[Mihalic] kam man, kam meri

[Robin Hide]

Pat's posting pushes the Curry/Koczberski late 1980s Sepik date back to the 
1970s.

Two further recent examples (online), the first also from the (West) Sepik 
region:

1. "Four villages are in dispute with Youngite over the Tenkile cave: 
Rauwetei, Waunulu, Souelete and Maiwetum. Rauwetei people settled in 
Youngite's ground; they are referred to as "kam man". The Waunulu, they 
also argue, are from Kupalu, and they arrived to settle land that belonged 
to Youngite, which Youngite did not give them. An ancestor woman married in 
to Waunulu, and a kandare meri in Youngite gave her son a piece of land."

In Sullivan, N., with Warr, T., Rainbubu, J., Emori, R., Allman, N., 
Mamdeni, L., and Williams, K. 2003. The Wape people, after the Devil Fish: 
Culture and conservation of Scott's Tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus Scottae). 
http://www.nancysullivan.org/pdf/companyreport-tenkilewapelumi.pdf.. p. 90


2. "In PNG, as soon as you go to another district you are considered a 
foreigner. It's even worse if you go to another province. When I moved from 
my village to the provincial capital (after quitting my well paid job to go 
help the village people), those in town regarded me as a "kam man". I am 
still regarded as a kam man after living there for 5 years. Two years ago I 
moved to another province and it is even worse. I am a "kam man" here as well!"
27 June 2007, 
http://www.network54.com/Forum/210143/thread/1182313265/last-1183554610/Return+all+you+prodigal+sons+of+PNG

Robin Hide


At 09:10 AM 21/02/2008, you wrote:
>I feel this has always been part of my Tok Pisin repertoire. I must have 
>been introduced to it in Yangoru in the 1970s. Kamman as immigrant or 
>refugee seems to me a refusal of ownership on the part of the locals, or a 
>humble statement of gratitude for hospitality on the part of those who come.
>
>        Pat Gesch
>
>Dr Fr Patrick F Gesch SVD
>Divine Word University
>P O Box 483
>Madang
>Papua New Guinea
>Tel: [675] 852 2937
>Fax: [675] 852 2812
>pgesch at dwu.ac.pg
>
>
>
>
>----------
>From: mihalic-bounces at anu.edu.au [mailto:mihalic-bounces at anu.edu.au] On 
>Behalf Of Robin Hide
>Sent: Wednesday, 20 February 2008 9:01 AM
>To: mihalic at anu.edu.au
>Subject: [Mihalic] kam man, kam meri
>
>A  year ago, in the pre PNG election period, I noticed  for the first time 
>the appearance in print of the term(s) kam man, merifor migrants, in 
>contrast to asples man etc.
>
>It appeared on at least 3 occasions (centred on Madang), e.g.
>
>Pamba, Kevin (2007). Candidates incite hatred, issue threats. The 
>National, Tuesday, 15 May 2007. 
>http://www.thenational.com.pg/051507/nation7.htm
>
>Pamba, Kevin (2007). Kam mannot in the way of asples man. The National, 
>The Notebook, Tuesday, 15 May 2007. 
>http://www.thenational.com.pg/051507/column3.htm
>
>Tanirau, Madang (2007). Letter: Kam man, merimust respect Madang. 
>Post-Courier, Friday, 31 August 2007. 
>http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20070831/view03.htm
>
>George Curry and Gina Koczberski (whose most interesting seminar on 
>Migration and Oil Palm yesterday at ANU sent me back to check newspaper 
>cuttings), say that they first heard the term used in Wosera in East Sepik 
>in 1988.
>
>Does anyone else have information on this term,  its distribution and usage?
>
>Robin Hide
>
>
>
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