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… I take this technical resignation as a phase within a whole process of my
professional career wherein I wish to enter into politics both as an ‘agentcitizen’,
and also a professional researcher of social issues and processes.
Meaning, I make the undertaking as a subjective participant while remaining an
objective observer – perhaps however never attaining the ideal ‘participant
observer’ status, a’la Malinowski. It is from such a perspective that I embark on
this phase of this [sic] vocational project (digim’Rina, resignation letter Sept
2006 – emphasis added).
I had given some thought on the objectives I would like to achieve during this rare and
yet opportune time as a candidate in the national elections. While it remains academically
contentious, I took it as an intellectual challenge as well as an adventure in order to
broaden my horizons.
In mid 2004 I decided to contest in the 2007 elections. The decision was quietly made
known to my village people and especially the area comprising some ten villages in the
Luba district of Kiriwina. The years that followed on till the end of 2006 went with little
formality except to confirm rumors of my intention to contest for those that cared to ask.
In late September 2006, I submitted my letter of resignation to my employer and
convened my first election related meeting with urban-based relatives on November 1 st
2007. The meeting was received with mixed feelings, as among the attendees were
‘brothers’ of a rival candidate who in fact is a brother in law of mine.
Meantime, at least three of the candidates had already commenced their campaigns
manifested in sponsored inter-village football competitions involving usually a cluster of
some ten villages. Rumors spread like wild fire as the popularity of candidates fluctuate
subject to a myriad of social and spatial factors. My own involvement of the BBC to
shoot a staged feature film of the famed Trobriand cricket in June 2006, was rashly
interpreted by some rival candidates as a Machiavellian campaign attempt. Indeed some
ten participating villages were paid at least K1000 each, over and above spinoffs.
Admittedly I practically could not exploit the situation for my own personal gain as I was
such a busy member of the production team. Some ungrateful villagers and a few urban
Trobriand Islanders however failed to understand that I was a contracted consultant. And
that was even after I explained to the villagers that this was barter opportunity and not the
usual ‘handout’ cash bundles dished out to them by Members of Parliament and/or
intending candidates. Some were even more concerned with the tough line I towed that
they had to sweat it out for the cash. I even made their Chiefs, Elders, Leaders, and
Councilors sign off consent of participation documents including receipts of payments
made. This was not easy given that I was already known to be an intending candidate.
Handouts through cash and kind from intending candidates had already begun to move
through kinship, church and established socio-political networks. Scheming middlemen
voters opportunistically and on regular basis travelled between rural and urban areas
themselves acting ostensibly as spokespersons for their respective village voters. The
intention was to woo favors from the unsuspecting intending candidates who were mostly
urban based. Quite plainly however, majority of these smooth talking middlemen were
seasoned conmen.
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