Dorothy Thomas lives at Gaverahia, Taurama just outside of the Taurama Army Barracks.
She is from Kundugu village in Tari. She was born in Tari but when she was a teenager she came to Port Moresby and lived with her maternal uncle here at Gaverahia or Funky town as it is commonly known. She doesn’t know her real age because she has never been to school and she can’t remember the year she came to Port Moresby.
She said, “When I arrived in Port Moresby, I came straight here to Taurama and lived with Papa Gini. I’m not sure when but I came here but definitely it was after the church was built.”
Dorothy is now married to Raymond, a humble, soft spoken gentlemen from Mt. Hagen. They have a 4 year old daughter and another one on the way.
“Mi sa maket long salim ol buai, smuk nabaut. Mi les long stap long haus nating. Bipo taim mi save helpim mama na papa long salim ol plawa scone long Manu tasol polis kam rausim maket nau mipla kam stap nating. Na mipla stap inap papa dai so mi save mekim ol liklik maket na stap.
“My real parents are living near Post Courier in Konedobu. When I want to visit them, I go there. Otherwise I always stay here with my uncle. I don’t like going there. I can’t just fold my hands and sit around doing nothing, because then what will we eat. That’s why I do this little market. When papa was alive I can go out and do things while he looks after the market. Now that he’s gone I have to work hard and sit here at the market whole day to earn our living.
“My husband and I plan to find a small block of land, buy it and continue to do our market in a bigger way. We don’t want to keep living here because now that my uncle is gone, his children are becoming hostile to us. We are saving a little money towards this dream. When we see that we have enough money then we will move out and buy the block.
In Funky Town, market is not always as good as Dorothy would like it to be. Many a time passersby and labourers next door get her market goods on credit, and don’t pay on time.
“You see these people here? They just come and pick up buai and smoke but they are not paying for it. They are just picking them and going and we follow after them to pay, but some don’t pay at all.
“I mean, what are they thinking? Don’t we spend money to buy the stuff to bring them here and then we sit in the sun whole day to make a sale? So it makes me want to give up but then if I do that, what else will I do? I can’t just fold my hands and sit around, we will starve.