All Doors Are Open
Tais village was really remote. I was convinced that one of the main reasons people did not want to live near rivers were mosquitoes. Incredibly numerous, buzzing noise beside the ears.
Pier to Tais, Papua New Guinea.
We continued our journey to Tais, Sisi\'s hometown in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The distance was only 10 kilometers, but the journey was not as easy as one might think.
Tais was located inland. Our boat had to turn from the Arafura Sea toward the mouth of a small river. Arafura, a very shallow sea.
The water receded between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and unfortunately, we arrived late. Now, the sea was ankle deep, impossible for our motorboat to pass. Meanwhile, the mouth of the river was still 2 km away.
After being stranded for three hours, we finally reached the estuary. Our boat slowly went down the river. Since entering the river, no one dared to even place their hands on the edge of the boat. This river was full of crocodiles.
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After nearly an hour, we arrived in front of a fairly gentle muddy cliff. This was the pier to Tais. As soon as I got off the boat, I was immersed in waist-deep mud.
In just a few claps, I killed more than 20 malaria mosquitoes.
Tais village was really remote. I was convinced that one of the main reasons people did not want to live near rivers were mosquitoes. Incredibly numerous, buzzing noise beside the ears. In just a few claps, I killed more than 20 malaria mosquitoes.
We walked together through the forest, across the swamps by climbing bridges made from tree trunks. An hour went by, the scene suddenly opened. There was a vast expanse of fields, fresh green as far as the eye could see. Tais was like a paradise garden hidden behind the thick jungle.
***
Entering Tais was a big surprise for me. A main road stretched evenly 4 meters wide from the starting point of the village to its end. The roadside was lined with colorful shrubs that were uniform in height. On the left and right sides of the road were rows of houses on stilts, all made of wood and dry leaves, with the exact same shape and size. Each house also had a garden plot that was almost the same width.
Tais village, Papua New Guinea.
Even more surprising, none of the houses had doors. Therefore, everyone was free to go in and out of other people\'s homes — also free to see anyone or anything in any house.
This was perhaps the closest phenomenon to my imagination of a world without walls, a paradise without borders. It was a luxury that was impossible to apply in our modern life.
The residents of Tais, consisted of a few dozen families, all knew each other and were closely related. The uniformity of the shape and size of their houses showed that no one was richer or poorer than the other. Without differences in property ownership, there was no reason to be jealous and there was no urge to steal. It was this extraordinary feeling of security that allowed them to keep all their doors open at all times.
***
When we were stranded at the mouth of the river earlier, Sisi found a large crab and a snapper caught in a fishing net. She picked up a rock, crushed the crab\'s claws, then threw the crab and snapper into the boat.
I was surprised to see that and asked why she took someone\'s belongings. Sisi casually replied, “Everyone is sharing here.”
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In Tais village, I just realized how their life was thick with tribal principles. Everything that belonged to the members of the tribe was shared and enjoyed together. That included their hunting results, fish catch or all the produce of their fields.
Even dogs were too lazy to bark. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the beauty of life.
That peace made this village look so slow and lazy. People just sat around doing nothing. Even dogs were too lazy to bark. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the beauty of life.
Excitement was instantly created when Sisi returned to her village. She was immediately served like someone who had just returned from a faraway land. Her father hastily prepared chairs and her mother immediately grilled fish and bananas for her.
Coming with Sisi, I was like a great guest, too. Sisi\'s father, whom I called Daddy, immediately picked a bunch of yellowing bananas for me. Her mother, whom I call Mommy, was also friendly.
Crab and snapper that Sisi found at the mouth of the Kotanya River.
Daddy happened to have just built a new stilt house and it was still empty. This was home was for me while I stayed in this village. Sisi prepared a baby mattress, pillow and baby bolster, especially for me. She also brought a bucket of water, inviting me to take a bath in the house.
Sisi also asked me to hand over my dirty clothes for her to wash. I felt this was too much. I refused, but Sisi insisted. I asked, “Why all this?”
Sisi replied lightly, "Everyone is sharing here!"
(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo).
