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Josephine abaijah

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A thousand coloured dreams

June 30, 2021
55📖🇵🇬PAPUA NEW GUINEA🇵🇬This autobiography of Josephine Abaijah is the first book to be published by a PNG Woman. That in itself drew me to this book. It covers her life from childhood in poverty in Papua through to her becoming the first woman elected to PNG parliament, establishing a political party for Papua independence. Her life and achievements are no doubt remarkable, yet there is a constant figure ‘ Dr Dina’ who is her ever-present mentor, sponsor, advisor, business partner and lover who is the true force behind her successes. It’s mysterious that Abaijah doesn’t declare Dina as Dr Eric Wright, left wing activist who was deported from PNG for attempting to destabilise the government. Perhaps it’s because he was married and their relationship was largely at odd with her Christian beliefs? Abaijah also doesn’t fill in the blanks of how an impoverished single mother rose from being Dina’s personal assistant to MP without legal qualifications or strong connections. She is highly critical of the Australian ‘colonial’ government which
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Abaijah, Josephine (1942—)

Papua New Guinea health educator, political leader, and entrepreneur. Name variations: Josephine Abayah; Dame Josephine Abaijah. Born in Wamira Village, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, in 1942; one of the first women to be educated in New Guinea.

Became a health-education administrator and the first female member of the House of Parliament (1972–82); an entrepreneur with several retail businesses, returned to politics to serve as chair of the Interim Commission (governing body) of the National Capital District; created Dame of the British Empire (1991); published novel A Thousand Coloured Dreams; leader of the Papua Besena Party.

Some 100 miles north of Australia, Papua New Guinea is one of the last "unknown" areas of the globe. With fewer than four million people, the country is underpopulated. Many tribes—cut off from one another by precipitous mountain ranges, tropical rain forests, and fast-flowing rivers—speak over 700 languages. One-third of the population lives in the mist-shrouded Highlands. Though born in 1942, Josephine Abaijah grew up

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Josephine Abaijah

Papua New Guinean politician (born 1940)

Dame Josephine Abaijah, GCLDBE (born 23 June 1940) is a Papua New Guinean former politician. She was the first woman to be elected to the House of Assembly in 1972.[1]

Biography

Born in Misima and one of 17 children, Abaijah began working in the Department of Public Health after leaving school, becoming a health education specialist.[2] She also attended the University of London, where she obtained a diploma.[2] She also played netball for the Papua New Guinea territory team, becoming vice-captain.[2]

She contested the Central Provincial seat in the 1972 elections, becoming the first woman to win a seat in the House of Assembly, and only the second female legislator in Papua New Guinea after Doris Booth (who had been an appointed member in the 1950s). Abaijah was the only woman elected at that time.[3] After being elected, she founded and led the Papua Besena movement, which agitated unsuccessfully for Papua to become a separate independent country instead

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