# Searching for details of small cargo vessel M.V. Kiriaka



## Nicholas Brown (Feb 14, 2015)

In the early 1970's there was a small Chinese built cargo vessel running cocoa, copra and stores between Rabaul, Buka, Sipai and Kuraio on the west coast of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea. I worked as a volunteer on this boat from September 1972 to February 1973. 

I'd be grateful if anyone has any details as to her early and later history, technical details, I know she had a Gardener 6LX diesel, but want to know other things such as length and breadth, constructor and what happened to her eventually.

Would appreciate answers to any of these questions to help me complete my memoirs of this time in PNG, em tasol!


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Nicholas,

on behalf of the Moderating team welcome to SN. I am moving your post to the Ship Research forum where it will have more viewings.

Hawkey01


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## Nicholas Brown (Feb 14, 2015)

Thanks Hawkeye01 - hope I get some results - thanks for a great website


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## ted nutt (Dec 4, 2008)

Evening Nicholas, have looked in Lloyds Registers for 1972/73 and 73/74 but no vessel of that name listed.
Ted.


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## oilkinger (Dec 17, 2008)

Nicholas, to assist people to help you track it down can you advise the name of the company operating the ship or the name of the organisation that employed you ?
And do you have the spelling correct ? I notice there are several references on the Net to MV Kiriaki 1 and MV Agia Kiriaki.


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## Nicholas Brown (Feb 14, 2015)

*Searching for M.V. Kiriaka*

Hi Ted Nutt and oilkinger

Thanks for both your responses. 

Ted - I am not surprised it was not on Lloyds - it was a very small craft and may not have been fully compliant (?)

oilkinger - The name is correct as "M.V. Kiriaka". It was named after the people for whom it worked; they had two alternate spellings, the other being "Kereaka"but the boat was definitely Kiriaka.

It was operated by "The West Coast Development Society" a Catholic Mission originated organisation providing welfare to the people on the West coast of Bougainville from around the 1960's to some time after early 1973, when I left.

The boat was timber, and Chinese built and as I said had a Gardner 6LX diesel. I had heard it went on a reef off B'ville some time after I left and was lost, but that is one of the things I am trying to verify.

Thanks for your interest (I'll check out MV Kiriaki 1 and Agia Kiriaki by Google)

Thanks again both - Kind regards - Nicholas Brown


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## Nicholas Brown (Feb 14, 2015)

Update on name - it was M.V. Kiriaka Aro - sorry, it was 40 years ago!


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## oilkinger (Dec 17, 2008)

I think your best chance is to get on to whoever is looking after the affairs of the catholic mission "The West Coast Development Society" and see what they've got on file. I've done some ferreting around and cannot find anything on this outfit, or similar. Are you sure that is the correct name ? Sounds like a cover name the CIA would use for a gun-running operation.


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## jasper (May 21, 2004)

The Jungle bar in Rabaul was pretty lively. I'd forgotten all about it until reading this.


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## Nicholas Brown (Feb 14, 2015)

*Searching for M.V. Kiriaka Aro*

Hi oilkinger 

Thanks for the tips. I worked for The West Coast Development Society (WCDS) running the Kiriaka, but I would imagine it ceased to exist after the Bougainville Civil War - 1990-98.

The WCDS was established by a US Roman Catholic Missionary around 1969 (I was there 72 - 73) but I doubt any CIA links, it was a simple trading op, cocoa and copra for store goods, carried on the Kiriaka).

My first concern is I can't figure if the Kiriaka was 35 feet long (which seems awfully small) or 35 metres in length and secondly, did it founder on a reef or not?

I will try the Catholic Mission in Buka

Jasper - I sampled a few of the bars in Rabaul over the years but was too drunk to remember their names!

Any further tips and ideas warmly welcomed


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## West Coast (Mar 5, 2015)

*MV Kiriaka Aro*

To Nicholas Brown
I was a small boy, don't know 74 or 75 when the ship went aground or stuck on a reef near the shores of Hantoa, few 100 k's out of Buka. I was broken hearted as this was my people's work boat, bought from the sweat of the society you mentioned. My brother headed the society at some point so was my father, the rock of the society, strenghtened by Mark Roberts and Fr Mentzer of USA.
I went with my people to try to retrieve but to no avail and we cried for weeks at the crash site, I missed classes as a young boy because of the boat, as I child, I went to Rabaul on the boat and to Kieta numerous times. Think the captain that time was a man from Buka, think his name was Coleman, not too sure. The correct name for the area is Kereaka but American missionaries named it Kiriaka.
'Kiriaka Aro' in Kereaka language is Kereaka Brothers. Interesting Nick to see who you worked with on the boat. I may know some, Was the captain 'Jacob' then?
Like to know more as this is history for me.
Where are you Nick in Oz? Are you on Facebook? Can we contact to know more?. Going back for holidays in Kereaka end of April.
I live and work now in Newman WA with BHP Billiton as a Shovel mechanic and permanent resident of Oz. Family here with me. Do you have some photos please Nick


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

West Coast,

on behalf of the Moderating team welcome to SN. 

