Bernard Narokobi

Who is Bernard Narokobi?

Bernard Mullu Narokobi was born around 1943 in the Arapesh village of Wautogik in the Prince Alexander Mountains of what is now East Sepik Province. Trained as a lawyer, he became one of the central intellectual figures in Papua New Guinea's transition from Australian-administered territory to independent nation, working as a jurist, philosopher, poet, and law reformer. He is best known for developing "the Melanesian Way," a philosophy that framed Papua New Guineans' identity through their deep embeddedness in local social relationships, ancestral spirits, and the natural environment, arguing that the country's legal and political institutions should grow from Melanesian custom rather than imported Western models. His ideas helped shape the National Goals and Directive Principles written into the Preamble of Papua New Guinea's Constitution. He articulated his philosophy in books including "Foundations for Nationhood" (1975) and "Life and Leadership in Melanesia" (1983). After independence he served as legal advisor to the East Sepik provincial government, lectured in law at the University of Papua New Guinea, sat as an acting judge on the National and Supreme Courts, represented Wewak Open in the National Parliament from 1987 to 1997, and later served as High Commissioner to New Zealand. He died in March 2010.

Sources: Bernard Narokobi — Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Narokobi) · The National, "Narokobi and the Melanesian Way" · Journal of Pacific History, "The Legacy of Bernard Narokobi and the Melanesian Way" (2020)