LAE, Saturday, 19 April 2025 – Former senior minister and respected statesman Bart Philemon marked his 80th birthday on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Butibam Village in Lae with an emotional and candid reflection on the dramatic changes he has witnessed across eight decades of life—from village gardening and missionary schooling to airline boardrooms and national leadership.
Addressing a gathering of family, friends, and community members, Philemon began by pointing to a troubling contrast between the past and the present: the village today, he said, is struggling. A local household survey revealed over 2,800 people and 478 homes, yet only about 900 people had regular fortnightly incomes. The community now survives by buying food staples like bread, sugar, tin meat, and rice—often only managing one meal a day.
“That’s not how it was before,” Philemon said with concern. “Back then, we had gardens. We had enough to eat. Now we’re buying everything—and eating once a day. This is what Butibam has become.”
He urged the community to recognise the growing dependence on money and warned against losing sight of traditional self-reliance.
A Journey from Butibam to Abroad
Philemon then turned inward, sharing the story of his own life—a story that began right there in Butibam. At the age of 11, he was one of three students selected by Lutheran missionaries to go to school in Australia.
It was 1958.
“The missionaries took us,” he said. “But they made it clear—we had to pass our year-end exams. If we failed, we would go back.”
After several years of study, he was called back by the Education Director of the Lutheran Church, who told him he had been awarded a scholarship to study at Wartburg University in Iowa, USA.
But after being away from his parents for several years, Philemon declined the offer. “I missed my father and mother,” he said. “So I stayed. I enrolled at the University of Papua New Guinea.”
Philemon completed part of his degree but dropped out, and spent eight years working in administration at UPNG. Eventually, he joined Trans Australia Airlines and later moved to Air Niugini, where he rose to Assistant General Manager.
Clashes, Resignation, and a Return to the Land
During his time at Air Niugini, Philemon found himself at odds with Transport Minister Iambakey Okuk. The minister attempted to interfere with airline operations by pushing for an inquiry. Philemon, then serving as Commercial Director, resisted.
“I was one of the talking men,” he said. “The general manager resigned. Four senior executives resigned. And I resigned too.”
Despite his leadership credentials, Philemon turned down two diplomatic appointments—Ambassador to Brazil and High Commissioner to London. Instead, he came back to Butibam to start again.
He borrowed K120,000 from the Development Bank and developed six hectares of customary land. He built a house, installed water and electricity, and planted over 1,000 Cavendish banana trees. Wife Janet built a coffee shop, a community training centre, and these supported their children’s education—from primary school to Lutheran High School in Brisbane, and onwards to universities in Australia.
A Call for Planning and Hard Work
His central message to the next generation was clear: the so-called “boom days” are gone, and the only way forward is through planning, saving, and working.
“Talk won’t feed you,” he said. “You want to boom? You must put something in the ground. Like our fathers did.”
He warned against dependency and idleness, drawing a sharp contrast between the past and today’s money-focused culture.
“Before, we had gardens. Today, we wait for money to buy food. Before, people supported each other. Now, you can’t boom without money.”
Gratitude and Farewell
As he closed his speech, Philemon became visibly emotional, giving thanks to those who had made the journey to celebrate with him, especially his Janet, who was preparing to return to Australia.
“Mi amamas tru,” he said. “Thank you for coming to be with me on this 80th birthday. Thank you for standing with me. Thank you for walking with me.”
His final words were directed at the younger generation: “You must plan. You must work. The future won’t come to you—you must build it.”
The birthday celebration in Butibam was not just a personal milestone for one of PNG’s most enduring public figures—it was a powerful meditation on change, tradition, and the enduring importance of land, family, and faith.
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