Final Analysis – Gulf District, Kerema Station, Volume 15, 1936-1937

My assigned volume centers around village, plantation, and native labor inspections; tax collection; and census taking and updating. Patrol Officers held Court for Native Matters, recruited new A.C.s, and distributed prizes for village contests. Topics discussed include exploration, geography, people, local conditions, infrastructure, economics, and politics. Patrols were made by whaleboat or canoe and every…

Final Blog Post

Reflecting on the overall CAT124 course, I’ve recognized that several of my personal biases while heading into the course have largely disintegrated or have morphed into a separate understanding of Papua New Guinea, and its colonial and de-colonial history.  For instance, being initially naïve to the culture and heritage of Papua New Guinea, I proceeded…

Words and Representation

In identifying, the subject terms for my patrol reports and the overall volume I relied heavily on textual repetitiveness and frequent use of specific terminology.  I found it fairly-easy to recognize and compile the list into a specified key-terms section of my patrol report spreadsheet.  Additionally, I chose these specific terms because I felt it…

Words and Representations – Gulf District, Kerema Station, Volume 15, 1936-1937

While reading through my volume closely, I made note of all main ideas, frequently repeated words or phrases, and anything else that seemed interesting or otherwise notable. I was then able to select subject terms and craft my aboutness statement using those notes. After careful consideration, my chosen subject terms are as follows: Inspections; Court…

Aboutness Statement – Gulf District, Kerema Station, Volume 15, 1936-1937

“The volume centers around village, plantation, and native labor inspections; tax collection; and census taking and updating. Officers held Court for Native Matters, recruited new A.C.s, and distributed prizes for village contests. Patrols were made by whaleboat or canoe and every report remarks on the harsh weather of the rainy season; flooding and erosion are…

Aboutness Statement – 1935-1936 – Kerema Gulf District

Revised ‘aboutness’ statement: This volume focused on inspections; villages, roads, fences, and general infrastructure.  Patrol Officers took regular census of men, women, children, and infants; while cataloging marriage, death, general health and disease information.  Minute information regarding family bonus, wages and payments (including other than money payments), building and bridge construction, carriers employed, police taken…

Cultural Context – Gulf District, Kerema Station, Volume 15, 1936-1937

Commonly known as PNG, Papua New Guinea’s reputation often precedes itself. PNG’s infamous diversity, combined with its many colonial relationships, has resulted in a deeply complicated history. Papua New Guinea is a young nation, having gained independence in 1975 following a long process of missionization, outside government control, and colonial rule which began in earnest…

Cultural Context of the Gulf District, Kerema in 1935 – 1936.

Kerema, which is the provincial capital of the Gulf District, is located on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, and due north of Queensland, Australia.  According to the National Archives of Australia, Papua New Guinea was proclaimed a Class ‘C’ mandate from the League of Nations in 1921, which gave Australia sweeping new powers…