Hawkey01


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## Nicholas Brown (Feb 14, 2015)

*MV Kiriaka Aro*

Hi Joe Aroviri

Thanks for your details - really great to hear from you!

As I said I am interested to know simple technical details of the boat - length, width, where she was made etc. 

I was sad to hear that she did go up on a reef eventually - I had heard that but wasn't sure....and was not surprised, dangerous waters..

Yes, Jacob was the Captain and I have the following names as members of the crew:John Bira, Basoi, Reperia, Serisu, Biobeara and Tow Patsi - not sure if those were all on board at the same time?

Mark Roberts left whilst I was there (20th November 1972) and I left Kuraio in Feb 73 - The society wanted me to Captain the Kiriaka but I didn't have a 'ticket'. It was a pretty sad time for the WCDS but I'm glad to hear it seems to be still going (we bought the cocoa and copra and sold it in Rabaul, and then came back with goods which we sold through the trade store, do you remember that you must have been a piccinnie tasol?


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## West Coast (Mar 5, 2015)

*MV Kiriaka Aro*

Hi Nicholas
I was at work today that is why I did not reply in time.
Anywhere tru tumas, I was Pikinini that time you were there.
I still remember, 1973, I was doing Standard 5, as it was known than, at Kuraio Primary School and remember MV Kiriaka Aro bringing in Gargo from Rabaul, hard work, Petrol drums used to be rolled off into the sea and people swim down with them. I knew all the crew that time and Topasi (Tow Patsi) was my uncle, He passed on a long time back, Jacob the capt also passed on years ago so is the other crew members. My village is just next to the mission which hasn't changed much, in fact it has deteriorated pretty much. The coastline has changed due to rising sea levels and now completely different to what it was in the 60's and 70's.
I will be 54 years old in June so it has been a long ride, and I want to write a book about my upbringing, about the life of the Kiriaka people as I saw it as a teen to now as a lapun and so will have to do a lot of research into it. People like Fr Mentzer, Mark Roberts, The Sawmill Kiriaka Development Society had bifo, MV Kiriaka Aro and the Catholic Mission. Nick, Any chance I can give you a call on the telephone or send you my private email address as I am excited about all this...Next month I am going back to PNG, Bougainville and let them know you still living in Victoria..If you agree , I will give you my home email add or Mobile number so we can communicate back and forth on this journey...Talk to you later
Cheers...Joe


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## Nicholas Brown (Feb 14, 2015)

Hi Joe

Amazing to hear of your memories and also that one of the crew, Topasi, was an uncle of yours, (RIP).

I am still hunting for the basic detail of length of the M.V. Kiriaka Aro (you have confirmed that she went on a reef and was lost). It is a simple bit of information that one always talks about when referring to boats/ships etc. but it is not the end of the world if I don't get it. I had adventures in a number of other boats subsequently in PNG and know their basic details.

As for writing a book, you know Joe it is a really quite big deal. I started mine many years ago and I had the advantage of all the letters I wrote to my mum over the 7 years I was in PNG so I have great records. I now have 10 chapters roughed out (about 200 pages, 120,000 words) and it will take me another 3 to 5 years to complete. There are many issues involved not the least of which is the detail! I wish you well but think through what you intend to do with the finished book and if you have the time and commitment to do it. There are some useful websites that give clues on writing that may be of interest: http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Autobiography

Going back to contacting each other - I'd prefer keeping our communication like this for details about the M.V. Kiriaka; as this website says its about ships and boats. (Of course I am writing more on my stay at Kuraio but that was only 6 months of the 7 years so you can see it is only a small part of the whole story).

If you do wish for further help with your writing you can contact me on [email protected].

In the meantime, there is one paper about Bougainville (including a bit on Sipai and Kuraio) which you may be interested in, Google this: Blackfella armies - kastom and conflict in contemporary Melanesia 1994 - 2007 - Ben Bohane University of Wollongong.

Thanks again Joe - would be very excited to hear more about the M.V. Kiriaka Aro (Kereaka Brothers) boat if get it, (length, beam/width, who built her, year she was built, where she was built etc) perhaps when you are visiting Kuraio? 

All the best

Nicholas
(lapun tumas)


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