I'll always remember little Witu, just off the western coast of New Britain as a place of stunning natural beauty and the performances of the Catholic mission children in their elaborate face paint and headdresses.
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| SH Minerva at anchor inside Witu's caldera (Swan Hellenic) |
A long-dormant volcano, the resultant caldera held strategic value as a place of shelter for both Allied and Japanese vessels during WWII. If I recall correctly, a number of Japanese barges were spotted and destroyed by Australian aircraft, and their wrecks remain somewhere in the lagoon.
In 2006, I landed here with the late Dr Nancy Sullivan, and we were treated to magnificent performances by the local people. Several photos were used over and over in my stories and one even became a postcard. The beaming face of that child became an all-time favourite, and it struck me that I may be able to find that child again, who would be well into her late 20s.
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| Witu 2006: Memories came flooding back from my previous visit (Roderick Eime) |
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| Jessica 2026 (RE) |
As the show wound down, I enquired with the chief of the village, who immediately recognised Jessica, who had been part of our dockside welcoming party and had just moments before deftly dissected a coconut for my enjoyment. I only wish I had captured the look on her face when she recognised herself in that photo. It was a truly priceless moment, and I foolishly promised to see her again in another 20 years.
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