Nearing Homeward: A story of 8 year PhD Journey

How could cultural dimensions of children’s dietary diversity in Papua New Guinea be understood by combining expert and ordinary knowledge? 

Acknowledgement

I would first, like to acknowledge and pay my respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples, of past, present and emerging, on whose land and country I have been privileged to live, work, thrive and study this past eight years of pursuing this project. I have had the luxury of liberty to explore every sacred dwelling of the far west eye peninsula, the country of the Anangu and Wirangu peoples. I have been privileged to set foot on every rolling hill, beach, sandbar, cave and hug the almighty and gracious gum trees! To connect with elders and youths alike who taught me Pitjantjatjara, to hunt wombats, to make taka and to do roo tails over the glowing fires we made. Then from the far west, I returned to the great Spencer Gulf and climbed the sacred enchanting foothills of the Flinders Ranges. I centred my base here at Bedford Park, the lands of the Kaurna people. Through these adventures, a voice inside keeps ringing louder. I feel like I am getting closer to reality, to myself, home. Please accept my humble and sincere gratitude for allowing me to find the real me. My promise of return, as is with Melanesian custom, is to pass this thesis and use the ideas I have accumulated here to give back to the indigenous peoples of this great South Land, home of the oldest living culture in the world.   

 

A part of me is indebted to the Australian Government for recognising ordinary Papua New Guineans to chase our dreams and burdens of our people through the scholarship programs. Although this thesis has not necessarily been completed with scholarship, as an Ausaid scholarship awardee completing Masters has given me opportunity to pursue this doctoral project. So, to the Australian Government, I am sincerely grateful for choosing me.  

 

Without the undying belief Colin, Julie and Jean had in me, it would be impossible to have arrived here. I am humbled and touched at the deepest core to have come to know you three. My words of gratitude here cannot fully express the awe and admiration I have for you. Please accept my most sincere and heartfelt gratitude and if you may, receive my thoughts, prayers and blessings for everything Nobel to shower and surround you all the days of your life.   

 

My Father Paia, son of the immortal Embetaye, how did I ever deserve to be your oldest child? Let alone daughter! You believed in me that day I was only 12 years old trying to sit for my grade 10 examination at Koroba Secondary School. You fronted up at the school gate with your bare feet bruised from walking for almost 3 days to come and see me with the pandanus nuts you had in your half-torn string bag. It was that belief that carried me here. If you may, my wish is to be your incarnate because your uniqueness is solid powerhouse melting every obstacle. You are my favourite human being forever. 

 

Mother, Porawi, daughter of Chief Ilu, you are mighty in many ways. You are spacious and dominate with presence and awe. You taught me virtue, divinity and wisdom. It is the way you taught me. No spoken words. Just doing. That is why I speak of you and carry you every single day of my life, in every fibre of my DNA. Oh mother, thank you for desiring only the best and the most for me and all your bloodlines through me.  

 

All my six siblings, I have always tried my best to be the best and take risks all my life because you listen to me. Even when I lie. Even when I make decisions that put us all in trials and tribulations. Each one of you six never once contend with me. Like gentle lambs, you surrender to me as I am the only boss you know. I do not know of any other family like us. I feel so blessed to be your oldest sibling. Because of that I got here. For us and all our children and all theirs.  

 

Nendege, your name means ‘come share friendship with me’ in the Yuna cosmology. My memories of your warmth, beauty, intelligence, and innovation are as vivid now as some 4 decades ago when you took me into your bosom and nurtured and taught me everything that is there to know. I saw your beauty shine like the morning rising sun, I still see it. Tall and handsome, formidable in looks, voice and ways. You were different. Everyone knew your intelligence and innovation. You made salt, you traded, you preserved, and you saved entire clans through the most difficult of times, in famine, frost and drought. You were admired by all. You stood tall in every season. You were just one of a kind. How did I even get to be your adopted child. I am still searching for answers as to why, if this really happened. I know you are watching and dancing not from far, but by my side. I feel you every time I put words on paper because they are your words. I have finally reached the mountain you asked me to reach, no matter how long it took. I love you forever!   

 

To my sons Khaka and Raki, what shall I say! Accept my sincerest apologises that I may have failed to be the mum you dreamed or deserve. I feel so blessed, so lucky and so privileged to be your mother in this life. I do not deserve this honour. You two taught me resilience, perseverance, never giving up, finding sun in the cloud and most of all love. Accept my very sincere gratitude for allowing me to be just me. To take as long as I could to hang in and reach the finish line in my own race, at my own pace. I pray that this may become a virtue for you in your own race. 

 

And finally, to the children that make up this piece of work, your innocence rises above greed and unfairness. Your resilience to thrive gives hope to humanity. And you carry the stories, and histories to create a fairer world for everyone. For that I am humbled to have written this piece. So, thank you. 

 

And the Abstract Submission accepted for presentation at the 9^th World Conference on Qualitative Research, 4 > 6 February 2025 (Kraków, Poland).

Using qualitative principles to decolonize research into children’s dietary diversity in Papua New Guinea

Shila, Colin, Julie, Jean

Flinders University

Colin MacDougall

Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

colin.macdougall@flinders.edu.au

Introduction

Children aged 2-5 in Papua New Guinea have low

dietary diversity and high rates of malnutrition.  Research reflects German, British and

Australian colonisation. Decolonising epistemologies are starting to navigate

beliefs from colonialism, culture, traditional healing, religion, and

gender. 

Goals

To understand how research about cultural dimensions of children’s

dietary diversity in Papua New Guinea could combine expert and community

knowledge.

Methods

We analysed findings from a quantitative survey of

children’s dietary diversity and discussed them with a purposive sample of

women recognised as cultural leaders. 

Women recommended changes to the design of the survey and proposed

alternative content. Our synthesis aims to inform research on dietary

diversity.   The survey was national, and

the qualitative research occurred in the Highlands by the first author: a

Highlands woman combining community knowledge and western knowledge from

Australian doctoral studies.

Findings

Quantitative analysis showed high rates of malnutrition and low dietary

diversity and different urban and rural patterns:  eg education, income, polygamy. Diet was not

associated with income and women’s empowerment. 

Women cultural experts advised income measures worked for urban but not

rural areas. The empowerment measure didn’t address community knowledge and PNG

ways of being, knowing and doing (epistemology). Cultural silences in the

survey are problematic. Examples are children not being fed protein despite

availability of pigs-controlled by men for ceremonies, peacemaking, politics,

dowries, cash, dominance and intimidation. Women had difficulty feeding

children because had to take children with them when they worked hard on land

they did not own.  Women could not feed

children whilst menstruating. Men and older boys were fed first, with low

priority for women and children. 

Discussion

Qualitative findings showed how the survey failed to measure income and

empowerment in culturally appropriate ways. Questions did not address key

cultural and gendered influences on children's dietary diversity. This

international survey was accepted for use in PNG by a small group of men.

Decolonizing research must mix methods starting with qualitative to guide

survey design. Qualitative methods should complement and explain quantitative

finding. Research design and recommendations should be jointly produced by

synthesizing expert and community theories.