The intertwining of politics and mathematics teaching in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Michael Somare, Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) first prime minister pleaded with his people to “accept old traditional values but at the same time, adapt easily to an alien electronic age of the twentieth century” (Griffen, Nelson, & Firth, 1979). The second prime minister, Julius Chan, was reported to say; “There’s no ‘Melanesian Way’ to pilot aircraft” (Lancy, 1983). The foundation leaders of PNG saw clearly the dilemma of their peoples whose cultures have lasted for 40,000+ years, and have served them well, but now exist as a modern state in a world dominated by very different cultures.