will deal with the history of Papua New Guinea until independence in 1975. For now, Nolan’s three books, already published by CopyRight Publishing, constitute a major contribution to the history of Papua New Guinea – an invaluable source for those still willing to teach history in Australia’s education system. I recommend this book to all people who want to become familiar with the history of our closest neighbour, and to those who are interested in the history of this tropical paradise that played such an important role in Australia’s story.
Professor Gabriël A Moens AM
Emeritus Professor of Law,
The University of Queensland
22 October 2024


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The author first visited Samarai and the East End while serving in the Royal Australian Navy and was quickly captivated by its outstanding beauty. Once out of the Navy he became an 'outside man.' serving in pre-Independence Papa New Guinea for more than a decade. That service began at Abau and ended at Tufi, Government stations that played important roles in the early history of the East End. A career change prior to Independence resulted in him being engaged in the planning profession in Australia for the greater part of the next three decades.
In 2000 he accepted an assignment as Provincial Planning Adviser for the Milne Bay Province and this renewed contact with PNG resulted in further planning assignments elsewhere in PNG in the ensuing years.
The story of Samarai, and the East End, embraces his major interests, the history of colonial Papa and early town planning practice in colonial settings.



Blue, S:Blue S
Quantity: