East New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Rabaul & Kokopo, East New Britain

Our penultimate domestic flight led us to Rabaul, the former capital of the island of East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Built around a deep-water harbor in Simpson Bay of the Gazelle Peninsula, Rabaul was once known as the ‘Pearl of the Pacific’. It is home to two volcanoes that flank the harbor, Mt. Vulcan and Mt. Tavurvur.

Rabaul was the provincial capital of East New Britain until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash from simultaneous eruptions of both Mounts Tavurvur and Vulcan. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of feet into the air, and the subsequent rain of ash caused 80% of the buildings in Rabaul to collapse. Mount Tavurvur has been compared to Mount Vesuvius which erupted in 79 AD, destroying the Roman cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae. The eruption ejected a cloud of stones, ash and volcanic gases, similar to the ones that enveloped Rabaul. After the eruption, the capital was moved 12 miles away to Kokopo.

This was not the first time these volcanoes had erupted, nor the first time Rabaul had been utterly destroyed. On June 6, 1937, five years before the occupation by the Japanese during World War II, both volcanoes erupted killing 507 people.

Rabaul and World War I

The province of East New Britain was one of the first parts of Papua New Guinea to be “settled and developed” by Europeans. The Germans planned and built up the harbor area during their occupation from 1884 to 1919, and Rabaul served as the capital of the German New Guinea administration in 1905. In 1919, during the onset of World War I, the island was captured by Australia (acting as a dominion of the British Empire). Following Germany’s defeat at the end of the war, East New Britain was delegated to Australia in 1920 under a League of Nations mandate.

By May of 1937, Rabaul had developed from its early German origins into a pleasant colonial town, but it was, however, strictly racially segregated and visibly Eurocentric. While run by Australians for Australians, there was no mistaking where their loyalties lie – they were entirely British in their sentiments.

Rabaul remained the capital of the Australian-mandated territory until its destruction in 1937 by volcanic eruptions.

Rabaul and World War II

When World War II broke out, the island was the first Australian territory to be bombed by the Japanese. On January 4, 1942, Rabaul fell under heavy aircraft bombing and was seized in a hostile invasion not long afterward. The island was targeted due to its excellent location and harbor. Subsequently, the Japanese strategically used it as its main base of military and naval activity in the South Pacific. Japan’s endgame was to cut off Australia from Southeast Asia and the Americas.

During their occupation, the Japanese developed Rabaul into a much more powerful base than the Australians had. They dug miles of tunnels as shelters from attacks by the Allied forces. They tunnels still exist, winding underneath the surface of the island. With the Japanese surrendered in August of 1945,  East New Britain returned to Australian control.

Post the war, Rabaul flourished as the principal city and port of the Bismarck archipelago but it never resumed its role as capital. Port Moresby became the new capital for the two territories of East New Britain and Papua New Guinea.

Day 14:

Upon arrival, we were amazed by how different East New Britain island was from mainland Papua New Guinea. Rabaul had a more Caribbean vibe with its swaying palm tree lined beaches and ocean breezes. We landed and proceeded directly to the Rabaul Hotel, the sole survivor of the twin eruptions of 1994. The town remains eerily abandoned to this day.

After Rabaul Hotel, the hot springs of Blanche Bay and views of Mount Tavurvur were up next.

visit the hot springs and the volcano observatory, along with some of the World War II relics. We will check into our hotel hopefully with time to watch the sunset over Simpson Harbor.

Duke of York Islands, East New Britain

The Duke of York Islands consists of 13 islands in East New Britain province. They are found in St. George’s Channel between New Britain and New Ireland islands.

East New Britain Province. They are found in St George’s Channel between New Britain and New Ireland islands and form part of the Bismarck Archipelago. In 1767, British naval officer, Philip Carteret, named them such to honor Prince Edward, son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and younger brother of George III of the United Kingdom.

Day 15:

We took a short boat ride from Kokopo to Big and Little Pigeon islands. It was great to be able to just walk along the sand and feel the sun on our skin, wade through the cool, clear water. After a few hours of beach time, we sailed a bit further along the channel to take a village walk. This was where we encountered these inquisitive cuties.

It was a bit disturbing to hear a local guide explain the children’s blonde hair by saying it was just sunbleached. I, however, set about to deconstruct the Eurocentric view of the origin of blond hair. Many Melanesians and Australian Aborigines belong to a group of people of non-white descent who possess a unique gene causing them to have blonde hair. It is NOT the same gene that causes blonde hair in Caucasians and is NOT a mutation of that gene. It is simply, their hair color.

After a full, relaxing day we were in for quite a treat to finish off our time in East New Britain. A bumpy ride into the furthest reaches of the mountainous region led us to quite a nice reward.

Approximately an hour’s drive from Kokopo, lies the village of Gaulim, home to the Baining people. The Baining people got their name from the mountains of the Gazelle Peninsula where they live. While they are believed to be the original inhabitants of the peninsula, the Tolai people, who had subsequently  migrated to East New Britain from New Ireland, forced the Baining to retreat deep into the mountains. Living deep in the mountains also earned them their Tolai nickname – “bush people”.

Baining Fire Dance

The Baining people are famous for the Fire Dance. This dangerous activity involves “Spirit Men” dancing into and out of a fire accompanied by music made from chanting voices and the beating of bamboo reeds against logs. As the music increases in intensity, the dancing becomes more frenzied and trance-like.

The “Spirit Men” wear elaborate animal masks, grasses, and leaves, but not much else. Taking their cues from the music, the men dance around and through the flames of a bonfire. Yes, you read that correctly, through. They run and stomp in their bare feet through the flames, kicking up hot coals with the airborne embers meant to emulate a volcanic eruption. This nighttime ritual is performed on special occasions or as a rite of passage to initiate young men into adulthood.

While the dance alone was mesmerizing, our guide, Mark Steadman, told us not to neglect paying attention to the sounds of the voices and the music of the bamboo poles. It truly was exceptional and unlike anything I had ever witnessed.

Day 16:

Our final day in Papua New Guinea! We spent the day in Port Moresby where we visited the local market and the Nature Park. While I abhor zoos, the animal park was where we got a good look at several of the nation’s fauna.

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This was the official end to my time in Papua New Guinea, but this tiny nation had made such an impression on me that I decided I was going to break my own rule and revisit as soon as possible. I knew I had only scratched the surface of all this remote destination had to offer. God spare life, I am hoping to return for the Goroka Festival in September of 2024.

Up next: Singapore

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