The Yegiora Files

I haven’t quite got the same story as Steven to tell...but having arrived in Lae in the early 1970's, I recall many a Chinese shop. China town was well and truly established and trade stores were everywhere. I can clearly remember Chandra and his sister Ileana arriving from Indonesian and as they say the rest is history. Chandra has many different companies now; Papindo, Haus Bilas, just to name a couple and Ileana went sideways into property; hairdressing; leasing shops; shipping and must own a fair amount of land and property in the Port Moresby area. Like the puk puk building in Boroko...the SVS centre near 2 mile...the Plaza Guest House building in Waigani Drive nears the car club and much more. James Seeto I remember well as I used to play tennis with his daughter Belinda Seeto and of course Cedric Chee my husband's employer for over 14 years. The airline company was first known as Chee Air and later as Morobe Airways. I remember Mr Chee telling me what it was like...

Just read the very interesting account of the history of PNG's Chinese and their hardships, struggles and challenges over the years since the German colonisation. I am always interested in the history of my country and this is one piece of historical account by Sir Ling James Seeto that has broadened my knowledge of my country.   I am from Matupit Island and I grew up in the late 60s at a time when the PNG or rather Rabaul-Chinese influence and presence was at its best. I knew the days of China Town and Malay Town and the Ambonese Club, the Quamintang (excuse my spelling), Atam and the list goes on.   The memories of a unique aroma of chinese food is very much alive and vivid in my mind; at around 6pm everyday, you would drive through Matupit Farm and Malay Twon and you would be totally overwhelmed by the sweet aroma of Chinese food.   There would be grand of Chinese ladies and men walking the streets, saying hello to their Tolai wantoks selling buai out...

THE relationship between China and Papua New Guinea can be traced back into the early colonial days even before any bilateral trade agreements were signed between the heads of the two countries. The relationship began informally perhaps in the early 1900’s at Matupit Island in East New Britain province which was then under German administration. Here on a strip of land between Matupit village and the then Rabaul yacht club rose the first China town in Rabaul, recalls long time Chinese business man and naturalised PNG citizen Sir Ling James Seeto. Back then the name was not China town but German village because everyone who lived there worked for the Germans. The Chinese were first recruited into the country by the Germans to do carpentry work, build boats, plumbing and other menial work. Sir Ling said at that time the Chinese were being recruited because they were the cheapest and reliable form of labour around. There was such a big influx of Chinese that everything was i...