Walking Tap Road

This journey commences from Kandep's Kolopa all the way to Last Karinz. Tap road is the only road that passes through the mountain range that separates Kandep and Last Karinz. The author started this journey from Kandep all the way to Last Karinz.

A village boy relaxed for a shot all in smiles at Kap ipa on the Enga side of the border. Note the drainage system and how best the villages have kept this road clear by cutting down the bushes just enough for use by foot.



Long distance walk at Kap ipa - on the Kandep side of the border. Long distance walk is a routine job for the people there as part of their daily struggle.

This is right at the top of Tap mountain where looking towards your right is Enga's Kandep and on the left is last Karinz and SHP. The road condition here has deteriorated and is impassable by vehicle. 

As part of the normal daily struggle, the people have to walk long distances from Kandep's Kambiya to Last Karinz. Photo taken at Tap mountain, the border of Kandep in Enga and Last Karinz in SHP. These people really need at least a feeder road network to make their daily travel easier. They have hardly seen any sign of government service delivery for all their life for generations. Photo showing author walking together with clansman.

This is on the Last Karinz side of the mountain at a typical location called Kipyal. Better road network is one tangible change that the people are yet to see in the decades to come. An appeal for a better road by way of casting their votes during national elections have fallen on deaf ears, political leaders have come and gone but changes to their only road has never eventuated.

This is at Tap mountain again. At the back ground is peya mountain, one of the many mountain peaks towards the eastern side of last Karinz. 

A young man who travelled together with the author posing for a shot after having a much needed drink from one of the icy water stream, wara magani (not magani at mendi town) at Tap mountain.

This is the same Mountain that ranges all the way from to Momde and Pura in Kandep, Enga Province. This is a typical normal day, at most times rainy and gloomy. You would always expect rain while visiting this place. 

Two village boys posing for a shot at Kipyal with bows and arrow in hand. This is the location where people rest for a while and take a much needed breath before walking the next kilometres of their route.

Like any other family unit, this small boy was seen carrying a pandanas nut from Last Karints to Kandep as part of his daily contribution for the for food.

Posing for a much needed rest at Kipyal. This is also the only location where Digicel network reception is received. It takes a day to come to this area to make a call and then back home.

All smiles for a typical village boy for a shot. This particular location has a history where this road was first built by hand tools during the colonial era, that is, the two separate teams building the road from Kandep and Mendi meet at this location.

The same mountain range, this time on the Mendi side while travelling down from Kandep side.

This is on the SHP side of the border. On the background is the mountain ranges that extends from peya mountain all the way to Kandep's Pako, Kambiya and Momode in Enga Province.

This was once a road that has been used by vehicle the one last seen was way back in 2006. Road block due to land slide like this is common and people only have to clear way for walking by foot.

This is now a typical village setting with fence. This the other mountain range that extends all the way to Murimb and Kolopa. Beyond this mountain are many fresh water streams with abundance of rainbow trouts. a local nut also from the well known betel nut family is found on this side of the mountain. 

This location is where the home to the author is located. This location is also a great look out has the only location where Digicel network reception is at its peak.

Glance at the Daily Life

The daily life of the people here is mostly that of a typical isolated way of life. All their source of food comes from the land, that is, by way of subsistence farming, hunting and gathering and domestic animals. There is no road access to this area and the only means of transport is by walking for hours from. There is abundance of food of what a natural environment can offer, however, their only problem here is a road link that can make it easy to sell their produce to Mendi town. A walk from last karints normally takes about 4 long hours before catching a PMV at Bela or Map to town. And you would expect a return to home the next day after a night in Mendi. 

This is a typical Village setting. At the back ground is mountain (har) pole that ranges from pingrip and ilipoo, the next neighbouring tribe.

This is the typical setting of a backyard to many of the peoples' homes, all you can expect to find is sugarcane, vegetables, flowers and of course pandanus nut trees and tanget as the boundary separating each family unit.

This is the inside of a family house where all materials are from the bush. photograph of kids inside a family home showing off their hidden talents in style.

Typical village kids who are only used to assisting and helping their parents in looking after pigs, weeding the garden, breaking firewood and fetch water as part of their daily contribution. There is no education for these kids and chances of them getting educated is very narrow.

A typical village elder ready with his bush knife to make a start with his daily assignments. He was caught up with the author on his way to cleaning and pruning his pandanus nut plantation.

Village kids also have their share of contribution in transporting food stuff from the bush to the house. The author caught up with this small boy at Kipyall at Tap mountain carrying a pandanus nut from last Karinz to Kolopa, a village in Enga's Kandep.

Pandanas nut is a seasonal food stuff when the people have their plates full for a day's menu. The above village woman were caught up with by the author when they were returning form the pandanus nut plantation during one of such season.

Fresh water is one resource that is in abundance supply. Besides the normal use of water, people here also depend on for a daily source of protein and as a source of medication for lifestyle diseases. The author caught up with the small boy swimming and enjoying himself.

Of the many fresh water streams, fishing rainbow trout by village boys is one off activity to add at least a protein to the dinner menu. The author caught up with these boys resting after a long unsuccessful fishing trip.

Waiting for a bit of sunshine before having a wash because water steams here are so cold. Daily life style water borne diseases are not a problem to the people who live here because of the abundance of fresh water streams.

Fresh water is one resource that is in abundance supply. A small village boy enjoying himself with all smiles in the water.

Typical family unit in a bush hut having a bit of one off opportunity to have some pig meat for a small family Easter celebration. The author was part of that celebration during that time.

Relaxing away beside a bush hurt minding their own business. These people have nothing to worry about except their own comfort and survival in terms of their physical and spiritual well being daily.

Trip of a Life Time - from Highlands to the Coast

A typical highlands mountain and thick forest shown in photograph. This is about a recent trip taken by selected group of people from last Karinz to the Coastal Lae by road. This trip had been planned 2 to 3 years in advance and raise funds for car hire and other expenses for the trip. Most described it as a trip of their life time.

As is the case for many first time travellers, many were amazed to have reached the solwara so fast only to be told that it was in fact the Yonki Dam.

This is now the Kassam - pass, the outlook where many travellers really feel the hot welcoming breeze from the cost and vise versa while trave lling from teh cols to the highlands. 

The group at the back of the vehicle somewhere in Markham. Most of them amazed by what they saw along the way, a longest trip by road.

 Now the typical scene of a coastal grassland. somewhere along Markham road.

 The first interesting scene they saw was the ship hanger at the wharf at Lae's voco point.

Typical local boys so amazed by what the sea does provide, easier transport access, fresh fish and of course a soft cool breeze to cool off.

Photos taken at the same spot at least to reveal some memories in future about their trip of the life time to Lae.

Cooling off from Lae's heat. Most of these guys are not used to the hot conditions so had to cool themselves off by the breeze.

Vehicle hired purposely for their trip. Contribution came from all the guys who travelled together which took them some time to plan and execute.

A few of the guys were nervous at first sight just to even go close to the blue solwara upon seeing the wave and the endless blue seas.

At the background in the wrecked ship which is on standbye to be demolished. It went up on the media by PNG ports corporation for its removal. Two of the boys who took the team in and around the city.

Now its no more fear and nervous. It is a must for them to cool themselves off before its too late for some not to have touched and swam on solwara.

Very first time to step on the the so called "Solwara" in the coast I think. It was the very first time for most of them to see and have a feel of the sea.