13/04/2025
Euology
Every good thing must come to an end. The recount of the life of a great man, Kara Mintawa a pioneer Teacher, Missionary, Business Man and a Politician was called to rest after all his peers have long gone, at his family Zoki Riverside home in EHP.
Born in 1918 Kara has lived a very colourful life. He was born during an era when our ancestors were slowly coming out of the stone age era. He survived two World Wars, the swift industrialisation, many Pandemic and lived to witness the historic human history of stone age to space age.
Amongst the many curiosities were the tasting of salt for the first time, seeing white man for the first time and many excitment during his young days.
Growing into adolescent, he wasn't enrolled at mission pioneer schools but his younger brothers did and in the process of carrying sweet potatos for his brothers to school at Omkolai in Gumine District from Dom Kagul SSY, he was convinced to jump through the window to be amongst the pupil in class.
Being a lofty giant of a man he made a huge impression at school. Later he was selected to further his education at Kundiawa Lutheran Mission School. After Kundiawa he was further selected to enroll at Rafinga in Kainantu Eastern Highlands Province.later he was certified as a graduate teacher and was teaching with the white mission administrators. He was enlisted to teach at the Rintembe Mission School and later at Asaroka Mission School. As an athlet, being a strong young man and a great orator, he proved the unwavering leadership at many levels. many white school administrators turn to like him and used him for many school development programs. Being popular amongst them three white girls developed intimate relationships with him. "I developed intimate relationships with three beautiful white girls but the racist laws at the time could not permit me to marry one of them" he said.
With the brief experiences as a teacher, he saw the need to bring vital human resources development to his people at home in Dom Kagul, Suai LLG , Sinasina Yongomugl District. So he started his own first mission School at home. The school got prominence for a short time only but many children from Suai LLG were enrolled and briefly educated for some time. He was also instrumental in building the current access road from Yopamorua to Dom Kagul and later to Minkauli Daware area. Later the establishment of Kurul Aid Post and many other small scale development in the area including the Lutheran church buildings.
He made a huge impact in many areas of social responsibilities. He wasn't only a teacher but equally a Missionary, a Politician and a Businessman, in the early days of independence and during independence he was instrumental with politics. he was a patron of National Party, And his leadership was prominent with Yombake and National Party Politics. He organised an Independence Celebration event where he slaughtered many pigs and ordered Sir Yombake Okuk to land the Chopper at his home during the independence day in 1975 and had a huge celebrations ensued in Nambayufa Chuave District, Simbu Province.
His business side of the story got the better of him as well. He ran a 20 Hector coffee plantation and a couple of trade stores in Nambayufa areas in the Chuave Simbu Province. He owned a fleet of cars and employed a couple of labourers. He was a founder of the affiliated Coffee Growers Association and was instrumental in establishing many coffee factories in Simbu.
After a long 107 years , Kara Mintawa has finally called it home. He survived with three children, many grand children and great grand children. His legacies through his four generations will live on. He will be laid to rest at Domkagul village, SSY Simbu Province.
We the family and friends salute you for a relentless level of inspiration and leadership you have displayed over your mission on planet Earth. You have fully lived your life. May your Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.
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