NOTES FOR TEACHERS,
PARENTS AND YOUTH LEADERS

‘IN CHRIST THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS YET ONE BODY'

THINGS TO MAKE

BILUM BAGS

Bilum bags (picture on front page) were traditionally made of strands of rolled bark and coloured with natural dyes. Today they are made from
brightly coloured nylon twine. The bag can be very large and is carried on
the forehead with the bag hanging down at the back. They can be used for
collecting fruit, wood etc and even for carrying the baby.

You can make one with the children by cutting out two pieces of A4 card in
the shape as printed on the front page and glue or staple together. Using
shaggy wool stick layers across on both sides then plait the wool to make
the handles.

PADDLE

Use a plastic straw with a slit at one end. Slide into the slit a paddle shaped
piece of A5 card. Each team to design their own tribal decoration ready for
the “canoe race”.

GRASS SKIRTS

Attach strips of coloured paper and wool to a decorated waist band.
PNG RAT (Bougainville Mosaic-tailed Rat)

Materials:	2 sheets (different colours) craft foam or thick felt; small candy ‘walking stick’ wiggly eyes red dot for nose glue scissors pencil pattern for body and ears. (Body 13 cm x 8 cm Ears 13 cm x 4.5 cm)
Method:	Cut out body and ears in different colours. Cut two slits in body as shown on pattern. Slide ears through slits. Turn over and slide candy stick under ears piece. Glue eyes and nose to complete the face.

BACKGROUND

The independent State of Papua New Guinea comprises more than 600 islands
and covers a total area of 474,000 square kilometres. This makes Papua New
Guinea the second largest country in the South Pacifi c.
The population is 5.8 million of which 50% are children under the age of 18. The
capital city is Port Moresby with a population of 500,000. 15% of the people live in
town areas and 85% still live in rural areas.

There are over 800 distinct languages. The 3 offi cial languages are English,
Melanesian Pidgin and Motu, which is spoken in the coastal areas.
The national currency is the kina and the toea. (1kina = 100 toea ). Not too long
ago shells were used as currency.

Crops such as copra, cocoa, coffee, tea, palm oil, rubber and vanilla are grown
and exported overseas. Sweet potatoes, yams, taro, bananas, tapioca, sago and
fruits such as pineapples, mangoes, oranges and vegetables are plentiful in the
coastal areas. In the cooler areas of the highlands English potatoes, cabbages,
broccoli and caulifl ower are grown.

In the Highland Region the houses are made in the round from wood and sago
palm is used to make the roof and the walls. In the Coastal Areas the houses
are built on stilts with access to the fi rst fl oor by a notched tree trunk or a rickety
ladder of sticks lashed together.

Papua New Guineans are generally known for their kindness and gift of hospitality.
The sharing of a betelnut, kulau (young coconut) or sugar cane is a sign of
welcome and friendship.

Papua New Guinea is rich in fl ora and fauna from the cool highlands to the warm
tropical coastal waters. Some of the unusual animals to be seen are the curly
tailed cuscus (a marsupial), the giant echidna (a toothless egg-laying mammal),
the quoll (marsupial carnivore) and some very poisonous snakes.

Canoe races are very popular, with competitions between different tribes. The
canoes are made from hollowed out tree trunks. Each tribe has its distinctive
patterns for decoration. The men stand to paddle and paint their bodies and faces.
They usually only wear paint and grass skirts.

Travelling to remote areas is very diffi cult and almost impossible. The Mission
Aviation Fellowship (MAF) provides an essential service in transporting
missionary/medical staff and supplies to remote villages.

Papua New Guinea’s Flag was fi rst adopted in 1971, four years before the country
became independent from Australia. It features a local bird of paradise, the
KUMUL, in fl ight, together with the stars of the Southern Cross. The colours are
those often used by local artists.

Every morning, in the approximately 2,500 schools all over PNG where there are
about 500,000 children and 13,000 teachers, a senior pupil raises the fl ag to the
top of the pole. The students in unison speak the words of the National Anthem
“O arise all you sons of this land …” Then follows a hymn and a prayer and some
words from the head-teacher. The children are very keen to go to school, often
having to walk many kilometres and paddle in canoes across dangerous rivers.
Frequently there are 50 in a class often without books, paper and pencils. Some
children use a section of tree trunk as a stool and a larger piece as a desk. The
boys usually just wear shorts and the girls have a skirt called a lap-lap with a ‘mari’
(Mary) blouse.

BIBLE PASSAGE

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts
are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.”

1 Corinthians 12 v 12 (NIV)

PRAYER

Thank you God for making us just as we are.
Help us to work together to show others your love.

SONGS – suggested

“From the rising of the sun …” (with actions)
“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty …” (with actions)
“Thank you Lord for this fi ne day …”
“God is so good …” (simple actions)
God pointing up
     God        Good thumbs up
     To me     point back to self
OR
     In Pidgin (PNG)
     God        I gut pela (x3),
     God        I gut long mi

Quiz 1. Palms 2. Nails 3. Chest 4. Calf 5. Hair (hare) 6. Pupil
7. Ears 8. Hands 9. Trunk 10. Legs 11. Foot 12. Head
Can You Guess? A postage stamp
Further Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea