Kickstarter

Hello Tumbuna Project Supporters,

I leave in a week for New Guinea! I've got the cameras, batteries, camera cards, tripods, microphone, solar panel kits, malaria meds, hiking shoes, deet, some clothes and other gear almost all packed up in my 2 suitcases.

My friend and helper, Brian Nigus, and I arrive in Port Moresby (the capital city) and stay for a day. Then we fly to Wewak on the coast and stay a while to gather our supplies for before flying further into the East Sepik Province to Ama airstrip where some of the Sawiyano live. We have a total weight limit of 400 kgs (yep, including body weight) on the Cessna so we will have to pack very carefully.

We aren't bringing in food as those goods are too heavy; instead we will bring useful or desired goods to trade for food. We are bringing bedrolls for sleeping and pots for boiling water and cooking over a fire. I will be bringing basic medical supplies as I will be spending a bit of time each day in the villages doing very basic medical work on wounds, sores, and ever-present ulcers that form from cuts and scrapes. There hasn't been a school nearby for over 15 years and all but a couple kids (and many adults) don't know how to read so I'm going to do also be doing literacy classes every couple days in between filming. So I'll be bringing paper, pencils, and books in Tok Pisin. Before flying to Ama, there will be LOTS of weighing of every box and bag and item to make sure all necessary things will fit under the weight limit.

There is no commercial cessna plane to hire in the region so we are hiring a small missionary plane (one of the missions refuses to fly there as the airstrip isn't in good condition). We sure hope we can land safely. There is no government outpost or other radio near Ama so the pilot will fly very low over it for a visual inspection. If he deems it unsafe, he will fly us to the nearest airstrip along the Sepik river and we will have to hike a few days to and from Ama.

I will be back in the States in mid August in time for the fall semester to begin teaching again. I will post photos and video snippets as soon as possible upon my return. We are hoping we can post images from Wewak too, but once in the Sawiyano area - there will be no communication.

If I don't have your postal address yet and you wish to receive a postcard from New Guinea, please email it to me.

Wio Wio (goodbye in Sawiyano) & Wafiso (Thanks)!

Betni (Bethany) Kalk