The Bush Kanaka Speaks

Kumalau Tawali

‘The Bush Kanaka Speaks’ is a poem published in 1972 by author Kamalau Tawali, a former graduate of the University of Papua New Guinea and current Director of the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies.

What is most evident within the text are the power structures. White men essentially forcing their culture onto the indigenous peoples or the bush kanaka, who are resisting these forces with not much success. Particularly in the beginning of the text we can see that the post colonial literature has been given the indigenous perspective. These ‘white men’ are getting themselves stressed out and yelling and screaming at the indigenous men.

“The kiap shouts at us

forcing the veins to stand out in his neck

nearly forcing the excreta out of his bottom”

These lines make it clear that there is some kind of superior or dominant attitude coming from the white people. Even though it seems like this man who is talking within the poem doesn't have a very high opinion of himself, he is still under this control, he is still working under this white kiap. This idea comes up again and again within the literature, the superior/inferior attitude where the kiap is essentially saying that these people are living in primitive and underdeveloped places that are therefore less than.

“He says: you are dirty”

“He says we live in dirty rubbish houses”

“He says: you’ll get sick”

It conveys this message or idea that the white kiap are so much more obsessed with hygiene and sickness and it’s all sort of looking down at another person’s way of living.

“Haven’t I eaten such food all my life,

And I haven’t died yet?

Maybe his stomach is tender like a child’s

born yesterday. I’m sure he couldn't

eat our food without getting sick.”