Document details

Tok Bilong Ol Grassruts: Tok Pisin & Wantok

In: Communication, Culture & Society in Papua New Guinea: Yu Tok Wanem?
Evangelia Papoutsaki; Michael McManus; Patrick Matbob (eds.)
Madang; Auckland: DWU Press, Divine Word University;Pacific Media Centre, Auckland University of Technology (2011), pp. 48-61

Signature commbox: 512:10-General 2011

"Tok Pisin [one of the three national languages] has played a significant role as an agent of change and development in Papua New Guinea. It bridged the gap between the rural and the urban communities and brought confidence to people who are now able to communicate with others as well as among themselves [...] Because of the low literacy levels, most can only read basic English and find it difficult reading newspapers in English. 'Wantok' has played an equally important part since it was first published in 1970 in bringing information to the nation, especially the grassroots. It is probably the only media capable of maintaining a written standard against which Tok Pisin can be judged and the only means of reaching many rural people." (Conclusion, page 60)