A West Papuan Chief has urged the ni-Vanuatu population to hold on tight to the wisdoms of their ancestors in the middle of this era of rapid and massive changes and globalisation. Dr. John Otto Ondawame from the West Papuan People‚s Representative Office (PRO) who is a member of the West Papuan delegation to the recent Regional Conference of Melanesian People on Sustainability Issues and the Role of Indigenous Cultures in Loukatai village, on Tanna made these remarks at the ceremony to commemorate the day of Tongoa Island‚s great chief and visionary leader, late Chief Samuel Kora Namali Tinapua Mata on November 16th 2004. Dr. Ondawame told a gathering of over 100 people at the Manples ceremony that people should hold on to the wisdoms of the older generation.

One such leader was well-known Tongoa Chief who spoke a proverb that sewing a white cloth with a piece of black calico would not be possible.

In commemorating our late Chief Tinapua Mata, the West Papuan PRO in Port Vila, would like to praise the good example that was already laid for us all.

The ability and wisdom to distinguish between what is rightfully ours and what is not, what is absolute necessity and what is made up or preconditioned needs, what is appropriate for humanity and what is not, what is acceptable for our people and what is not.

"It is once again, obvious that sewing a white cloth with a piece of black cloth is more than unacceptable," said the West Papuan chief.

Dr Ondawame said "the Melanesian brothers and sisters in West Papua share his wisdom."
"We have been refusing Indonesian rulers because of the same reason."

"Our people are being put in prison, just like the late Chief Tinapua Mata. I was one of those put into prison some 30 years ago, in Indonesian prison as well as PNG prison."

"I am here representing my people just for that truth that Chief Tinapua Mata had challenged foreign rulers," he stressed.

He told a packed crowd at Manples that as he spoke his comrades were fighting the might of Indonesian army in Tingginambut District of Mulia Regency, Central Highlands of West Papua.

"More than 800,000 Papuans have died in their struggle, and thousands more are prepared to follow the path of the late Chief Tinapua Mata ˆ die for the truth," said Dr. Ondawame.