papua-new-guinea
Before moving on to generalities, here are a few clarifications in case you discuss this with others or watch a documentary about Papua New Guinea. Do not confuse it with:
3 African countries:
- Guinea (French)
- Guinea-Bissau (Portuguese)
- Equatorial Guinea (Spanish)
5 Indonesian provinces:
- Papua
- Central Papua
- Highland Papua
- South Papua
- West Papua
The name of the island:
- Island of New Guinea (comprising Indonesia and Papua New Guinea)
Papua New Guinea is an independent state in Oceania located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, occupying half of the island of New Guinea, with the other half belonging to Indonesia.
The island of New Guinea is the world's most mountainous island (Puncak Jaya in Indonesia peaks at 4,884 meters) and ranks second in size after Greenland.
Papua New Guinea, celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence on September 16, 2025 (since 1975), is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy (Prime Minister James Marape) and is a member of the Commonwealth.
With a "recorded" population of 8 million people spread over 462,840 km², it is the most rural state in the world, with only 13% of the population living in urban areas and 40% completely self-sufficient without access to modernity.
Over 851 languages are known to be spoken in the country, but only 3 are official: English, Tok Pisin, and Hiri Motu. Despite the country's motto "Unity in diversity" and Tok Pisin as an attempt at a unifying language, national cohesion remains challenging.
The currency is the kina (PGK), and the exchange rate is approximately CHF 1 = PGK 4.24. "Kina" in the local dialect refers to the shell of a pearl oyster, which was an important currency of exchange between coastal tribes and highland tribes before the arrival of money.
The country is one of the least explored in the world, with many isolated peoples still existing. Researchers believe there are numerous undiscovered species of plants and animals in its interior regions.
the mekeos
The Mekeo are an indigenous ethnic group of Papua New Guinea, mainly located in the central region of the country, west of Port Moresby. They live along the Angabunga River and in the surrounding plains.
The term "Mekeo" designates a language and a tribe of around 10,000 to 20,000 individuals. The census is complicated, due to the fact that many births do not take place in hospitals. The tribe is subdivided into around twenty clans divided into four groups: Northern Mekeo, Southern Mekeo, Eastern Mekeo and Western Mekeo.
Mekeo society is traditionally organized into patrilineal clans . They have a rich oral tradition, with myths, songs and stories that are passed down from generation to generation. Rituals and ceremonies play an important role in their culture, often linked to agriculture, life cycles and spiritual beliefs.
The Mekeo are neither a coastal nor a mountain people. They live in an area alternating between swamps and fertile plains extending in between. In Mekeo lands, you will find no electricity, no running water, no paved roads (apart from the highway, which is often in poor condition), no post office. But, yes, you will be able to send WhatsApp messages (latest news!).
This paradox comes from companies that extract gold, gas or other precious materials. They make agreements with elected officials and operators to install antennas wherever they need the network to go, even in the middle of the jungle. So you have to go draw water from the well to fill your pot over a wood fire, but on the other hand everyone has a phone and can surf the internet.
Regarding their subsistence, the villagers practice slash-and-burn cultivation. They mainly grow plantins, coconuts, yams, taros, and sweet potatoes. The protein supply comes from hunting and fishing, and from chickens, cans of tuna or cornbeef gleaned during their last visit to town, just like rice.
Their source of income is mainly the betel palm nut. Combined with a mixture of lime, and a pod similar to mustard, it constitutes the national “red drug”, chewed throughout the day by all Papuans. The Mekeos are known to be the largest suppliers of quality betel nuts in the entire country.
But since 2018, a large number of villagers have also started growing vanilla again.
To learn more about the Mekeo, you can consult this site which gives information that is fairly accurate to reality:
h ttps://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/mekeo
Vanilla
The mekeos ardently desire to exploit their land , the majority of which is fallow. They want to find another income than that generated by betel nuts, because they are aware that this trade has no future, in addition to being bad for their health. They were offered to grow vanilla in 2018. Today, in 2024, we are talking (to be verified on site) of a large quantity of pods in mekeo soil.
The interest of the global food industry in Papua New Guinea vanilla and its potential, both in terms of volume and quality (fertile volcanic lands) and choice (several varieties available), is growing in an unprecedented way .
But the link between the farmer cut off from everything and the international market for raw materials is non-existent. Without a structure, a framework put in place by the government as well as the know-how of actors who know the market and the process to produce quality vanilla, the small Papuan producer is condemned to selling his pods sporadically at times. to the Chinese, sometimes to the Indians, the Indonesians, the Australians, the South Koreans etc… depending on who is there and who gives 1kina more.
Just an impersonal transaction, without soul, without future. No long-term vision, no partnership, no links cultivated for fair trade . Nothing is built sustainably.
Then the farmer returns to his corner , without having learned anything, without knowing what is being done with his vanilla, without knowing where his vanilla is going, without knowing if what he is doing is good, without knowing if his product is appreciated or if it can improve anything so as to ensure a good reputation, therefore a regular source of income.
He grows, produces and sells blindly . And the South Korean, Australian or Chinese buyer puts the vanilla from the small mekeo producer in metal crates, where he will continue to observe it, dry it, improve it in order to make it as his buyers want it. . And of course, the small mekeo producer, who believes he has sold a ready-made vanilla, has no idea that “middle men” still keep his vanilla for several weeks and months before selling it.
This is the current state of the vanilla market in Mekeo and the rest of the country. Exit human exchanges, exchanges of knowledge and techniques. Gone is the desire to build a respectful and lasting commercial relationship where everyone benefits.
So if you buy mekeo vanilla from Mekeo Tendances, please * , give us your opinion which we will pass on, these are young producers who have recently arrived on the market and who want to learn how to improve their products, who want please their end consumers and above all, as vanilla is not consumed by Papuans, they want to know what you do with it!?…
So everyone to your feathers! And share your home recipes and mekeo vanilla remedies in the form below!
*Message from small mekeos vanilla producers to their end consumers wherever they are on earth
