Our FemiliPNG Australia Trivia night was held on Friday 8th September, to celebrate Papua New Guinea’s 48th anniversary as an independent nation! It was a wonderful event, thanks to the over 200 people who showed up to support our cause. All funds raised on the night go directly towards supporting services for survivors of family and sexual violence in PNG.
A big thank you to Andrew Rowell and Therese Faulkner for graciously hosting the trivia. They were truly excellent quiz masters, with creative trivia questions and games that made for an exciting night!
Over $5,000 was raised for Femili PNG’s life-changing work, which will be combined with funding from the Australian Government to support the Goroka Outpost Project. We have committed to contribute $1 for every $5 we receive from the Australian government.
Celebrating PNG’s Independence
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the largest and most diverse nations in the Pacific, with more than 800 Indigenous languages and over 1,000 distinct cultural groups. PNG also has some of the oldest continuing cultures in the world today.
Importantly, however, PNG has a long history of colonial administration. This began in 1884 when Germany established control over the northern part of PNG (then known as German New Guinea). Around the same time, Britain also colonised the southern part of PNG (then known as British New Guinea, and later renamed to the Territory of Papua).
The British transferred control of Papua to Australia in 1906. After World War I broke out in 1914, Australian forces also captured and occupied German New Guinea. Australia administered these two colonial territories separately until 1949, when they were formally combined into the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. This single territory later became what we know today as Papua New Guinea.
The Indigenous people of PNG gained the right to vote in 1961. In 1964, a House of Assembly was established with the majority of seats being elected to Indigenous PNG representatives. This led to Papua New Guineans playing a greater role in decisions about their own country. Eventually, a chief minister was elected that helped the nation to achieve self-governance in 1973. PNG later gained full independence on 16th September 1975, and they were no longer under Australian administration.
Since then, this date has served as an opportunity to celebrate the rich cultures of PNG and the achievements the country has made since becoming a sovereign nation. Over 200+ people joined us at our event to commemorate this historical moment, and take part in some exciting PNG-themed trivia. Thank you to everyone who helped to make it a wonderful night.
Family and Sexual Violence in PNG
While violence affects us all, violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive human rights violations in the world.1 Globally, 1 in 3 women will experience violence in their lifetime. In PNG, that rate increases to 2 in 3.2 Children are also greatly affected, with 62% of sexual violence cases in PNG involving a child.3
Since becoming independent, PNG has shown a significant commitment to addressing family and sexual violence across the country. In 2013, for example, the Family Protection Act was introduced to provide legal protections for survivors of violence; and in 2015, the Lukautim Pikinini Act was introduced to safeguard children’s rights to a life free of abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination.
Similarly, the National Strategy to Respond to Gender Based Violence was implemented in 2015 to address the complex factors that underly violence against women and girls. Several programs and initiatives that aim to support survivors of violence, train service providers, and improve awareness of violence within communities have also been successfully implemented. Improving gender equality and addressing family and sexual violence continues to be a strong priority for PNG’s government and communities.
Our trivia night raised over $5,000 in funds for Femili PNG, a Papua New Guinean NGO that supports survivors of family and sexual violence in PNG. Since opening their first case management centre in 2014, they have supported over 5,900 individuals to access safe accommodation, medical support, law and justice interventions, financial support, and more. Femili PNG now operates free support services in Lae, Port Moresby and Goroka. They also operate the Bel isi PNG Safe House in Port Moresby.
In addition to their case management services, Femili PNG also undertakes extensive outreach to raise awareness about family and sexual violence and what help is available. They train community leaders on how to effectively support survivors in locations they can’t reach directly; and collaborate closely with other service providers to enhance their impact.
As an Australian support organisation for Femili PNG, we recognise that local people, local communities, and local organisations are best placed to respond to the needs of Papua New Guinean families. For this reason, 100% of profits from the event go directly towards supporting Femili PNG’s life-changing services. Thank you to everyone who supported our trivia night.
A Message from Femili PNG
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Prize Sponsors
A big thank you to all the wonderful businesses and individuals who sponsored prizes for our event. Our trivia night would not have been as successful as it was without your support.
Aesop creates some of the finest skin, hair and body care products available. They are B-Corp certified, and have a strong commitment to social and environmental sustainability. Aesop kindly donated an Igneous Graniteux and a Resurrection Duet gift kit, an Aganice Aromatique Candle, a Refresh Body Cleansing Slab, a Sarashina Aromatique Incense, and a Cythera Aromatique Room Spray for our trivia night.
Surveyors Hill is a small family-owned vineyard and cellar door in Wallaroo (north-west of Canberra). They offer a range of locally grown and produced wines, all made from quality hand-picked grapes. Surveyors Hill Vineyards generously donated 2 x Tinto 2019s, 2 x Shiraz 2019s, 2 x Viognier 2021s, 2 x Sauvignon Blanc 2022s, 2 x Autumn Gold 2017s (Late Harvest Viognier), a Sweet Touriga (Fortified Red 2018), and a Cabernet Franc 2019.
Harry Hartog is a local bookshop, who describes themselves as “a meeting place between the worlds found inside books and the world around us”. They focus on creating a community through books, and on offering a high quality and creative service. Harry Hartog supported our trivia night with a Blacktop Wasteland (S. A. Cosby) book, 2 x True Crime Trivia (Games Room) card games, and 3 x t-shirts.
The Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets are Canberra’s oldest markets, with all shops owned and staffed by local businesses. They are largely dedicated to the sale of fresh produce, but also have a variety of other specialty stores. The Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets kindly donated 3 x $50 vouchers to their markets.
ANU Sport is a fun, safe and welcoming fitness centre located on the Australian National University campus. Students, staff, alums, and members of the wider Canberra community all use their facilities and participate in their activities. ANU Sport generously donated a 10 visit pass to their fitness centre, a water bottle, a towel and a t-shirt.
The Mill Theatre recently opened in 2022, with the aim of providing local performers with an opportunity to develop their skills while entertaining audiences. They partnered with Ramen Daddy to donate a Dinner and Show voucher for our trivia night.
Ramen Daddy combines French and Japenese cusine into delicious bowls of perfectly crafted ramen. They partnered with the Mill Theatre to donate a Dinner and Show voucher for our trivia night.
Farrah’s Liquor Collective works directly with local wine-makers, distillers and brewers to bring the highest quality wine, beer and spirits to their Canberra-based customers. They supported our trivia night with a donation of 12 x Picker’s Hut 2022 Merlot.
Located in Braddon, Volstead Repeal offers flavoursome food and exceptional drinks in a fun and welcoming environment. They specialise in fine whiskies, and have a selection of over 400 options to choose from. Volstead Repeal kindly donated a whisky tasting for two to support our trivia night.
The National Gallery of Australia is dedicated to collecting, sharing and celebrating visual arts from Australia and the world. They are home to the most valuable collection of art in Australia, and the largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in the world. The National Gallery of Australia generously donated a family membership to the NGA for our trivia night.
The Street Theatre is a home of live storytelling and performance in Canberra. They’re often described as a creative powerhouse – commissioning, developing, producing and presenting a range of live shows. The Street Theatre supported our trivia night with 2 x tickets to Tubular Bells for Two, and 2 x tickets to Victor Valdes: Viva Mexico Tour.
Lucian is a family-owned and -run business, who are committed to crafting beautiful scents and candles. Based locally in Canberra, they host workshops, attend markets, and aim to foster a creative community. Lucian kindly donated a Mulberry & Sandlewood Reed Diffuser, a 250mL Watermelon & Eucalyptus Candle, a 100mL Fireside Candle, and a 50mL Among the Gumtrees Candle.
The Aboriginal Studies Press works collaboratively with academics and writers to ensure that the best of Australia’s stories are shared with current and future generations. They are Australia’s leading publisher of Australian Indigenous studies. The Aboriginal Studies Press generously donated a Luwa Tara Luwa Waypa book, a Mooie’s Stories book, an Auntie Rita Book, and a Nomad Girl book.
Big River Distilling Co are creative and independent distillers that craft their spirits to reflect the Canberra region. They supported our trivia night by donating a bottle of their Pink Gin.
Based in Canberra, the Food Co-Op is a community-run organisation that provides food for people, not for profit. They sell a range of low-waste, affordable, locally-sourced, fair trade groceries in their store. The Food Co-Op generously donated a $50 voucher and a $25 voucher to their store.
Peli & Co is a Canberra-based small business that is committed to creating high quality candles, diffusers and jewellery. They also teach craft classes, with the aim of inspiring creativity in the whole community. Peli & Co kindly donated a gift box containing a reed diffuser, candle, and rocky road.
Dirty Janes is a family-owned business, committed to providing an excellent vintage shopping experience. They recently opened a store in Canberra, selling a vast selection of vintage, retro and handcrafted items, as well as botanicals. They generously donated a $50 gift voucher to support our trivia night.
Located just outside of Canberra, Yarrh Wines make a range of wines that are authentic expressions of their vineyard. They are committed to using sustainable practices and to limiting the use of artificial inputs. Yarrh Wines supported our trivia night by donating a gift pack of 2 wines.
Big4 Holiday Parks is Australia’s an Australian network of holiday parks, rated highly on location, experience, cleanliness, and service. They supported our trivia night by donating a Big4 Perks+ Membership.
Four Winds Vineyard are a family business that grows grapes, makes great wine and has a cellar door on site. They also make delicious wood-fired pizzas. Four Winds Vineyard kindly donated 2 x pizza vouchers in support of our trivia night.
Nancybird was established in 2002 as a handmade range of bags and purses. They are passionate about good making and good design, and are committed to sustainability. Nancybird kindly donated one of their handbags in support of our trivia night.
Dendy Cinemas is committed to sharing quality films with the community. They have a cinema located in the heart of Canberra Centre. Dendy Cinemas supported our trivia night by donating 2 tickets to any film.
Lesley Wengembo is a PNG artist, who was born in Goroka and raised in Port Moresby. In recent years Lesley’s work has focused on hyper-realistic portraiture in oils. He loves painting faces and feels it connects him to his culture and identity. He has been a two-time Archibald Prize entrant. Lesley generously donated a print of his work to support our trivia night.
Thank you to Fiona Gunn, who is on the Board of FemiliPNG Australia, for kindly donating a gift box of local Canberran foods.
Thank you to Stephen Howes, who is on the Board of both FemiliPNG Australia and Femili PNG, for kindly donating 3 x baskets and 3 x paintings from PNG.
Thank you to Lauren Hallett, who is the CEO of FemiliPNG Australia, for kindly donating a gift box of gin, pink gin and absinthe from Poncho Fox Distillery.