Between Nyerere and Somare — adopting ujamaa in Papua New Guinea
Sad news has come through of Sir Michael Somare being unwell. One of the Pacific’s independence leaders, I can’t help feeling a little nostalgic and reflecting on the ideas he promoted and that grounded his leadership.
In particular, I am interested in his connections to Africa — Somare was influenced heavily by African independence leaders, and seems to have forged a relationship specifically with Tanzanian leader, Julius Nyerere.
In years prior to independence, there was movement of people and ideas between the country (Tanganyika, newly named Tanzania) and colony (Papua New Guinea).
In 1967, the Tanganyika African Nationalist Union crafted the Anusha Declaration which was a profound document, putting forward ideals for African socialism. The Swahili word, ujamaa, was used to refer to communal systems that they sought to maintain into the future.
There were students, politicians, and others who were starting to brainstorm the adaption of ujamaa to the Papua New Guinean context. One meeting to do just this, was held in Sirinumu in 1973. Their ideas were fed to Somare, who they supported with his initial eight point plan for independence.
Tanzanians were sponsored to spend time in Papua New Guinea, and vice versa through the 1970s. These trips were sponsored by Melanesian Council of Churches, Christian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.
I can’t help but be intrigued by this and want to dig deeper, because I have been interested in the connections between Christianity, anti-colonialism and independence for a very long time. That churches were funding what I am tempted to assume were highly-politicised conversations does not go unnoticed.
Nyerere wrote a book called Decentralisation, which was published in 1972. Somare followed suite, adopting a policy for decentralisation in the years after Papua New Guinea gained independence in 1975. By 1976, the new Papua New Guinean constitution instituted provincial government systems, that better catered to the complexity and diversity, not to mention the historical divisions imposed by competing colonial powers, that had shaped the nation.
There’s more to be said on this, but I will leave it there for now. More to follow!
References:
Bonney, Norman, ‘Local government and political development in Papua New Guinea’, Public Administration and Development, 1982.
Conyers, Diana, ‘Decentralisation for regional development: a comparative study of Tanzania, Zambia and Papua New Guinea’, Public Administration and Development, vol. 1, 1981, pp. 107–120.
Standish, Bill, ‘Power to the people? Decentralisation in Papua New Guinea’, Public Administration and Development, vol. 3, 1983, pp. 223–238.
‘In search of strategy for self-reliance’, Papua New Guinea Post Courier, Port Moresby, 13 July 1973, p. 18.
‘Moshi’s going home to study’, Papua New Guinea Post Courier, Port Moresby, 10 December 1973, p. 1.
‘Tanzanian visitor’ Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, 27 July 1976, p. 4.
‘Tanzanians impressed’, Papua New Guinea Post Courier, 16 November 1977, p. 15.
‘Somare arrives today’, Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, 5 December 1979, p. 1.
