Lei Lei village

Place Oceania: New Guinea1, Papua New Guinea, Papua, Port Moresby
Accession Number ART22253
Collection type Art
Measurement Overall: 39.4 x 45.7 cm
Object type Painting
Physical description oil on canvas
Maker Dargie, William
Place made New Guinea1
Date made January 1944
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Scene at Lei Lei Village. Dargie noted, "Situated about 27 miles NW [north west] of Port Moresby, this is a favourite spot with the troops to spend a day off. Most of the males of the village are at present away working on the ANGAU [Australian New Guinea Administration Unit] carrier line, but the remaining older men consider that they also are helping the war effort by making toy lakatois and other types of souvenirs which they sell to the visiting troops. The small children are particularly engaging: they sidle shyly up to the visitors, saying "You my friend". After trotting happily along at one's side for a while they say, "You my friend, taubada; you give me shilling". The village itself is clean, and a credit to ANGAU. The health of the natives is attended to by a native medical assistant who was trained at the Sydney University. The community is very proud of its latrine, built white man's fashion."