Papua New Guinea broadcaster Roger Hau’ofa has died of kidney failure in his wife’s village of Iare in Central Province.
Hau’ofa, 73, was the brother of Tongan author and sociologist ʼĒpeli Hau’ofa, who founded the Oceania Centre of Arts and Culture at the University of the South Pacific.
He suffered kidney failure in 2015 and had been on dialysis ever since.
His daughter Michelle told the media he did not want to die in hospital and was flown back to Iare to be with his family.
“Dad had suffered for more than a year now and had spent a month in intensive care at the Pacific International Hospital,” she said.
“In the end, he was just tired of the needles and tubes as it was a very painful experience for him.
“He asked to stop all treatment.”
She described her father as “passionate” about PNG and its people.
Hau’ofa was described as the voice of Papua New Guinea’s political, social and economic consciousness.
He worked with the national broadcaster, the NBC, and later with FM100.
PNG writer Martyn Namorong told Radio New Zealand Hau’ofa was “a real institution” whose voice had been heard by millions of Papua New Guineans.
“During some of the biggest crises that PNG has gone through – political upheavals like the Sandline crisis, the Somare crisis in recent times – Roger was a neutral voice that all parties could talk to and get their message out on radio,” Namorong said.
“So he definitely was someone that not just the ruling political class listened to and respected, but the everyday Papua New Guinean too.”
Hau’ofa was born of Tongan missionary parents Isikeli Hau’ofa and Mele Sikimeti on Misima Island in Milne Bay on Dec 28, 1943.
He had two sisters and two brothers. One of the sisters, Mele, ironically dying on the same day as he did but 21 years ago.
The main points
- Papua New Guinea broadcaster Roger Hau’ofa has died of kidney failure in his wife’s village of Iare in Central Province.
- Hau’ofa, 73, was the brother of Tongan author and sociologist ʻĒpeli Hau’ofa, who founded the Oceania Centre of Arts and Culture at the University of the South Pacific.
- He suffered kidney failure in 2015 and had been on dialysis ever since.
- Roger Hau’ofa was described as the voice of Papua New Guinea’s political, social and economic consciousness.
For more information
PNG’s radio talkback broadcasting legend Roger Hau’ofa dies
Kuo mālōlō e tangata faifakamafola lea Pāpua Niukini ko Roger Hauʻofa tuʻunga ʻi ha ʻikai toe ngāue ʻa hono kofuuá, ʻi he kolo ʻa hono uaifí ʻa Iare.
Ko e taʻu 73 ʻeni ʻo Hauʻofa pea ko e tokoua ia ʻo e tangata faʻu tohi mo siolosisi ko ʻĒpeli Hauʻofa ʻa ia ne ne fokotuʻu ʻa e Senitā ki he ʻĀati ʻa e Pasifikí mo e Angafakafonuá ʻi he ʻUnivēsiti ʻo e Pasifiki Sauté ʻi Suvá.
Ne ne mahamahaki tuʻunga ʻi hono kofuuá ʻi he 2015 pea talu mei ai mo hono faitoʻo taialasisi.
Ne fakahā ʻe hono ʻofefiné Michelle ki he mītiá ne ʻikai ke fie mate e tangatá ni ʻi fale mahaki peá ne fakafolau ai ia ki Iare ki hono fāmilí.
Ne puke e tangataʻeikí laka hake ha taʻu ʻe taha peá ne ʻi he loki ʻo e kau mahaki ne ʻi he tuʻunga fakatuʻutāmakí ʻi he Falemahaki Pacific International, ko ʻene laú ia.
Ne iku pe ʻo ne ʻikai toe lava e mamahi ʻa hono ngāueʻaki e huí mo e tiupí ʻi hono faitoʻó.
Ne ne kole leva ke taʻofi kotoa hono faitoʻó ne faí.
Ne ne fakamatalaʻi ʻa ʻene tamaí ko ha tangata ʻofa ʻi PNG mo hono kakaí.
Naʻe pehē ko Hauʻofá ko e leʻo ia ne ne fakaʻaaki e kakaí ki he ʻū meʻa fakapolitikale, sōsiale mo fakaʻekonōmika ʻa Papua Niukiní.
Ne ne ngāue he fakamafolalea fakafonuá, NBC pea ki mui ai ʻi he FM100.
Ne fakahā ʻe he tokotaha fai tohi ʻa PNG ko Martyn Namorong ki he Letiō Nuʻu Silá ko e tangata moʻoni ʻa Hauʻofa ʻa ia ne ongona hono leʻó ʻe he laui miliona ʻo Papua Niukini.
Lolotonga e ngaahi fepaki lalahi ne foua ʻe PNG – ko e ngaahi taʻemanonga fakapolitikale hangē ko e taʻemanonga ne ʻiloa ko e Sandline mo e Somare ki muí ni mai – ne hoko ʻa Roger ko e leʻo ne talanoa ki ai e ngaahi pātí ke fakaaʻu atu honau ngaahi leʻó ʻi he letioó, ko e lau ia ʻa Namorong.
ʻA ia ne mahino ʻaupito ko e tokotaha ia ne ʻikai ko e paati pe ne pulé ne fanongo ki aí mo fakaʻapaʻapaʻí, ka ko e Papua Niukini he ʻaho kotoa.
Naʻe fanauʻi ʻa Hauʻofa ʻe he ongo mātuʻa misinale ko ʻIsikeli Hauʻofa mo Mele Sikimeti ʻi he motu ko ia ko Misima ʻi Milne Bay ʻi he ʻaho 28 Tīsema 1943.
Ne ʻi ai hono ongo tuofāfine mo hono ongo tokoua. Ko e meʻapangomālie ia ko e taha hono ongo tuofāfiné, Mele, ne mate he ʻaho tatau pē ne ne mate aí ka e ʻi hono taʻu 21 ia ʻoʻona.