The Manus Flag: Critics' Comments on Flag Design vs A True Manus Symbol
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Manus Identity. What makes us what we are? The Manus Flag and the symbols which make up the flag. It is clear from the Flag competition that everyone agrees that the flag and the symbols on it represent the province and its people very well. But, like all public institutions the Manus Flag too has its critics and detractors. However the critics are not critical of the Flag and its symbols, they are critical of our leaders and about the slow pace of development. There is either no development or if there is, it is too slow. Many criticisms can be summarised in the familiar saying, "Too much talk and not enough work." Following are some of the criticism of the flag and what it symbolises:
Fred Sioni from Lawes Community School
Standord Marau Ngai of Koronat Island Chauka - Maus bilong yumi ol Manus i pairap olsem Chauka. Maus bilong yumi isave pairap nating olsem Chauka i save krai long moning na apinum na wok, em nogat tru. Na wok bilong yumi i slou olsem Grin Sneil i save wokabaut long lip bilong diwai inap wanpela yia olgeta.
Kevin Pamuan of Bipi Island Taim Chauka pisin i krai long bik moning em i taim bilong Manus man na meri i kirap na toktok i go na wok i ron go stret na i kamap tru. Tasol em bipo. Nau taim Chauka pisin i krai insait long Manus, em maus tasol. Em i olsem bikpela lapan haus boi bilong Manus i hopim maus i krai olsem Chauka pisin. Manus i muv liklik o no go het tru yet? Grin Sneil: Dispela grin sneil i soim mi olsem ol grin sneil i hait gut tru aninit long grin lip diwai i wok long muv isi isi tru long kam lukim lait na san. Ol (sneil) i stap yia na yia i go bek na ol i wok long muv isi isi. Mi lukim chauka na grin sneil na i givim mi long tingting long Manus man na meri na pikinini. Nau ol i stap olsem wonem? Chauka pisin i plai antap long Manus olgeta, i opim maus na singaut tasol na insait long Manus i nogat wanpela samting i kamap yet long maus bilong em. Taim Chauka pisin iopim maus na krai long singaut, grin sneil i bekim maus bilong Chauka. 'Yu bikpela maus, yu singaut long wonem? Yu no soim mi long lukim lait bilong san yet, bikmaus nating.' Ol grin sneil i stap insait long Manus Flag mi lukim na i givim mi long tingting long Manus man, meri na pikinini. Manus olgeta i wok long muv isi isi olsem grin sneil insait long Manus Plak. Manus Provins i no progress o develop liklik tru, i olsem Chauka i krai na hopim maus nating. Manus nau i wokabaut isi isi isi olsem grin sneil.
Samuel Palee Chan We people of Manus never move things fast, just like green snails usually crawl. We are good at talking but we are not good at getting things to move. We are slow as the snail is slow. We the people of Manus are like our Chauka and Green Snails. Our knowledge can match the brightness of their colours. But when we talk politics, the brightness of our knowledge can be cut off easily. It takes years to turn our knowledge into work.
Joel M Kuyei long Kissih ples Yumi ol man meri na pikinini bilong provins Manus, yumi save toktok singaut na pairap olsem dispela Chauka; tasol wok divelopmen na ronim provins bilong yumi na kamapim ol arapela samting I kam insait I ron isi isi tumas olsem dispela sneil.
Regina Rokam of Ecom High School Firstly, our flag has the colours blue and brown. Mi yet mi ting olsem the colour blue represents the sea (islands) and brown represents land (mainland). Manus is made up of two different people, the nambis and the highway people. Secondly, our flag also has the picture of Chauka and Snail. Our Chauka when it cries, makes a lot of noise. The Chauka itself represents Manus leaders who are only good at talking. The Snail on the other hand is a slow creature. It will take the snail a long time to reach its destination. Manus leaders are good at talking like the Chauka but are slow to do things like the Snail. When they go out campaigning they make lots of promises but are so slow in fulfilling their promises. On the other hand, the Chauka when it sees a snake or kapul on a tree, it cries until whoever walks by may know and check it out himself. Ol Manus lidas olsem tu. Taim ol i lukim gavman i no ron stret o ol mangi i bakarapim taun o wokim kainkain insait long taun, they go on air and talk people out of doing wrong or autim belhevi bilong ol long hau gavman i ron. The other thing is that the Chauka tells us the time by crying at 12 noon o 5.00 pm. Planti taim ol lida bilong Manus i plen long wokim sampela samting bilong helpim provins bilong yumi long rait taim olsem Chauka i save krai long raitpela taim. Tasol ol samting i save ron isi isi olsem sneil bikos i save nogat moni. Ol lidas i save trai hat tru long painim moni long wokim kamap sampela samting long helpim provins bilong yumi.
