Born in Ahioma in Milne Bay, Wedega was raised in Kwato. She worked to educate her people and evangelise Christianity, and helped foster peace by "making enemies into friends" derived from her own education by Charles Abel, a missionary who established a school on the island of Kwato.[1][2]
She served as a welfare office with the department of Native Affairs, and established a school for domestic science in Milne Bay.[1] Wedega was also active in the Girl guides movement, and became the first national Girl Guide Commissioner in Papua New Guinea.[3] She was appointed to the Legislative Council of Papua and New Guinea in 1961, the first indigenous woman to sit in the legislature.[1] She served until 1963.[4]
In 1981, she published her autobiography, Listen My Country, which focuses on "her experiences as a Christian and as a woman."[5] She is considered to be the first woman from Papua New Guinea to publish a book,[1] and her autobiography was reprinted in 2016.[6] She travelled internationally to conferences, representing her country, and to Northern Ireland to help build peace.[1][7]
Quotes
"... [o]ur people used to kill and eat men. They would practice payback. That is, if one of your side killed one of mine, my side would kill one of yours. But the missionaries came from Europe to stop us doing all that. And now I have been back to Northern Ireland to help the Europeans there stop doing it." (A. Wedega)[8][9][7]
"...we women of Papua can be a strong force to make this country a better country than it is today."[10]
Legacy and honours
On 13 June, 1964, Wedega was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of her service to her community.[11] Wedega was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1983, as part of the Queen's birthday honours.[12] She was the first woman from Papua New Guinea to be made a Dame.[13]
In 2002, Eric Johns wrote a biography of Wedega, written for secondary students.[14]
^ abcdeJohns, Eric, "Wedega, Dame Ahioma Alice (1905–1987)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 15 October 2018
^Wetherell, David; Carr-Gregg, Charlotte (1984). "Moral Re-Armament in Papua, 1931-42". Oceania. 54 (3): 177–203. ISSN 0029-8077.
^"Happy birthday". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. 20 August 1975. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^"Woman tells of headhunters". Canberra Times. 5 January 1976. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^Ritchie, Jonathan (2015). "Political Life Writing in Papua New Guinea: What, Who, Why?". Political Life Writing in the Pacific. Australian National University Press. p. 24.
^Wedega, Alice (2016). Listen, my country. NCD, Papua New Guinea: University of Papua New Guinea Press and Bookshop. ISBN978-9980-89-180-8.
^ abDickson-Waiko, Anne (2013). "Women, Nation and Decolonisation in Papua New Guinea". The Journal of Pacific History. 48 (2): 177–193. ISSN 0022-3344.
^Michael Henderson, All Her Paths Are Peace: Women Pioneers in Peacemaking, Kumarian Press, pp. 81–92 (1994).ISBN9781565490345
^Biodata 2006-11-27 at the Wayback Machine, mcc.org; accessed 19 June 2017.
^Wedega, Alice (25 July 1952). "Women of Papua Strong Force". Papuan Times. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^"Miss Ahiona Alice Wedega". honours.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^"Military list". Canberra Times. 12 June 1982. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^"Lesson from Papua". The Bulletin. 102 (5320): 125. 29 June 1982 – via Trove.
^Johns, Eric (2002). Dame Alice Wedega. Famous people of PNG. South Melbourne: Pearson Education Australia. ISBN978-0-7339-3328-8.
This Papua New Guinean biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
alice, wedega, dame, august, 1905, december, 1987, papuan, politician, educator, peacemaker, conscientious, objector, dame, papuan, teacher, c1952born, 1905, august, 1905, milne, district, papua, guineadieddecember, 1987, 1987, aged, ahioma, papua, guineaoccup. Dame Alice Wedega DBE 20 August 1905 3 December 1987 was a Papuan politician educator peacemaker and conscientious objector DameAlice WedegaAlice Wedega Papuan teacher c1952Born 1905 08 20 August 20 1905 age 117 Milne Bay district Papua New GuineaDiedDecember 3 1987 1987 12 03 aged 82 Ahioma Papua New GuineaOccupation s Missionary teacher welfare officer legislatorKnown forFirst indigenous woman to serve on Papua New Guinea s national Legislative CouncilNotable workListen My CountryAwardsDame Commander of the Order of the British Empire Contents 1 Biography 2 Quotes 3 Legacy and honours 4 Works 5 ReferencesBiography EditBorn in Ahioma in Milne Bay Wedega was raised in Kwato She worked to educate her people and evangelise Christianity and helped foster peace by making enemies into friends derived from her own education by Charles Abel a missionary who established a school on the island of Kwato 1 2 She served as a welfare office with the department of Native Affairs and established a school for domestic science in Milne Bay 1 Wedega was also active in the Girl guides movement and became the first national Girl Guide Commissioner in Papua New Guinea 3 She was appointed to the Legislative Council of Papua and New Guinea in 1961 the first indigenous woman to sit in the legislature 1 She served until 1963 4 In 1981 she published her autobiography Listen My Country which focuses on her experiences as a Christian and as a woman 5 She is considered to be the first woman from Papua New Guinea to publish a book 1 and her autobiography was reprinted in 2016 6 She travelled internationally to conferences representing her country and to Northern Ireland to help build peace 1 7 Quotes Edit o ur people used to kill and eat men They would practice payback That is if one of your side killed one of mine my side would kill one of yours But the missionaries came from Europe to stop us doing all that And now I have been back to Northern Ireland to help the Europeans there stop doing it A Wedega 8 9 7 we women of Papua can be a strong force to make this country a better country than it is today 10 Legacy and honours EditOn 13 June 1964 Wedega was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her service to her community 11 Wedega was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1983 as part of the Queen s birthday honours 12 She was the first woman from Papua New Guinea to be made a Dame 13 In 2002 Eric Johns wrote a biography of Wedega written for secondary students 14 Works EditListen My Country 2016 ISBN 9789980891808 9980891807References Edit a b c d e Johns Eric Wedega Dame Ahioma Alice 1905 1987 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University retrieved 15 October 2018 Wetherell David Carr Gregg Charlotte 1984 Moral Re Armament in Papua 1931 42 Oceania 54 3 177 203 ISSN 0029 8077 Happy birthday Papua New Guinea Post Courier 20 August 1975 Retrieved 13 September 2022 Woman tells of headhunters Canberra Times 5 January 1976 Retrieved 13 September 2022 Ritchie Jonathan 2015 Political Life Writing in Papua New Guinea What Who Why Political Life Writing in the Pacific Australian National University Press p 24 Wedega Alice 2016 Listen my country NCD Papua New Guinea University of Papua New Guinea Press and Bookshop ISBN 978 9980 89 180 8 a b Dickson Waiko Anne 2013 Women Nation and Decolonisation in Papua New Guinea The Journal of Pacific History 48 2 177 193 ISSN 0022 3344 Michael Henderson All Her Paths Are Peace Women Pioneers in Peacemaking Kumarian Press pp 81 92 1994 ISBN 9781565490345 Biodata Archived 2006 11 27 at the Wayback Machine mcc org accessed 19 June 2017 Wedega Alice 25 July 1952 Women of Papua Strong Force Papuan Times Retrieved 13 September 2022 Miss Ahiona Alice Wedega honours pmc gov au Retrieved 13 September 2022 Military list Canberra Times 12 June 1982 Retrieved 13 September 2022 Lesson from Papua The Bulletin 102 5320 125 29 June 1982 via Trove Johns Eric 2002 Dame Alice Wedega Famous people of PNG South Melbourne Pearson Education Australia ISBN 978 0 7339 3328 8 This Papua New Guinean biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alice Wedega amp oldid 1110114694, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
