A Tour of Panguna Copper Mine in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea
A Tour of Panguna Copper Mine in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea
#panguna #bougainville #papuanewguinea
Panguna in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea in 2018.
It was a privilege to be shown around Panguna town, mine and surroundings by a local in 2018. After living in nearby Arawa for two-years, this was my first proper visit to the area and it was a pleasure to experience, hear stories and talk to…
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It felt like a real privilege to visit and be shown around Panguna. Thank you! Do you have fond memories?
It was such a great treat watching Panguna's flora and fauna regrowth of the aftermath of the civil war that broke out on the island of Bougainville back then.TA!
The place I was born at. Still remember the swimming pool where we used to swim every day. Thanks so much for this video.
What a shame, I have been there at the Port Loloho Powerstation from 1972 to 1975, good memories 👍👍👍
3:25 gee still a lot of copper there.
Great choice of music for this video,thanks.
My Dream land …
I lived in panguna from 1970 to 1974 so sad to see all the hard work gone to ruins.
i grew up in panguna from 1970 to 89 ,my two brothers were born in panguna and i want to go back
Jeez…. changed a bit since i worked their 75/77
Is the blue water the result of toxic chemicals?
I recognise the swimming pool where I once was in the swimming club. In a way though I am happy to see one instance of where nature is winning – in the town at least. I prey the same will happen at Grasberg (which is a much bigger environmental and cultural atrocity than Bougainville). But it is a slow process, you can see the water – perhaps contaminated indefinitely, and the mine itself still looks like a moonscape.
If only the mining company learned to work with the people … just a ghost town today. But years of untold wealth for the people remain to be made. I lived in PNG for 22years. This great video brings back wonderful memories.
I was in Bougainville in 76 and 77 working for Barclay Bros. We built Tunuru Service Station in Arawa, extensions to Morgan Equip site, the temporary school in Loloho and about 250 MD2 houses. Great memories of working there. I contracted malaria so my time there ended rather abruptly and was sent home to Sydney. Sad to see it now after all the work that went into the place.
me belong stop Arrawa liklik pikinini 78-84, such fond memories!
Sad to see what stage Panguna end up with . I was there living on B Block and later in one of the house with my lated husband from1988 to the last day before everyone left .Still remember the day he went to turn the mainframe computer for the mine off then came back to Arowa where our safe house is, with Horse s helicopter. Even though we were there for a short 2 years . We love it there . We went to the the club and play Bingo with everyone . Or go to Arowo for the weekend . Markets ate my favourite place to visit . Such good memories. Sad to see it end
So Sad to see it in this condition, I will keep fond memories of my Bouganinville lady friends from when I lived there in 1986-1990. Shame you didn't show the houses in Panguna where we lived. My children went to Panguna school and I use to swim in the pool nearly every day and go to the gym. I loved the people, the lifestyle and company. I will always cherish my time there. I always am thinking what happened to everyone from the time I was there.
There's nothing to admire about a company that was destroying the environment with pollutants, we can still see their effects to this day..It nice that the indigenous people stood up and said NO MORE and shut down this fuckin mine that was destroying their land.
They say when a bunch of Bougainville blokes get together at a mining conference the room lights up, even 50 years later. There was something special about that place. I was there in 1972 and 1973, and will always be thankful for the experience. But not the malaria!