Agnes Soni of Lombrum Patrol Boat Base The colour blue represents the sea and the brown represents the land. Yellow represents the daylight from which the chauka's voice can be heard from dawn till late. The Green Snail shell symbolises the green forest. The five green snail shells can also represent the five great symbols of Manus like dog's teeth, betelnut, cuscus, garamut and the Manus basket. The wings of the Chauka that spread between brown and blue means that the Chauka can be heard from the land and the sea. It can also represent the trade links between two people, the islanders and the mainlanders. It also describes the people of Manus who are specialised in both gardening and fishing. It can represent the leader who is trying to unite the people from the mainland and island to become one family and one province.
Belinda Tokunai bilong Mokoreng Community Skul CHAUKA tu em i liklik pisin nating na em i no save palai igo long wei tasol em i save kilim ol bikpela pisin. Olsem na bikpela i wokim em olsem bai i no nap palai igo long wei bilong bagarapim olgeta pisin. Olsem na luksave bilong mi i olsem, Manus em liklik Ailan tumas long Papua Niugini olsem liklik pisin Chauka. Tasol em i gat moa save long toktok pait long wonem kain hevi i stap long provins na kantri. SNEIL i soim olsem wok kirap o wok go het long Manus i save isi isi olsem sneil isave wokabaut. Yumi gutpela bilong toktok planti tasol.
Francis Sapau bilong Nohang Na tu, em pisin bilong Manus. Manus tasol i gat Chauka, nogat narapela provins i gat. Na sneil long plak em bilong Manus yet. Mi yet mi ting olsem dispela tok we i wok long ron we ol i tok yumi bilong toktok tasol na wok isi, em long ol lida we ol i kisim sia long Gavana bilong Manus tu. I stap long wanwan lida. Mi laik tok olsem ol hamas lida i holim na ronim Gavman bilong Manus i go pinis mi no save long ol i wokim wonem? Mi ting dispela Chauka na sneil em tupela samting bilong Manus. Rong i stap long lida. Chauka i no rong, na Sneil i no rong. Tupela i stap stret. Na yumi lida yet. Long tok yes, yumi mas toktok olsem Chauka i save toktok na singaut. Na long wok, yes, yumi noken hariap. Yumi mas lukluk gut pastaim nogut yumi go pundaun o popaia. Toktok tasol, wok nogat. Em long sneil. Mi yet mi ting dispela tok we i no trupela tok, we ol wok long tokim long plak bilong Manus. Na mi ting dispela Chauka we i save toktok planti, bai yumi lukim long nau na yia 2000. Em mi tok Chauka em i olsem wanpela man. Em nau, yumi noken mekim nating. Mi ting olsem nau em Gavman bilong yu Pokawin bai yu kisim yumi igo long yia 2000. Na ol kainkain toktok maski.
Paul Simon Na Chauka em i katim plak i go tupela hap, mining Chauka em pisin, i ken stap long bus na solwara. Na sneil em bilong bus tasol. Na dispela ol samting em I konsenim pipol bilong Manus. I gat pipol bilong bus tasol, I gat pipol bilong solwara tasol, na tu I gat pipol bilong bus na solwara wantaim. Despela tok mining bilong plak we mi gat. Na tingting bilong mi I olsem. Plag bilong Manus I olsem ol pipol bilong Manus. Yumi ol Manus yumi ol `save' man meri. Yumi gutpela long toktok. Ol wok o divelopmen bilong yumi long Manus em I slou o isi isi tru. I wankain tasol long plak bilong yumi ol Manus. Chauka I save singaut gut tru, pairap na flai hariap tru. Na sneil I wokabaut isi isi tru olsem ol wok o divelopmen bilong Manus. Sopos em I orait, senisim plak bilong yumi na bai yumi lukim senis I kamap long Manus.
