The Prince of Wales surprised Papua New Guineans this morning at the Sir John Guise Stadium with his introduction in tok pisin.
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| Charles and Camilla being greeted by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill |
In tok pisin the prince told the crowd: “Mi bringem bikpela tok hamamas biltong Mejesti Kwin bilong Papua Niugini na olgeta haus lain bilong mi lon dispela taim bilong Diamon Jubili bilon misis kwin na olgeta haus lain bilong mi lon dispela taim bilong Diamon Jubili bilong misis kwin.”
The crowd responded instantly with cheers echoing through the stadium.
The translation: I bring you greetings from Her Majesty The Queen of Papua New Guinea andfrom all my Family Members during this celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of The
Queen.
The Prince then asked the crowd: “Mi tokpisin orait.” (Was my tok pidgin all right). The crowded responded ‘yes’ with cheers and smiles.
The Prince’s recall of his first visit in 1975 during the country’s Independence proved how much the future king has grown fond with Papua New Guinea.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you will forgive me reminiscing a little.
“For I paid my first visit here nearly 50 years ago, the happy result of an extension to my school career in Australia. I have never forgotten the profound impact of that visit.
“I vividly recall the powerful worslfip in Dogura Cathedra which affected me greatly; and, I was overwhelmed to learn that, at Wadua, the drums had been beating for several days in anticipation of my arrival.
“The importance of Papua New Guinean culture has remained with me ever since. It was therefore a particular pleasure, having welcomed Papua New Guineans living in Britain to St. James's Palace a few days ago, that my wife and I could depart to the beat of a kundu drum.
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| School children lined the streets and waved PNG and British flags |
“And what a remark able cultural display we have seen here this morning. The 'PNG Way' has been a wonderful production, showing something of the rich and vivid cultural traditions for which this country is so rightly famous. We congratulate you for a truly magnificent performance.
He said this was a great day and a magnificent spectacle.
“We are gathered here to celebrate The Queen's sixty years of service to others. I know how honoured Her Majesty is to be your Queen, a title borne by her with immense pride and renewed by the people of this great country upon independence in 1975,” he said.
During the ceremony, the prince, who is colonel-in-chief of the Royal Pacific Islands Regiment, presented the battalion with new colours.
He also paid tribute to the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, who were alongside Australian troops during the terrible and arduous Kokoda campaign of World War II.
"I grew up with the stories of the extraordinary courage of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels which made possible the successes of the hard-fought campaign along the Kokoda Trail, so it was the proudest moment when I became your colonel-in-chief in 1984," the prince said in English.
He told the assembled soldiers their service in regional and international peacekeeping operations had been an enormous credit to PNG.
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Post Courier Online
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