Passing Through Papua New Guinea Quiz

Answer: Tok Pisin

A lingua franca is a language common in a particular area that many people learn as a second language. Also called a bridge language or trade language, this helps to facilitate communication between different culture groups.

Papua New Guinea has many official languages, including English and Hiri Motu, but Tok Pisin is the lingua franca. The word "Tok" is derived from the English word talk, while "Pisin" comes from the English pidgin, which is the term for a simple way people who do not have a language in common communicate. Many times such a language is used when people of different cultures are trading. While in the past many learned only enough of the language to get by with what they needed, today Tok Pisin is taught in schools and some use it as a primary language.

Answer: New Guinea

The second largest island in the world, New Guinea contains two countries - Papua New Guinea to the east and Western New Guinea, to the west, which is part of Indonesia. When Western explorers began to arrive to the island in the 1500s, they named it New Guinea, "land of the blacks", because the people who lived there resembled those who lived in the area of Africa that was already known as Guinea.

Answer: False

Although archaeologists do not agree on the exact date, they do believe that the first people who came to Papua New Guinea arrived much earlier than 10,000 years ago. While some estimate the time was 60,000 years ago, others say the migration occurred sometime between 45,000-42,000 years ago.

The distant ancestors of modern Papuans originally came from Africa, but took an indirect path to the island, stopping to intermingle with people in Asia and Australia before their arrival. They probably traveled to Papua New Guinea during an Ice Age when the sea water wasn't as high. They remained relatively isolated from the rest of the world until the early 16th century.

Answer: British Commonwealth

Papua New Guinea became an independent nation in 1975 and joined the British Commonwealth. Charles III is their king, but the people are ruled by the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, who is considered to be the king's representative.

The Governor-General is appointed by the King after he receives an acceptable nomination by the country's National Parliament. The Prime Minister is the leader of the National Parliament, whose 111 members are elected at least every five years.

Papua New Guinea also joined the United Nations in 1975.

Answer: Earthquakes

Papua New Guinea is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where many tectonic plates collide. There are frequent volcanic eruptions, with an estimated 33 significant ones occurring in the last 1500 years. The most common geological event there, however, is earthquakes.

An internet website that tracks earthquakes around the world noted on November 5, 2023, that there have been 0 earthquakes in the last 24 hours, 3 earthquakes in the last seven days, 39 in the past 30 days, and 359 in the past 365 days. Again, it's a very common occurrence! The highest magnitude was 7.0, which occurred on April 2, 2023, near Ambunti, East Sepik.

Answer: Sea shells

Seashells were used as currency in Papua New Guinea in the past, however, their use was abolished and replaced by the Papua New Guinean kina in 1975. The word kina is derived from the Kuanua language of the nation and refers to a callable pearl shell that had been used for trading.

In spite of the introduction of a new currency, in some of the more than one thousand estimated cultures in Papua New Guinea, bride grooms must present some golden-edged clam shells or other type of kina shell as a bride price. Some groups may offer livestock or even cassowaries as the bride price, while others expect the bride to pay a dowry.

Answer: Rugby League

Rugby League is considered to be the national sport in Papua New Guinea. It was introduced there in the 1940s by Australian soldiers. In an area where tribal warfare, cannibalism, and head hunting was common in the past, rugby league is considered to be a more acceptable competition. Talented athletes may become celebrities while representing their country, and many play in professional leagues elsewhere around the world.

Papua New Guinea also has a national team called the Kumuls that competes against an Australia national team each year.

Answer: United States

The people of Papua New Guinea have a history of European colonization dating back to the late 1800s, and that explains why the country has a dual name today. Germany ruled an area in the northern part of the island called German New Guinea, but lost it to Australians during World War I. The League of Nations created a mandate there when the war was over, which was called the Territory of New Guinea and administered by Australia.

The southern part of the island became a British protectorate in 1884 and, with a few smaller islands in the area, was called British New Guinea by 1888; the area was renamed the Territory of Papua in 1905. After World War II the two parts were united into the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, which later became Papua New Guinea.

Answer: False

The military group that defends Papua New Guinea is called the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, and is divided into three different units. The Land Element is composed of special forces, engineers, a military academy, and three smaller units. There is also an Air Element, which has an aircraft squadron, and a Maritime Element, which consists of different types of military boats.

Answer: Sweet potatoes

Papua New Guinea is one of a few locations in the world where people learned how to domesticate plants and farm independently of others. This was accomplished by approximately 7000 BC. At that time the taro, which is much like a yam, was considered to be the staple crop.

When Europeans began coming to the island the Portuguese introduced the sweet potato, which had been introduced to them in South America. It became an important staple crop because it yields more food than the taro. This meant that the population in some areas grew.