Paul Moren bilong Loi ples Blu em I kala bilong solwara. Na solwara i makim yumi sampela pipol bilong Manus, sampela ol i stap long ailan na nambis, antap long solwara bilong Manus. Na pisin chauka I save mekim planti singaut. Pisin Chauka i makim yumi ol pipol bilong Manus i stap long graun, ailan na nambis yumi save toktok olsem Chauka. Mining bilong Sneil i olsem yumi ol pipol bilong Manus, yumi gat wanpela kain sel (sneil) we i save wok isi isi. Taim yu bungim ol wantaim, em i olsem yumi ol pipol bilong Manus i stap antap long graun, ailan na nambis i save toktok olsem Chauka na wok olsem sneil. The critics of the flag believe that the two symbols on the Manus Flag can easily be interpreted naively. For them the chauka and the green snail stand for many Manusians who talk too much and do very little. But this does not detract from the fact that the current Manus Flag is an excellent symbol for the smallest province in the country and its unique people. ********************* Chapter 2: The Flag - a true Manus symbolYumi harim pinis luksave bilong ol husat i tok plak bilong Manus i makim yumi save toktok planti olsem Chauka na mekim wok isi isi olsem grin sneil o kikiu. Nau bai yumi putim yau long ol narapela Manus i givim tingting bilong ol long Plak bilong Manus Provins. Ol toktok bilong ol i ron olsem:
Michael Pajen bilong Bipi Ailan
William Metpi bilong Bowat Highway Em i soim olsem yumi mas stap isi, tingting gut na plenim Provins i go het na bai i gat gutpela senis i kamap long bik bus, long nambis na long ailan wantaim.
Brian Sapakehou Mohe bilong Tulu 2
M. Posong of Lomoei Community School Starting from the egg up to the time its young ones are ready to leave the nest, the parent Chauka never lets anything including man to touch its young ones or come close to the nest. The Chauka fights and cares for its young ones. That is what the Chauka means to me. The Government of Manus should follow the example of Chauka.
N. Solok Kalou
Sylvester and Raymond Lambert of Rossun Village It is the only such snail and it is found in Manus. No other parts of PNG has it. It has its own legends including how it came to get its green colour around its shell. The beautiful green colour represents all the beautiful Women of Manus.
Joseph Moson of Ndrehet Community School The snail is harmless, friendly and minds its own business. From the slow movements of the snail I learned to be careful, confident, deliberate and concise. From the Chauka comes the forecasting of weather change, telling the time of day, warning of happenings including pointing out cuscus on a tree. Chauka is a very healthy bird. Its nest is very clean. Chauka does not destroy our food crops and fruits.
Michael Liwen Chauka i save singim preis, danis na rijois i go long God long moning i go inap long apinun. Chauka wanpela i no save singsing. Em i save singsing wantaim ol narapela, tasol ol i luk olsem wanpela tasol i wok long singsing. Dispela i makim yuniti.
Birio Frisu
Every individual is a human being. Just the same, every province is a part of PNG. But each province has certain differences. The natural resources, environment, manpower, population size of the provinces, main revenue earning areas and so forth. They've got their own ways of running their governments. Manus is no different. Manus does things in its own unique way.
Ipam Kaluwin bilong Pere Komiuniti Skul Wok bilong mi em lukautim lip bilong ol diwai. Lip bilong diwai em i senisim simel nogut, givim gutpela win i go long lang bilong yupela. Diwai i pulim ren i kam daun, givim wara yu dring tu, i kamapim gaden kaikai yupela i kaikai. Mi no olsem Chako, raun raun nating long nambis. Mi grin sneil bilong Manus. Mi gat wok long yu olsem na mi slou. MANUS TINGTING PW1."
John Komet Pikau bilong Baluan Ailan Chauka, em i neitiv pisin bilong Manus Ailan stret. Dispela pisin i no stap long ol narapela hap long Papua Niugini. Singaut bilong Chauka i bilong salim tok save long wonem samting i laik kamap o i kamap pinis. Taim Chauka i singaut i wankain olsem gavman i singaut long ol pipol i kam harim wonem plen bilong ol divelopmen i laik kamapim. Yumi mas save Chauka i piksa bilong gavman na i toktok long wok politik na divelopmen bilong Manus. Ol save man bilong Manus i yusim tasol Chauka long makim olsem dispela gavman bilong toktok nating na i no gat divelopmen i kamap long Manus.
Pokau Wokabaut o spid bilong grin sneil i givim yumi long piksa olsem ol Manus i gat save na ol i mas go isi long stadiyim ol samting pastem long ol i ken traim long kamapim. Gutpela hap tok yumi mas tingim i go olsem: SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE! Pisin Chauka na Grin Sneil i Provinsel praid bilong Manus na yumi ol tru Manusians i mas hamamas long en.
