By Kanau Sion
Dear Readers. You might be asking why we have not put out any post on our blog in the last almost six months of 2013. I know and can concur with that and so would like to apologize for keeping you in suspense. There have been many hectic times and a few unforeseen 'not so bad' dramas in between that which led to this prolonged drought of no posts. However, on the positive I am pleased to report, albeit late, on the visit of my mum Maria Sion, uncle Peter Sion and the Senior Banas - teteh John Banama, nano Mary and Dorcas (Banama) to Perth.
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| South Perth on the banks of the Swan |
There are reasons why this visit by them was significant to us - my family and Rodney Banama's included. First, it was the single biggest visit by anyone family group. We have had a few individual relatives visit us separately in the past and also a chance one when Pwapei Minol, Rachel Pipai and Henry Minol Ndrawi all happened to be in town at the same time (early 2012) but this one was special on its own. The second reason is that they came directly from home.
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| Mothers in sunnies -Fremantle |
Generally, most trips made overseas are usually by well to do people, working class men and women, trainees and students seeking international qualifications. However, making
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| Mum in South Perth |
this type of trip for a simple villager and ordinary local from a third world country, let alone the remote Manus Island of Papua New Guinea is just a fantasy and only achieved through wishful dreams and/or imagination.
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| Tutz, mum & my family at home |
Making their dream of travelling overseas for the first time ever (to Australia) come true was a very humbling and honorably achievement for me and my cousin brother Rodneey Banama. Third, this was special because, although they only represented a handful of members, it actually felt to us like a complete reunion of the brotherly clans of 'Pokuyos' and 'Poparmenwai' overseas and was a testament
of the continued love, support and togetherness that have progressively been nurtured, protected and
maintained over the years. Finally, if one was to to be deeply appreciated in our lives it had to be these people - they are the very reason why we (Rodney and I with our respective families) are doing something for ourselves and living here in Australia. Like many parents out there, they toiled, sacrificed for us during our
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| Mum & Tutz in the train to Fremantle |
childhood years and what better way to compensate their efforts by flying them all the way from Manus to Perth in Australia and enjoy with us the fruits of their labor.
Mum and Peter were chauffeured around different areas of Perth city on numerous occasions ,visiting landmarks, and tourist destinations on the peripheries of the city and suburbia, took many train rides just like the ones they had seen on television screens and movies back in Manus but only this time it was real. I did the same for the older Bana's and Rodney also reciprocated. We took many photos of them and theirs with us together.
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| John & Mary Banama |
I also captured video footage of many of their trips and fun times in Perth and put together in a documentary format for them to reminisce.
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| Kings Park overlooking the CBD |
They certainly loved and cherished their stay and the obvious teary eyes as we bade them goodbye at Perth airport at different times for the long journeys home to Manus Island said it all. It was a lull after that as we missed them too, but in the end Rodney and I did it in honor of them all. It's a sense of satisfaction and
achievement which will be hard to erase from our hearts and one that will be remembered for a long time yet.
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