31/05/2026
I was born and raised in a remote village, just like many other children in the Highlands, but my dusty bedroom was filled with books of all kinds.
The first book I was introduced to before I went to school was Kilip and Moru. Apart from that, there were many others. Most of them were Sabbath School lesson books that were freely distributed during our Sabbath classes at church, and I would read them eagerly.
It was normal for my siblings and me to expect our parents to bring us flour balls and biscuits when they returned from town, but my father always brought me books, some from second-hand shops and others from the Adventist Book Centre in Goroka.
The Adventist Record, which was published monthly, was given freely at the counter, and he would always pick up a copy for me.
My love for books grew deeper with each passing day of my childhood.
In 2013, just before I left home, I was given a copy of The Two Mountains by the late Brian Tieba. The book was a great inspiration. I have kept that copy for the past 14 years.
I left the village with a dream that one day, I would tell our own Papua New Guinean stories. While away at school, I wrote in my notebooks many stories. When I bought my first smartphone in 2022, I created my first Facebook account and began sharing more of my stories.
When I saw that many people loved what I shared, I deleted the account. I was scared, perhaps it was childishness.
A few weeks later, I created another account and started sharing again.
At the time, I was working as a security guard and was required to be stationed at the gate. Whenever there were no vehicles coming in or going out, I would pull a small notebook from my back pocket and start writing. Many of those writings would later be published.
It was at that gate that the idea of writing a tribute to those who lost their lives in the MV Rabaul Queen disaster was born.
Sometimes I typed on my phone; other times, I wrote in my notebook. Over time, the story began to take shape and make sense.
Today, when I hold a copy of the book in my hands, it feels like a little bit of magic. How powerful the mind is. It reminds me that stories live on in the hearts of those who write them and those who read them.
Now, I have a dream to tell hundreds of thousands of PNG stories, have them published, and distribute them to schools across the country.
Getting a copy of my debut novel will not only honour the lives lost but will also help me achieve that dream.
Gladly appreciate those who got a copy. You'll always be cherished and remembered.
In a world where everything seems to be at our fingertips, encouraging our children to read stories and books from their own country is one way forward. Books in which they can see themselves and their own experiences and be part it.
Naso Caleb Kila
WhatsApp: 81264763 / 71756613
to get a copy of my debut novel.
