Eulogy of Peter Babul

July 23, 1987 - May 1, 2021

1. INTRODUCTION

On this day, The Remembrance Day, July 23, 1987, Dr. Tabua delivered a healthy 3.4kg baby boy to the 30 year old Haiveta Babul and Neko Babul at the Port Moresby General Hospital. He was the last born of 4 boys. (Maiva, Yawing, Michael & himself) And it so happened to be that in those days, there were 3 young men who used to live with us and because mom was pregnant, these 3 young men were very helpful around the House. There names were Peter Huaffe, Peter Sarufa and Peter Somol. So when dad looked at the baby and asked, “What do we name him?”, Mom replied, “You painim wanem name? Na tripla man stap pinis yah...”, And that's when Peter Huaffe Koko Somol Babul was born.

2. TODDLER

Dad was with Air Niugini as the Purchasing & Supply Manager and mom was a full-time mom, house wife and home maker (my dream job). I was only 2 weeks old when mom and dad decided to move our little family to the new houses at the New Air Niugini Housing Scheme at PX Village, Kanage Street, 6 mile, Port Moresby. We were there for just about a year, and then dad had to do a 1 year 6 month Training with Qantas. And that's when we moved to Australia, at Sydney, Penshurst, Alexander Street. I grew up there. And English became my first Language.

3. CHILDHOOD

As soon as I started to speak, mom started teaching me how to read. She was my First Teacher. I actually didn't read at first, I just memorizes her words from my bed time stories, “The Pig is Sky, the Star is in the Sty (yeah! I usually switched those words around). In 1989 we returned back to PNG in our cozy little home at PX Village and my Training Continued. Soon I was reading every word I could find in the house and every sign board on the road, i truly enjoyed this wonderful new skill of reading. Mom taught me how to draw, write and colour. And during the Day, we switched on ABC to watch Play School and Sesame Street, they were my baby sitters. With my eyes glued on the Screen, mom busied herself cleaning the house. Soon, I was hungry for school. We were ready to take on Primary School.

4. PRIMARY SCHOOL

I remember that Sunday afternoon, 1995, dad was telling me to model in my new school uniform for Boreboa Community School (It became Primary School the following year). I was proud. Finally I could join my older brothers in the School runs. Light goes on at 5am in all rooms, dad normally sings, “6 kilok morning, kalabus belo, kisim palawa, dring tea natin.” Breakfast was at 5:30am, we drove out at 6am. This was the routine every morning for my new life in Primary School. Over time, dad would do this as a round the City trip. I get dropped off at Boreboa first, Michael at Gerehu High School, Maiva at Badihagwa High, and Yawing at Kila Kila High School and finally dad drives back to 7mile to arrive at his Air Niugini Office before 8am. Now Primary School was a Walk in the Park for me. Mom prepared me well. I already knew how to read and write before many of my friends could. I literally had a head-start in life. So I usually got first prizes all the time. But things changed in 1999. Dad got Retrenched. And my turbulent years started. I'll skip that part. My Highlight was mom there at my Graduation super excited that I got the Grade 8 Dux for Boreboa Primary School 2002. (We did it mom. Your Passionate Reader did it)

5. SECONDARY SCHOOL

My turbulent years spilled over into High School. Dad bought two PMVs after his Retrenchment but the family in the village destroyed both. I knew his cash was running out and I didn't want to be a burden. I didn't concentrate well in school. I started marking around. I was no longer that Straight A's Student. However, with my older brothers taking over in paying school fees and great high school friends, we pulled through. I graduated with all Distinction in Grade 10 (2004) and 1 B and all A's in Grade 12 (2006). I'll skip the rest of the details here too.

