Aloysius Nase – Bougainville radio pioneer

BY KEITH JACKSON

I SPENT NEARLY three years between 1970 and 1973 as station manager of Radio Bougainville.

The station was run by the TPNG Administration, its studios were in Kieta and I quickly discovered it was seriously disliked by most of its audience.

Even before I arrived in Bougainville, I understood that District Commissioner Des Ashton had a powerful influence over the station.

In fact, he had unknowingly lent his name to it. Throughout Bougainville it was known as ‘Radio Ashton’.

Which was better than ‘Radio Des’. But only just.

It was so-called because the District Commissioner was in the habit of directing the radio station as to how it should report the news. Especially news about the establishment of the Panguna copper mine.

Soon after arriving as manager I did two things: stopped Des' influence over our broadcasts and ran a contest for a new station identifier.

Maus Bilong Sankamap was the result. It's still in use.

When I arrived with the injunction that I should “sort it out”, I assessed the staff who would be assisting me to "sort it out".

There was Aloysius Sahoto, the senior broadcast officer from Sohano. A wonderful man. Never saw him rattled, even when he rolled the station vehicle.

There was Sam Bena, the smoothest, most complete radio announcer. Sam told me once, after he’d been in the bush on a recording patrol, “I went into this village and they laughed at me.” I expressed surprise and Sam said: “No, no. They looked at me and said, ‘How can such a big voice come from someone so scrawny!’”

There was Tom Kathoa, a real tearaway back then, well settled 40 years later I understand, who is still doing great service at New Dawn FM on Buka.

Perpetua Tanaku, from inland of Kieta, was a beautiful black pearl who married a rebel leader and died of malaria, toothless and too young, after years in the bush.

And there was Aloysius Nase [NAR-say] of Nissan Island, a faraway place then as now, hardly part of Bougainville. Aloysius was a tall, quiet, good looking man of moody disposition and with eyes that flashed  a challenge.

I was 25 with just three years radio experience under my belt and only a few months in management. In my anxiety as a neophyte manager I assessed Aloysius as ready to explode. But he never did. Nor did I, much. And certainly we never exploded at each other. When I think of Nase, the word than first comes to mind is ‘reliable’. The second is 'solid'.

Nase was a man to depend on. And I depended on him, as I did on Sahoto, to keep my youthful enthusiasm in check and to give me guidance about how one should deal with the big issues of Bougainville. And there were a lot of them.

Aloysius Nase died on Monday at the Buka General Hospital.

After Bougainville he became an Assistant Director at the head office of the National Broadcasting Corporation in Port Moresby before serving as Station Manager of Radio Madang and Radio Goroka.

At the time of his death, he was employed by the Ministry of Bougainville Affairs.

Aloysius Nase was a very good man.

Comments

[Martin Hadlow]

I'm very sorry to hear this news, Keith.

Your 'PNG Attitude' readers might like to know that it was my pleasure to take-over from you as Station Manager of Radio Bougainville back in 1973.

I was able to inherit both the success the station had become and the excellent staff members, such as Aloysius Nase, who were then employed there.

With professional and committed broadcasters like Aloysius and the others you mention (not forgetting the young and enthusiastic Paul Halikan and other well-known radio broadcasters, such as Justin Kili), the station's service to its audience was assured.

When I think back now to the important role Radio Bougainville played in the daily life of the whole community, I too feel a sense of pride about what was achieved, despite the often turbulent and difficult political situation pertaining at the time.

The passing of Aloysius Nase also again reminds us all of our mortality and the fragile hold we have on life. Vale Aloysius.

[Reginald Renagi]

A good article by Keith Jackson on a very sad note to hear of the recent passing on of a great Bougainville radio man, Aloysius Nase.

It is people like the late Nase that contributed a lot to the development of Bougainville, and its friendly people over the years.

I pay tribute to this great communicator and send my deepest condolences to the family and relatives of Aloysius Nase.

May he rest in eternal peace with his maker of the Universe.

[Peter Warwick]

KJ - You certainly have been privileged to have served with such fine people. It must have been a fascinating and rewarding time for you, and Australia is richer for it.