New Ireland (Niu Ailan)

New Ireland (Niu Ailan) Flag

New Ireland is an island north of New Britain. It is one of the provinces of Papua New Guinea, and the administrative center is Kavieng. The island is around 320 kilometers long, but most of it is no wider than 6 to 10 kilometers. It has probably been inhabited for at least 30,000 years, and the population today is around 90,000 people.

Around twenty languages are spoken in New Ireland, all of them Austronesian with the exception of Kuot, currently studied by Eva Lindström, who works in the west coast village of Bimun.


Kavieng

Here are some pictures of the regional capital, Kavieng.

Kavieng Airview Pic 1 Kavieng Airview Pic 2 Kavieng Airview Pic 3 Kavieng Airstrip Kavieng Airport
Kavieng Airview. Nusa Lavu and Nusalik islands Kavieng, from the south. Kavieng Airport is seen Kavieng Airport. Getting closer Kavieng Airview, preparing to land Kavieng Airport main building

Nuguria Street, Kavieng Mongol Street, Kavieng Djaul Street, Kavieng Kavieng Market Pic 1 Kavieng Market Pic 2
Nuguria Street, Kavieng Looking down Mongol Street, Kavieng Djaul Street, Kavieng. Kavieng Harbour Market. Fruit, vegetables and bilums Kavieng Harbour Market. Pastery

Mardi Gras, Kavieng Patu, Kavieng Outside PMM The Kavieng post office The Fire Squad
Nice lunch food: The Mardi Gras, Kavieng Whatever you need, Patu has it Waiting for a southbound truck outside PMM The Kavieng Post office The Fire Squad

The Kavieng Hotel The Malagan Lodge Resort Pic 1 The Malagan Lodge Resort Pic 2 PNG Santa Claus Robert with headcloth
The Kavieng Hotel. Fantastic sea food buffet! The Malagan Lodge. Great snorkelling! ... and nice rooms A PNG Santa Claus passing by, with police escort Me, protecting my head


Bimun

Some pictures taken in the west coast village of Bimun. This is where Eva Lindström lived to learn the language Kuot.

Millenium toast, Bimun The church in Bimun Mumu Pic 1 Mumu Pic 2 Mumu Pic 3
Celebrating the Millennium with Eva and her sister Anne The church in Bimun Preparing a “mumu”, i.e. an earth oven Ditto Ditto

Preparing a cassava cake Preparing a bulume sauce Coral reef fish Midnight lobster Joshua cooking
Me trying to make a cassava (tapiok) cake Galeng preparing a “bulume” sauce Coral fish and lobster straight from the reef... ... to the grill Joshua keeping an eye on the fish

Bimun beach Stupid handtricks lesson Angling kids Truck full of singers Bimun sunset
Villagers relaxing on the beach in Bimun Me teaching the kids stupid hand tricks A group of kids with their catch A truck full of singers. There are many of them Bimun sunset


Around New Ireland

Pictures taken from travels around the island.

Ral from the sea Ral from the air Nusalik island Fangalawa from the air Fangalawa from the ground
Paradise (small!) island Ral Airview of Ral View from Nusalik, a small island off Kavieng East coast or west coast? Decide here: Fangalawa crossing from the sky Fangalawa crossing on the ground

East coast church Copra shed Roadside store Dalom guesthouse Children swimming
Beautiful church on the east coast Copra shed Road store in typical colours Paradise resort, Dalom Children swimming

Kabil village Me with children in Kabil Renting a truck in Namatanai Millenium celebration in Lemau Two women in the rain
East coast village of Kabil Kuot is spoken here. Me with children in Kabil Renting a truck in Namatanai Millennium celebration at the church in Lemau Two women seeking cover from sudden rain


Underwater Pictures

Snorkelling is great in Papua New Guinea, and New Ireland is not an exception. Most of these pictures were taken in Bimun, but a couple were taken in Kavieng.

Underwater Pic 1 Underwater Pic 2 Underwater Pic 3 Underwater Pic 4 Underwater Pic 5
Underwater Pic 6 Underwater Pic 7 Underwater Pic 8 Underwater Pic 9 Underwater Pic 10


New Ireland Jungle Sounds

Wherever you are in New Ireland, you’re likely to hear fantastic jungle sounds.

Jungle Sounds Sound Files
Sawing insects. (I don’t know their names. If you do, please tell me!)
[mp3]

Night in Bimun. Recording made in January 2000 by Robert Eklund. Short version. Duration: 0:30 (484 kb).

[mp3]

Night in Bimun. Recording made in January 2000 by Robert Eklund. Long version. Duration: 2:44 (2584 kb).

[mp3]


New Ireland Links

Below you find (only) one New Britain-related link.

More links can be found on the Papua New Guinea and New Ireland pages.

Tourist Links

Nusa Island Retreat. For scuba divers. See pictures of Nusa islands above. Great place!

... and, of course, Eva Lindström's “background information for travellers, field workers and visitors to New Ireland”. Covers kinship and social structure, food, gifts, clothes, malaria and other stuff from someone who has lived there. Don't miss it!




Robert Eklund’s Homepage