Papa Bilong Chimbu (ATOM Study Guide)

In 1937 a young Catholic missionary, Father John Nilles (1905–1993), arrived in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. There he would stay for the next fifty-four years, living with the people of Chimbu, learning their language and way of life, introducing them to his God and Western culture. More than just a priest, he would become an anthropologist, linguist, politician and clan leader. Through Nilles' extraordinary archive of photos, diaries and letters, as well as interviews with those who knew him, filmmaker Verena Thomas pieces together a portrait of this fascinating man – her great-uncle. What she discovers is an unexpected new family, who had made 'Papa' Nilles one of their own. The tremendous respect with which the Chimbu people of the Highlands continue to regard her great-uncle is evident in the warm and friendly reception Thomas receives when she first visits the Dimbi region, some twelve years after Nilles' death.

Papa Bilong Chimbu sets out the stark dangers involved in missionary work. Goldminers and missionaries were the first white people to venture into the remote, unexplored hinterland beyond the Bismarck Range, where half a million people could be found, living in isolated tribes, still using tools from the Stone Age. In 1935 Father Morscheuser, a Catholic missionary stationed in PNG, was murdered. Father Nilles became the first missionary to move into the area – what he called 'the oceanic paradise garden' – after that tragic event. Nilles' compassion and intellectual discipline made him an authority on this region and its people's beliefs and customs.

Papa Bilong Chimbu offers a thought-provoking insight into the complexity of cultural exchange. It is an important film for the information it provides on a particular socio-historical moment, presenting a personal perspective on the history of one of our nearest neighbours. It highlights the ways in which the missionary's quest has informed the shape and development of our world.

Papa Bilong Chimbu is also a compelling character study. As Thomas puts it, this is the story of a man who became part of a big family: both the man and the family deserve investigation. Finally, the film works well as a lively visual document, utilising a wide and interesting array of resources that students should find engaging.