Monthly Archives: November 2015

Culture and Heritage, Women, Writing Stories

Miss Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea – Culturally Inspired

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There are many aspects of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (PNG) that are worth writing. I wanted to share tonight two aspects that are very valuable; one is the culturally inspired dress and two, the education support it gives to PNG women.  

Here are some pictures from the crowing night of the Miss Pacific Islands PNG pageant. There is a pageant category called traditionally inspired dress. In these pictures, the six contestants wear their dresses inspired by their own tribal cultures. PNG has 22 provinces, over 800 languages with three official communication languages – English, Pidgin and Motu.

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Winner 2015, Abigail Havora – Miss Balanced Finance. Picture by Frankie Frank and Rocky Roe.

The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant Papua New Guinea’s motto is: Passion, Strength and Beauty.

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Mary Magdarline Konobo, 3rd Runner Up 2015. Miss PNG Air Services. Picture by Frankie Frank and Rocky Roe.
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Picture by Frankie Frank and Rocky Roe. Miss Dinoke Gonapa, Patron’s Choice, Miss Laguna.

The Miss PNG committee, while developing and moulding the young contestants to prepare for the final and then bring the winner to the regional Miss Pacific Pageant, this powerhouse team of women  raise money to educate young Papua New Guinean women.

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Takes Helen Vetali, 2nd Runner Up 2015 and sponsored by Italpreziosi South Pacific. Picture by Frankie Frank and Rocky Roe.

The process is that if any of the young women completing their tertiary education cannot finish their schooling because of financial reasons, this fund can help. Since its conception in 2010, the PNG committee has paid for 140 young PNG women to complete their tertiary education.

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Miss Shamila Paliwa, 1st Runner-up 2015. Sponsored by Garamut Enterprises. Picture by Frankie Frank and Rocky Roe.
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Miss Samantha Vulum sharing Patron’s Award 2015. Sponsored by Bank South Pacific. Picture by Frankie Frank and Rocky Roe.

 

 

 

 

Poetry, writing, Writing Stories

Moon Games – Poetry

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Moon in Bellbowrie. JK.Leahy picture©

Moon Games – JK.Leahy© Poetry

She waits for the day’s end

To let her luminous games begin

When yoke slips beyond horizon,

where naked eyes sees reflection,

she watches the day’s lingering torment

In his reluctance to let go of moment

The day throws hues of fire and gold,

across the massive body of water

And tiny fallen stars appear

where sand banks glisten sapphire

Dusk performs and summons night

to what we call evening.

She smiles, time is right

As shadows define, reaching tall,

the moon reveals herself, but only,

to be captured by wandering clouds

 

Culture and Heritage, Stories, Women, Writing Stories

Abigail Havora Is Miss Pacific Islands Papua New Guinea 2015

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Miss Pacific Islands – Papua New Guinea, was crowned last night in front of a packed audience at Crowne Plaza Port Moresby.

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Abigail in her making a statement on how many different ways you can wear your sarong in the Pacific Islands. Frankie Frank Rocky Roe Picture.

Abigail Havora, age 24, is a Biology-Chemistry graduate from the University of Papua New Guinea. Miss Havora works for Oil Search Ltd. She is also a feminist and, an advocate for youth. Miss Havora was sponsored by the Pacific Balanced Fund. In her spare time, the bio-chemist devotes her time to The Voice Inc, a dynamic youth development organisation and the PNG Cancer Foundation.

“My intent is to bring a message that strengthens the bridge between culture and the changing times so young people, especially women, are more aware of what they are contributing to, and the type of influence they are exerting. I am passionate about making a difference, which may come across as a broad statement, but my personal motto is to – leave the place better than it was.” Miss Havora said.

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Abigail wears her traditional (Cultural) inspired dress showing her heritage from Gulf and central province. There will be a story about this dress. Frankie Frank Rocky Roe Picture.

Miss Havora  is from Gulf and Central parentage, She will represent PNG in the regional quest, the Miss Pacific Islands Beauty Pageant in Cook Islands later this year. Abigail was one of six entrants in the pageant this year.

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The new queen Abigail Havora, poses with fellow contestants after the crowning. Frankie Frank Rocky Roe Picture.

 

More on Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG  – in the next post.

Miss Pacific Islands PNG Official Facebook Page

blogging, Stories, writing, Writing Stories

Small Celebrations In November – Family

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November is a very busy month for our family and usually it is full of celebrations.

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My niece Joycelin Kauc, (picture with my mother) celebrates her 17th today (Nov 10th) in Lae, Papua New Guinea. Happy Birthday!

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Photo by Leela Rashid. Chris Harris, JK. Leahy and Nathan Harris

We celebrated Chris’s 17th birthday last Thursday, 6th of November.  We will celebrate Nathan’s 20th birthday on November 16. People ask me how I have managed to have my sons in the same month and on the 6th and 16th. I used to joke that it made it easier for their father to remember their birthdays. I also had many other answers of course, but my favourite response is, they were both Valentine’s Day babies. Let’s leave it at that.

In this picture from last Friday, we did not plan to, but we all wore grey the morning of Chris’s birthday. Families do, do strange things sometimes. I enjoy most things in life and am very grateful for them, but I must say, being  a mother is my ultimate achievement – especially when I see my sons grow into good people.

