My Kondiu Years - Philippa Wetherell

When receiving gifts, he was most appreciative, only to quietly pass these on to someone more in need later. On occasions when he had to move to another house, he chose the smallest and simplest room. He only travelled to other provinces or to his family’s place in Australia when there was a Lasallian meeting, or for necessary medical treatment. Ever faithful in his life of prayer and service, Ignatius gave us an example of a life well lived. He was loved by the students, former students, staff members and their families.

Renewal of Vows at his Golden Jubilee Mass Mt Hagen, Feast of the Assumption 1998

A true Lasallian, he touched hearts. Reflecting on the life of Ignatius Kennedy, I am reminded of a meditation of the Founder:

‘Those who instruct many unto justice will shine like stars for all eternity’.

They will shine, indeed, in the midst of those they have taught, who will bear witness eternally to th great gratitude they have for the invaluable instructions of their teachers, whom they will regard as the cause, after God, of their salvation.

St John Baptist de la Salle Mediation 208.2 (Rule 1:6)

My Kondiu Years

By Philippa Wetherell, Volunteer teacher at Kondiu 1994 - 1997

It was in 1994 as an Australian Volunteer Abroad that I found myself at Rosary High School Kondiu in the extraordinarily beautiful Highlands of New Guinea. There is so much I could write about the four exciting and ever so challenging years that I spent at the school, but I will speak only of a few memorable experiences, that reflect something of the character of the school, under the administration of the De La Salle Brothers.

Together with its strong Catholic ethos, I appreciated the openness of the school to those of other traditions. For me as a committed Anglican, I could share in the worshipping life of the community, along with the Staff and the more than 500 boarding students. I recall particularly Holy Week and Easter, and how the students welcomed my sharing in the Stations of the Cross, as we wound our way up Blue Mountain in different parish groups. A boy from Kup claimed me for his group.

I had watched fascinated the day before Palm Sunday, with boys high up in the Church roof weaving palm branches around rafters. Now in the procession, I was impressed by the reverence of their singing and the quality of their praying.

Memorable too was the huge bonfire built outside the church by the students, and from this the new fire of Easter was lit, and the Paschal candle was borne into the church by a taper-led procession. The joyous songs of Resurrection echoed around on Easter morning

Another special religious event was the Retreat when each class went in turn to Mingende Diocesan Centre, staying overnight. As Matron of 10C I joined my students, and was touched at their pleasure of having me with them, living in the dormitory and sharing their food. Many students came voluntarily to Mass at the school at 6.40am, and I was impressed at the organisation of the service by each class in turn. What was even more surprising to a teacher in an Australian boarding school was to witness the eagerness to learn and the willingness to be taught, so that discipline in the classroom was no problem.

A teacher could come quietly to a classroom at night study time to find everyone working and not a sound with no one supervising. Not in any Australian school I know of! I found it stressful at times to face the fact that many students would not get beyond Grade 8. So many in Grade 10 were eager to continue their studies, but regretfully the level of their English would preclude this, and I had to come to terms with the fact that, in a few months, I couldn’t give them the necessary mastery of the language.

In 1995, Rosary High was to become a Secondary School, and I was proud for the De La Salle Brothers that the School had been chosen as the Simbu/Chimbu school to take the first Year 11 in the Province. It was exciting to head the first senior English Department, to go to Moresby for a week to learn about the new curriculum. I was in the throes of leading a team at Kondiu to mark the Year 10 Written Expression examination, when Br Bernie returned from Moresby after making the selection of our first Year 11. We knew we had been asked to take 120 students, 4 classes each of 30 students. I can still hear his voice, and see his face, when he told us that he was obliged to choose 92 boys and just 28 girls!

Br Bernie was a champion of Papua New Guinean girls’ education, but alas we knew that a patriarchal society was not yet aware of the need to educate women. It was sad to realise that many of Rosary’s Year 10 girls would not be able to continue their education, and that there could be only a small selection of girls from the other 6 schools in the Province.

Another memorable experience I very much enjoyed from Kondiu was learning from the girls in my Year 11 class how to make kaukau mounds and to plant this staple food at the school farm. When the need was great, and near the end of term, classrooms were abandoned and students were directed to the farm for either weeding or planting. Mostly, they went willingly and worked hard, used to making gardens at home, and knowing that this was necessary if they were to eat. I admired the way that all the work of cooking and cleaning was carried out by the students. No outside contractors here in the PNG Highlands!

The year 1995 proved to be a most challenging year for the dedicated De La Salle Brothers, and indeed for all the staff. The PNG Education Department ordered those new buildings had to be provided in every area of learning and accommodation for older students. Life at the School was sometimes unsettling and not conducive to steady learning. Year 11 students from the other Chimbu Schools had to accommodate to a Catholic school with Sisters and Brothers, while some chosen Rosary students were disappointed not to be going to a National High!