CLOSE to 1,000 students in different ages groups with their teachers filled up the bunk spaces of their church clad in black attire and have their faces covered in mud last Thursday to have a memorial service to celebrate the life of late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.

Those were the students from four Catholic agency schools in remote Dirima; the Mary Immaculate Girls Technical Secondary, St Anne’s Primary, the elementary and Little Angels early childhood center which are tugged away in rural Gumine district of Simbu province.

The usual morning drizzle stopped, the fog cleared and the towering Mt Wikauma where the schools were sheltered under stood solemnly as the church bell went ding-dong, allowing the mourners to take their seats and the choir began to cascade while St Anne’s Parish Priest, Fr Peter Kim (SVD) in procession with his alter servers reached the alter.

The mass began with Catholic communities joining in, and the 2,000 capacity church building was filled to honor a great leader, the first Prime Minister of PNG, the late Grand Chief Sir Michael.

In the homily the values and virtues of the late Grand Chief was expounded on and urged unity to be uphold among all people in Dirima of Gumine district.

The offering was made more meaningful by the students when they brought to the alter among other gifts two fifty-kina bill that has the face of the Grand Chief Sir Michael on the poly-paper money.

Parish Priest Fr Peter Kim in acknowledging the great participation of the students and staff of the four schools said the money would be used to help the needy during this Lenten period, the time of penance before reaching Easter.

The day ended with slide shows and the video documentary show of the “Sir Michael’s 40 years in Politics” produced by the Prime Minister’s Department in 2008.

Gumine school inspector Michael Sipa said 73 primary and elementary schools in the district were informed to observe the day to commemorate the passing on of Late Grand Chief Sir Michael as per the circular directive from the Education Department.

Mr Sipa said it was proper for students and teachers to partake because the Grand Chief first job was that of a primary school teacher.

Mr Sipa described Dirima as hosting a befitting celebration.

Meanwhile, St Anne’s Primary School Head Teacher Jack Gena said it was a sorrowful event and St Anne’s as the biggest primary school in Gumine to join hands with the girls secondary school and two lower schools to partake in the memorial services and hosting other activities during the day in a rural setting was worth the effort.

By Ennio Kuble of WRight Media