Benedict Tapas Grin sneil i soim olsem yumi Manus tasol insait long PNG i gat dispela sel. Yumi Manus i mas hamamas long dispela sneil i stap long Manus Plak, long soim ol pren bilong yumi i kam autsait long kantri na tu ken grisim planti turis man/meri long kam lukim narapela gutpela samting tu istap. I tru sampela man/meri itok grin sneil i no save kamapim moni bilong Manus Provinsel Gavman o wanpela komoditi long salim go aut na kisim moni i kam insait long PNG na Manus. Tasol mi bilip man husat i putim grin sneil long Manus Plak igat risen, em olsem mi tok pinis. Soim olsem Manus i gat 'natural beauty'. Na i no min SLOU DIVELOPMEN olsem sampela i tok. Dispela chauka pisin tu wankain tasol olsem Sneil. Wanpela kain pisin (unique) tasol i stap hia long Manus na i no narapela hap. Yumi mas hamamas bikos husait i bin disainim dispela plak i gat tingting olsem Manus Provins em spesol. Mining bilong Chauka i plai namel stret insait long plak, i pairap strong na litimapim het bilong ol Manus pipol antap, soim wei o rot i go na kamapim gutpela sindaun namel long ol pipol antap long ol samting i stap long graun na solwara. Chauka pisin (olsem man) i save toksave long yumi long planti gutpela na nogut samting pastaim i save kamap. Em i wasman bilong yumi. Em i save toktok long olgeta tokples bilong yumi. Em hia sampela long ol samting Chauka i save tokim yumi long en:
Sopos wanpela man i tok SNEIL i soim wokabaut o ron bilong yumi Manus Provins olsem SLOU DEVELOPMEN na CHAUKA i soim PLANTI TOKTOK TUMAS na i nogat samting o senis i kamap, mi laik tok olsem: Piksa bilong SNEIL na CHAUKA antap long Manus Plak tupela i no man i gat han na save bilong mekim kamapim hariap senis yu na mi i laikim na lukim. NOGAT! Yumi man (pipol) i go pas lukautim ol hanwok bilong gavman yumi yet mas yusim gut olgeta save God i givim yumi wanwan. Mi no ting SNEIL na CHAUKA i issue. Man yet i ken kamapim ol Divelopmen.
Delyn Kiele Keheng Pisin Chauka i makim `unity', `harmony' na `peace' namel long ol pipol bilong Manus olsem na em istap namel long plak. Chauka tu i olsem wanpela propet i ken tokaut long wonem samting i kam bihain (eg.Rain). Dispela kain pisin yu ken painim tasol long Manus olsem na em i spesol na praid bilong Manus. Namel mak i makim wanpela kain namel (line) i divaidim kala, stail, pasin na ol pipol bilong antap na kala, stail na pasin bilong ol pipol bilong ailan (solwara) na nambis. Grin Sneil (sel) i makim kain kala, stail, pasin na kastam (or ways) bilong yumi Manus i narakain (unique) long ol narapela pipol bilong narapela provins (eg. Kain olsem garamut danis). Braun kala i makim ol pipol bilong antap na bikples na tu i makim graun ol i save yusim bilong helpim ol. Blu kala i makim solwara, ailan na nambis na ol pipol i stap long solwara, ailan na nambis na tu i makim solwara ol i save yusim bilong helpim ol.
Pisepeu Pombruses i tok: Solwara i raunim Manus. Em i no aisoleitim Manus. Em i aidentifayim yumi, em i yunaitim/bungim yumi wantaim ol narapela hap long Papua Niugini na `world'. Kala blu bilong open skai i givim mining olsem, wonem wok kamap yumi laik mekim, wonem driman/vision yumi gat long mekim long Manus. Well, the sky is the limit. Nogat samting i ken pasim yumi long mekim i kamap. Grin Sneil i mak bilong lukluk gut pastaim o `Cautious - ness' na `Vulnerablity ' bilong yumi Manus. Na olsem grin sneil yumi mas luksave long vulnerability bilong yumi long ol senis i laik kamap long yumi long Kastam na Laip bilong yumi, na long bisnis na wok divelopmen. Yumi mas olsem grin sneil i mas `Cautious'! Nogut yumi popaia. Grin sneil tu em soim `humility', `Uniqueness' na `Originality' bilong yumi Manus. Chauka, pisin bilong yumi yet em i mak bilong Patriotism. Dispela singaut na pairap bilong Chauka i mas givim dispela tingting long noken poret long pait long ol Rights, Freedom na Prosperity bilong yumi Manus. Chauka em i gat Pride, Boldness. Em i singaut, i no save haitim wanpela samting. Yumi Manus, yumi lapan. Dispela Chauka em i mak bilong Patriotism na Transparency. Olgeta lida bilong Manus nau i ken wokabaut na wok wantaim praid.
Manus Flag design
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