Details

Latitude

-4.212335

Longitude

152.174

Start Date

1993-02-17

End Date

1993-02-17

Tape#1: Background of Rabaul Ambonese community, Kambiu Club Music and General Experiences Side A&B: Peter Sahluteru was born in 1932 to an Ambonese, Indonesian father and New Ireland, PNG mother so a mixed-race parentage and heritage in his family. The Ambonese are an Indonesian ethnic group of mixed Austronesian-Papuan origin. The Ambonese are from Ambon Island in Maluku, an island group east of Sulawesi and north of Timor in Indonesia. Peter's family moved to Rabaul during the German colonial rule and the Ambonese people who migrated live together in the Malaytown area of the township. The background to the Ambonese living in Rabaul has a lot to do with colonization by Europeans in Indonesia and New Guinea. The Ambonese are an Indonesian ethnic group of mixed Austronesian-Papuan origin and come from Ambon Island in Maluku, an island group east of Sulawesi and north of Timor in Indonesia. They are an ethnic mixture of Southeast Asians and the Melanesian people of New Guinea with its predominant language of the island as Ambonese Malay, also called Ambonese developed as the trade language. Foreign colonialists were Europeans who were firstly Portuguese colonials then later the Dutch who established Dutch New Guinea headquarters on Ambon Island. The Ambonese people have achieved a privileged position in Indonesia and mostly Europeanized adopting christianity with medium to wealthy class since the mid-19th century. They related well with the Dultch colonizers and involved in state and military services. Many people are employed as government workers, fishermen, teachers, doctors, and nurses. The Ambonese Malay are also known for being excellent singers and storytellers. Even there are up to 50,000 Ambonese people living in the Netherlands including Peter Sahluteru’s family and relatives. The European colonizing influence continued with the Germans brough Ambonese people to Rabaul and its headquarters of German New Guinea to be government workers such as clerks, storeman and so Peter’s father was one of the immigrants in the earlier 1900s’. Peter was not a musician but was associated with the Rabaul Ambonese and mixed race community and Kambiu Club for their social entertainment. Most mixed race people were Malay, Micronesians, Chinese, Japanese, Europeans who inter-married amongst these ethnic groups and native people mainly New Ireland so these communities had strong links between Kavieng, Namatanai and Rabaul. Based on a 1953 photograph of the Kambiu Club strngband, there were mixed race members and were identified as Robert Kessy, Andy Sieghers, George Kessy, Nick Kaligatus, John Kapu, Martin Kapu, Herman Karius, Ben Lamasing, Jerry Lakumaina, Leo Mattiwena, Henry Lavita, Vincent Nadero, Frank Wattimena. The Kambiu Club stringband had a variety of instruments from acoustic guitars, steel guitars, ukeleles, bass guitars and there were also female singers. During the second world war, with Japanese occupation and POW camps, amongst other mixed race communities were taken in by the Japanese for various work, there was mixed reactions in their treatments to the people some good and some bad. Peter's father was based in New Ireland in Namatanai and Kaviend then returned to Rabaul. Peter is about 10 years old then and learnt Japanese in schools as well as songs as entertainment on certain events amonst many children. In 1963, there was a separation of Kambiu Club and Ambonese Club was set up still serving all the mixed race community and others interested. General mix race community life was enjoyable and all seem to work together with the Europeans, Australians, Chinese and to some extent the native population with Tolais and others from New Guinea Islands and New Guinea mainland. There was interest amongst all Rabaul residents as a vibrant cosmopolitan town with its rich history and life that all enjoyed. Peopllike Peter amongst many were looking forward to a book about Rabaul being written by Rev. Neville Threlfold, of Methodist mission where many contributed through the information and materials collected as they were all part of the Rabaul town life. A music "Dust over Rabaul" was a song composed by Wuya Wanon a mixed Chinese musician promoting Rabaul town and recording by John Wong in the 1990s demonstrates the sense of belonging and pride as residents of Rabaul. (Steven Gagau, January 2020)

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