*Buai em laif yah! A common saying amongst many Papua Niugineans because it is a part of our social life.

In (some) of our kastoms buai (chewed with *daka and *kambung) was used for certain ceremonies and went along with a spell and some leaf or root to became a powerful love potion, medicine or protection against evil spirits. Our ancestors didn’t dump buai waste (as with all other waste) just anywhere at anytime, their reason being if buai could be used for creating healing, protective magic it could also be used for destructive, killing magic. These beliefs kept the practice of chewing buai clean. Buai traditionally was the intoxicant of choice that was shared at *kaikai’s and other *kastom *bungs. It is the ice-breaker at meetings, buai is a more common language than *tok pisin, it can be used as the sturdiest and most trustworthy bridge between our 800 plus cultures. *Maski yu nambis, bus, ailan or hailans buai bai stretim rot blong toktok. 

Fast forward to 2013. Nowadays people seem to prefer sharing *SP bottles at gatherings. Beer (or any other alcohol) is now the intoxicant of choice and it creates more social problems than buai ever did! Discarded cartons, bottle caps and smashed bottles are more of an eyesore than buai skin. Alcohol related incidents instigate many law and order problems (domestic violence especially) and it is a contributing factor to many lifestyle diseases. Which makes average Papua Niugineans like me wonder where all the vision and foresight our Honorable National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has had in the past gone to?! Governor Parkop in his term has enforced many positive changes to Mosbi. But this crusade against buai, the chewers and the sellers is misguided.

Mista Gavana thinks that completely banning buai is the best way to keep our Nations Capital clean, cut down on the spread of communicable diseases and improve the appearance of Mosbi. Mista Gavana is misguided in thinking that buai sellers pay no tax, are a direct cause of and contribute to law and order problems and are lazy, opportunist who don’t contribute in any way to the development of Mosbi.

It’s common knowledge that all Papua Niugineans pay tax whenever they purchase anything! So how can buai sellers be paying no tax at all when they have to buy food, bus fare and other necessities?

Mista Gavana maybe it’s time to do some serious research! This booming local industry (it’s common knowledge that the average buai seller earns at least K1000 per week) has serious potential to become an international industry that is beneficial to all of PNG. Instead of completely banning buai sales it would make sense to regulate it and ensure the growers, sellers and buyers are all protected with some benefits for the government too. Questions like why there is a build up of rubbish in public places? How can the government assist buai growers, sellers, buyers to ensure timely, and responsible disposal of rubbish? How can the buai industry be regulated so that the negatives can be minimized? If these simple questions can be answered these can go a step towards protecting and promoting many Papua Niugineans right to running a business that will most definitely keep the money in Papua New Guinea for the better of the whole nation.

©Klaireh

*Buai em laif yah = buai is life

*daka = mustard,  Piper betel a member of the Piper longum family

*kambung = slaked lime

*kaikai’s = feasts

*kastom = custom

*bungs = gatherings/meetings

*Maski yu nambis, bus, ailan or hailans buai bai stretim rot blong toktok = whether you're fromt the coast, the bush, the islands or the highlands buai is the cultural bridge that makes communication happen