6. UNIVERSITY

While filling the School Leaver Form in Grade 12, I had 3 choices, so I thought to myself, I don’t want to go to Unitech, coz I've already seen Lae. I didn't want to go to UPNG, coz I've lived my entire life in Pom. Rabaul seemed good but I wasn't passionate about Agriculture at that time. (Why get a Degree in something that only needs brains, muscle, tools and grit). And finally it smiled at me, my Dream Province and Dream come true, Kavieng Fisheries College. I'll skip the rest of the details here as well. But I got to Kavieng 😉

7. POSTGRADUATE

I graduated with my Bachelor's in Fisheries and Marine Resource Management at the Rabaul Campus in 2011. My Take Aways were Researching Skills, Passion for Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry & Tourism and meaningful friends that are now family. The Best thing I ever did was starting a group called Katalyst - a Group of friends that vowed to go back to the village and create Employment. A promise that took me 10 years to fulfill. I'll skip many details here as well.

8. EMPLOYMENT

In 2014, I noticed that all my papers got stolen, from Grade 8 all the way to my University Degree. So I told dad, “If the Universe wants me to succeed without Papers then so be it. Challenge accepted.” However, in 2015, while following up on Sharon Mathias for payment for their Promotional Video I did, she offered me a job. She asked what I could do best and I said, “I am great in Reading, Writing, Researching, Presentation and I can type fast with all fingers so let me be your Personal Assistant. I'll do all your paperwork." I got the job. At K100 per week it was better than nothing. I'll skip many things here too.

9. SELF-EMPLOYMENT

One afternoon, I was in the office and I got a called. My little brother, Boneng Babul, Papa Yawing's fourth son, was brutally murdered in the village. I cried my heart out but silently in my desk at Ginigoada. I was the Assistant Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at that time. Few minutes later another call came in, the brother before me and the brother after me called, Michael Babul and Lawa Kiriwi, “Is Ginigoada taking care of you? Would you like to try your hands with some family Businesses?” Fast forward to October 2019 and we had Benchmark Industrial, Touchstone NDT, Escape Island, Malana Merchants, and SME Resource Center in the bag.

10. HITTING MY PRIME

Standing on my own two feet as an Entrepreneur wasn't a Walk in the Park. SME Resource Center was my first born baby and he grew up well in the first 6 months. Then the Propaganda Media Virus came in March 2020. All our Customers struggled so all our Businesses struggled. Then Michael did something brilliant. Blogging. On LinkedIn. Followed by Business Development. Emails. Calls. In time, he picked up. He then injected us with the same enthusiasm and energy and we all picked up. And I picked up in my writing again... And I took off again.

11. THE FALL

The year 2021 was definitely our year. We were smart entrepreneurs. We beat the Negative Propaganda virus with our Positive Stories. We were winning. And then tragedy struck. My heart stopped on May 1, 2021. I will never forget that day. And 3 days later my Heart got buried 6 feet underground. On that Day, the Peter Babul in the flesh you all knew died along with his Mother Haiveta Waro Poe Sarufa Babul. The journey of a mother who made his son a passionate reader and writer came to a close. She enjoyed all my stories every afternoon when I came home from work. (I still tell her my stories every week though).

12. THE END

The Peter Babul you all knew no longer exists. He died along with his mother. There's definitely a lot to the story but sadly, I only have a word limit of 1500 words. I guess I owe mom and every one a Book to tell you all the full story. Peter Babul was born on July 23, 1987 and he died on Saturday, 12:30, May 1, 2021 at Malahang. Three days later his body was buried at Babul’s Residence, at Changampar, Munum Village, Ward 15, Wampar LLG, Huon District, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. But on that day someone else was born. My House of 9 months got burned down. And out of ashes a Phoenix arose. The Passion of Haiveta Babul & every one merged into a new Passionate Being. He now lives to tell the rest of the story in Detail. He is now, born today, Remembrance Day, July 23, 2021, as the Digital Storyteller.

In loving Memory

Haiveta Babul & Peter Babul,

September 21, 1957 - May 1, 2021.

PS: I will live for you mom. Every single day. Now and forever. Our Journey is not complete. It just started. I will tell them the story mom. I will tell them everything. Everyone will know exactly how you made me who I am. Thank you for giving birth to me, 34 years ago.

Today is our first day together, as a combined energy of excitement, enthusiasm & passion. We will do everything, under the sun mom. Today and forever. 🔥

And in the end, I will tell you everything. See you in Paradise mom.

Much love.

Your Baby

Digital Storyteller