HERSTORY I only learnt recently through my research that there were two amazing women who have set the pace for women in politics in PNG- the appointment of Alice Wadega and Roma Isabelle Bates by the Australian colonial administration. I am surprised that there is very little literature on these two women. So I have put together a narrative on one of them, Dame Alice Wedega, the first woman to be appointed to the Legislative Council in 1961. * Alice Wedega (Legislative Council 1961-1963) Dame Alice Wedega was born on August 20, 1905 at the Alo Alo village and raised in Kwato, Milne Bay. Her father, Wedega Gamahari, was a London Missionary Society (LMS) pastor. She was largely influenced by the LMS education, starting a career with the Kwato missionaries at the early age of 16 years. Her involvement with the Kwato Extension Association (KEA) influenced her along with other women, to not marry and dedicated her life to Christian work. Before her appointment to the legislative Council she was actively involved in government roles: she was a member of the recognized 1935 patrol (Cloudy Bay area); became the first principle of the school built by KEA; appointed PNG representative at the Pan Pacific Women’s Conference at Christchurch, New Zealand (1952) followed by several other international conferences; first National Girl Guide’s District Commissioner for Kwamo-Amau District (1955-1959); appointed Welfare officer with the Department of Native Affairs, and conducted science classes for women across Alotau, as well as assisted to establish and run the Ahioma Training Centre for girls (1960). In a largely expatriated and male dominated Legislative Council, she became the first nominated indigenous woman to become a member from 1961 to 1964. After that, she continued to work for the government among the women on the conflict island of Bougainville (1970-1971). In 1964 she was appointed MBE, further recognized by the PNG government as DBE (Dame) in 1982. She retired from government work in 1971 but remained heavily involved in Moral Rearmament activities. She was the first PNG women to publish her autobiography titled Listen My Country (1981). Dame Alice Wadege died on the 3rd of December 1987, in Ahioma, Milne Bay Province. I could describe her in these words: “passion, sacrifice, and confidence together are a means to recognition”. May herstory be told.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 05:35:44 +0000
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