Fifty years ago, on 16 September 1975, Papua New Guinea gained independence from Australia after decades of colonial rule. The transfer of power was an attempt to unify more than 800 language groups under one sovereign state. For many, the day was filled with emotion and hope, but for others, it sparked suspicion and resistance.
Arnold Amet, then a 22-year-old law student, was chosen to lower the Australian flag and raise Papua New Guinea's for the first time at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby. 'That was an exciting, memorable time,' recalled Amet, who later became chief justice and now serves as the country's US ambassador. 'I don't think that there were many dry eyes as we lowered the Australian flag and raised ours.'
However, not all celebrated. In the highlands of Tari, local men chopped down the flagpole shortly after the new flag was hoisted. Chris Warrillow, an Australian administrator in the area, recalled: 'As soon as the PNG flag went up, they didn't pull the flag down – they chopped the whole bloody pole down.' This reflected fears that independence would mean subjugation by unfamiliar neighbours under a foreign system.
The transition was driven by Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who pledged in 1972 to begin self-governance. He granted PNG self-rule in 1973 and set a timeline for full independence by 1975. While the urban educated elite in Port Moresby embraced independence, many in the provinces remained wary. Amet noted: 'We were all excited about self-government and then independence, which was obviously distinct from our elders and many of our citizens in our provinces.'
Despite ongoing challenges, including social and economic hardships, many Papua New Guineans still hold on to the promise of that moment. The official motto of 'unity in diversity' remains a work in progress, but the memory of independence continues to inspire.