Chris’s girlfriend Leela Rashid (below right) joined us in a breakfast celebration before school. At birthday mornings, I rise early to cook a pancake tower and dress it with as many sweets as I can. This time, two of us were on diet so we had to settle for strawberries, blueberries and light cream.

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Chris will graduate from high school next week and I have a few small projects to finish up, so I will take a short break (a week) from this blog and respond to any comments when I return next week. Thank you very much for reading Tribalmysticstories.

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The only breakfast to celebrate a birthday. Rich, creamy and sweet.
Art, My Art, Writing Stories

The Bird of Paradise – Painting

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Painting – Mixed media. JK.Leahy©

I am back to the studies of the Bird of Paradise. It is one of my favourite birds. This bird is also the main feature in the national emblem of Papua New Guinea (PNG). I believe we still have 39 species left in PNG.

Initially I started this artwork with my garden plant dyes and then watercolour. I have since added diluted acrylic paint. When it is finished, I will post it here.

 

 

 

Art, Photography, Writing Stories

Blooming PNG – Tropical Flowers

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These are a collection of Papua New Guinea tropical flowers I shot in Mount Hagen and Lae. Most of these are ferns and blooms of the ginger family. Sometimes, I prefer the suggestions of the bloom, rather than the clear picture; I think it makes the colours and the image more interesting.

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blogging, JK. Leahy Short Stories, TRIBALMYSTIC BLOG, Writing Stories

Garden Finds – What Is This Object’s Story?

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I have been slowly putting a collection of things I find in our garden together. These garden finds are only objects of my curiosity more than anything else. There are quite a few regular objects like an axe in the above picture and the knife below.  Every object has a story, just like people and places. We have lived in Bellbowrie house for over four years and the collection is slowly building up.

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Some of you may know I am a museum curator, so I tend to collect things and then I attempt to tell their story. However, even without my museum work, I am always curious to know the story about each of the things my sons and I find on the property. I have some stories to tell.

Recently however, I have been thinking that since I cannot research and find all the stories about each of my garden findings, I may write some short fiction instead. It sounds strange, but I have thought up some fiction you may want to read.

This month, I am busy writing for the NaNoWriMo, so hopefully, in December I will be freer to write some stories about my garden finds.

Let’s see what you make of these objects I have posted.  Please feel free to tell your story about these objects or make suggestions – unless of course, you know what the real story. If you do recognise of know some of the objects, such as the gun, then, you have to tell us.

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An old pistol, or is it real? It is quite heavy. Picture JK. Leahy©
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A newspaper from November 25, 1987. Picture JK. Leahy©

 

Art, Photography, Stories, TRIBALMYSTIC BLOG, Writing Stories

Garden Visitors – Photography

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These creatures are our garden visitors. Most of them are regulars, but they do change with the season. This summer, they came in all shapes, sizes and colours. Some were old friends that have never left.

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Almost daily, an old friend visits. You all know Kaz, the rainbow lorikeet that used to live with us.
JK. Leahy Short Stories, short stories, TRIBALMYSTIC BLOG, Writing Stories

Amile’s Twins – Short Story

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Picture by Barbara W. Beacham

Mondays Finish the Story

Amile’s Twins – a short story by JK.Leahy

She lived a life that some would describe as being on edge. Amile rubbed the twins in her red Yves St Laurent  coat. She ‘borrowed’ the coat from her one-month-old employer. With minimum wage, Amile was desperate for money. She heard about a game at Vipers, a dingy bar downtown. The stakes were nice and high. Gambling left her habits after Lucas was born, but times were hard.

That night, as the game intensified, all players dropped out except for Snarky Joe and her.  Snarky was rumoured to kill at a drop of a hat.

Grandma Magda’s lucky twin coins made Amile fearless. As the dealer began, Amile winked at Snarky and raised all in. Snarky’s hungry eyes lavished her full honey glossed lips, high cheekbones and large brown eyes. His eyes couldn’t go beyond the poker table; instead, he held Amile’s gaze.

Revealing her win, Amile reached for the chips. Snarky pulled out a .22 calibre.

“I win,” he said.

Click on short stories on triblamysticstories blog, to read more 150 word short stories created for Mondays Finish the Story flash fiction.

short stories, TRIBALMYSTIC BLOG, Writing Stories

In All Eyes – Short Story

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Picture by Barbara W. Beacham

Mondays Finish the Story – Flash Fiction

In All Eyes – JK.Leahy© Short Story

“I watched the vulture looking at me hungrily as I lay on the ground bleeding and injured.” Two thoughts entered my mind. One, it would come for me before the day ended. Two, night would reach me before it did. I shut my eyes and prayed for the night.

“Mama! Mama! Look! A man!… He’s bleeding”.

I wished, that was my son Toby calling his mama, but Toby was no longer five. He turned 17 last June. The Cult dumped my body early this morning and drove away with Toby. I may never see my son again.

“Get back here!” a woman shouted. I opened my eyes. She was closer than I thought, moving cautiously around me.  Her eyes were as sharp as the vulture’s. She was not hungry, hers was a look of horror. What have they done to me, what can she see?