my parents [adam & johanna]and i lived in panguna bougainville island first in a flat later on in a 3 bedroom house……i was then a child aged between 8 and 10 when we lived in panguna bougainville island…..i admit i was once very stubborn 4 not takening the is the malaria tablet ..but when my 2 nannas came to stay with us from nov 1972 until feb 1973 we had a very gr8t time……as i because i still re-call was i had 2 sing the first part solo of the xmas carol''''''silent night'''''then the entire class joined in with me……..plus i even recieved my 1st aid certifacate as well in grade 2………..but we all left panguna bougainville island 2wards the end december 1973……after all i still manged to finished grade 3…….so my dad was a foreman in paguna mine plus a diesel fitter too……and when my nannas,mom and i went 2 loloho 2 the beach was my dad had night shift,, even once stage the volcano shock too so my mom told my dad '''''''to check if i was still okay'''''''yes i was still in my bed fast asleep………i still remember some of my friends they were rosemary moses [she was in grade 4-5 not sure any more k]……renatatony and miro mitrowich ther parents names were tony and pearl………….dad friends george and sylvia[surname unknown but they later had a baby girl named suzy but they lived in veneuzela south america]john and marita lehner[ they also lived in veneuzelasouth america]but they later moved 2 buderim qld down-under[australia]these 2 ppl spotted my folks walking accross the road/street so they went nd asked the council where we were living somewhere in qld down-under]australia]….so this couple went 2 visit my folks but alas i didn't meet them at all……..until john lehner rang up he wanted 2 talk 2 my dad alas dad & mom were not home so i wasat home i asked john lehner was via the phone ''''who are you''''''''he reconized my voice but i didnot remember john lehner…yiou see as i child i called him was '''''''uncle john''''''''and his wife ''aunt marita'''……..so that is when he told me '''''''it is uncle johnny lived in panguna''''''….o boy was i shocked and very suprised heasked e to tell that contact john lehner so dad did contact john lehner va the phone so john lehner came again as i said silently 2 my mom ''''''''uncle john speaks like a true american'''''''……..she agreed with me……..a few weeks later mom and i were sitting on bench in the main street………so who said hello 2 me''''''''at 1st this lady said hello 2 my mom''''''………then she said '''''''''hello 2 me how are you'''''''''i said 2 her '''''''fine thank you'''''''she asked me if i remembered her the answer was ''''''''''nope i don't know you no more '''''''so she told me who she was '''o boy wasi shocked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!then marita lehner said to my mom and me was '''gee wizz you have changed'''''''''well i had a little giggle……and i replied was'''''''i am no longer a child so now grown up'''''''so she bursted also in laughter……………..but i must add is when i was in my teens from age 12 to 14 and6 months we lived n another mining town somewhere in queensland down-under [australia]we went shopping on a saturday morning at medleys i kept on looking at a girl she looked 100% fimaliar 2 me but i couldnot pin point where i knew her from in this world……….so typical on monday i went 2 school i wasin grade 5 she was in grade 3 …….at big lunch she came 2 me and asked me was''''''''why were you staring at me in the shop at medleys on saturday morning'''''''………so i told her the story and i asked her was ''''''did you live in panguna bougaiville island and do you have a sister named christine ??'''the anwser was a big '''''yes why do you want know that for as mine name is katrina jeffries,christinaand my parents lived in panguna bougainville island….did you live there too'''''…i said '''''''''yes i had grade 2 and 3 in panguna as well i told who my friends were….''''she had the same friends as myself except she wasnot a friend of rosemary moses………after schol her mom picked her up katrina jeffrieswas so excited to re-introduce me to her mom and christine her sister…….strangly enough we also lived in the same street…………so her mom wanted 2 give me a lift home with the car later my parents and i moved 2 differebt street in the same mining town………so i wouldnt get into trouble getting late at school at the mining town…….but later my dad became bed ridden from 1st jan.2000 and passed away 2 july 2000…..so i met a guy who worked with my dad in the 1970's in panguna bougainville island so he told me he knew my dad because he worked under my dad as a apprectince[what a small little world]as well i might add is my mom has also passed away since 2nd dec.2010….so to the ppl who knew my parents please do keep try and keep in touch remember i think i found is so far mr.brian cutis who also has vety fond memoriesof panguna bougaiville island…….i almost 4got 2 mention is when my nannas came to kieta bougainville island i wanted 2 greet them on the airport i wasnot allowed to go to them via customs until my dad explianed 2 the customs that is her grandmothers then it was okay i was allowed 2 see the fast as i could by greeting them but also i almost fell on my knees and once i took the bus home as well i recall isa electrician was fiing is electricity pole he stood on a stainsteel ladder he fell off and he passed away straight away that made me very sad and unhappy
This is great to see. We lived in Arawa early 1970’s and my father worked at the mine. Amazing place for a kid to be, along with an active volcano in the background.
Thats my old hometown. I learnt to swim in that pool, played basketball, tennis and squash near the pool. Happy memories👍🏾.
It’s sad how the mines destroy the natural vegetation and it is not restored such a beautiful place
Doesn't take long for nature to reclaim the land. Thanks for the nostalgia.
Destruction is easy, creating Panguna as it was, took a lot of great minds. What a tragic waste
Saw my old rooms from the 70's there and what sad remnants they are.. C Block 215 and G2 room 1.. It was such a thriving and busy place then