People and Language Detail Report Profile Year: 2003 Language Name: Namo ISO Language Code: mxw The Namo speakers of Mari village live on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea in Western Province, close to the West Papua (Indonesia) border. The Namo people cultivate gardens, fish and hunt. Their diet consists of yam, taro, sweet potato, sago, greens, fruits such as coconuts, bananas, pineapples, and papayas. They hunt deer and wallaby and catch crab and fish in the rivers and the ocean. The Namo people build their houses on poles, raised about 6 to 10 feet above the ground. The roofs and walls are made of bark. Local leadership is by clan leaders and village elders. There are two churches in Mari, Christian Life Center and the Evangelical Church of Papua New Guinea. There are no Scriptures in Namo language. Most of the people would call themselves Christians, but there is a fair amount of syncretism. Primary Religion: Christian Disciples (Matt 28.19): 15% Churches: 2 Scripture Status (Matt 28.20): Population (date): 197 (2003)
Have They Heard The Gospel? Call Themselves Christian (%) 31% Believe In Jesus As God & Only Savior (%) 15% Have t Heard Who Jesus is (%) 0% Number Of Pastors 2 Number Of Missionaries Working 0 Profile Summary Response To The Gospel Most of the village would call themselves Christian. 62: 197 are baptized church members. The two churches in Mari village are fairly small in number (around thirty regular attendees at each church). The pastors reported that there are many backsliders. Many people call themselves Christians, but there is very little evidence of faith in their lives. Syncretism is common. Number Of Communities 1 Number Of Churches 2 Is The Word Of God Translated? Any Hinderance To Scripture Distribution? Few men are literate in Motu and English. Many women are literate in English. Population All Countries World Population For This People 197 World Population (Date) 2003 Countries Where People Group Lives Country Name Papua New Guinea Geography & Environment Location Country Ecosystem Type Geological Type Elevation Mibini ward of the South Fly District in the Morehead Rural Local Level Government Area, Western Province. On the south coast fifty-four kilometers south of Morehead Station, twenty-eight kilometers west of Tais. Papua New Guinea Gallery Forest Coastal 26 feet Longitude E141 42.193 Latitude S9 11.586 Climate Rainy season lasts from vember through May, dry season from June to October. Language & Linguistics Primary Language Attitude Towards Mother Tongue NAMBU The Tais reportedly speak the same language. The Namo reported that it is very important for women who have married into the group to learn the language and speak it to their children. Many of the women, however, especially the younger ones, reported that they had not yet learned the vernacular. Respondents reported that their children would continue to speak the vernacular if they had a book in their language. Children are learning English at school, but they seem very timid about using it. Everyone school age or older is familiar with English, and/or Motu, neighboring languages, and/or his or her mother s language. The language name is Namo. The suggested language code is MXW. ENGLISH NAMMA KANCHA MOTU
Comment (Second Language) Comments (Related Languages) Comments (Neighbor Languages) Corrections To Ethnologue Entry Literacy Adult Literacy Percentage 78% Percent Literate For Men 82% Percent Literate For Women 74% Literacy Attitude Active Literacy Program Publications In Vernacular Comment (Literacy) Economics Subsistence Type Subsistence Type Average Annual Income Occupation Income Sources Products / Crafts Trade Partners Modernization / Utilities Comment (Economy) The Namo also report speaking the Broken English of Boigu Island. There are reportedly no closely related languages. The highest cognate percentage is 52% with Namat- Mibini. Kancha and Namma are reported to be neighboring languages. Kancha is said to be located to the west of the Namo area and Namma to the north. The Namma area is separated from the Namo area by large swamps. It should be listed as MXW in the Ethnologue. Currently, it is listed as DRX. Where the Ethnologue, following Paul O Rear s (1993) suggestion, listed two languages, Mari and Tais, the reports from the ADWs suggested that one language be listed, Namo [MXW], spoken in the villages of Mari and Tais. Very receptive Reported: Few men are literate in Motu and English. Many women are literate in English. Fishers Agriculturalists Very minimal. They reported that they do sometimes sell crabs, wooden spears, baskets, nets, fish, and yams at Boigu or Morehead. They eat what they fish, hunt and grow in their gardens, and their homes are made entirely of bush materials. Gardening, fishing, hunting Fish, baskets, garden vegetables and mats Baskets, spears and mats Neighboring villages: Boigu, Tais, Jarai, Morehead, Arufe, Bula. Marriage exchange with Mibini, Jarai, Bondobol, Rouku, Bula, Tais, Arufe Twelve to fourteen water tanks and two large metal roof shelters, lamps, two kerosene stoves, tools, knives, hammers, saws, radios, hoes, spades, nails There is very little access to - or money for - outside (western) goods. Community Development Comment (Health Care) Diet (Quality) Comment (Diet) Water (Quality) Comment (Water) Shelter Description Electricity Energy/Fuel (Quality) Comment (Energy) Clothing An aid post opened in the year 2003. The new aid post and house for a married teacher/nurse were Western style, with new water tanks, and very nice. If the Namo need to go to the hospital, they must travel to Boigu or Daru. Fair Cassava, yam, taro, sego, papaya, pineapple, venison and fish Very good They used to use a very muddy well. There is also a small creek, formerly used for bathing. AusAid installed two large metal roofs with four large water tanks at each one. The water is very nice and supplies enough for the entire village. Homes are made of bark, usually one or two bedrooms and a main room. A family unit of mother, father and several children typically live in each house. Fair People kept small stores of fuel, buried in the sand, stored for emergencies. They buy secondhand clothing in town. A few people wore shoes. Some wore sandals.
Transportation Society & Culture Neighbor Relations Authority / Rule Social Habits/Groupings Cultural Change Pace Self Image Judicial / Punishment System Celebrations Recreations Art Forms Media Local Language Broadcasting Attitude To Outsiders Comment (Culture) Youth Labor and tasks (6-12 year olds) Education Primary Schools Boating, walking, and some biking. There are no villages in the nearly fifty kilometers stretch between Mibini and Mari. It is reported that the road is passable in late August/September during dry season. It is recommended that people travel to Mari by boat. Dinghies with outboard motors travel from Arufe to Mari. Travel to and from Boigu or Daru is also possible. Amiable They intermarry with neighboring language groups and report that when disputes arise they come together and talk matters over. Clan leaders Clans Slow Neutral When there is some kind of dispute, the village comes together for village court. They talk about matters and come to a decision. Weddings, funerals, harvest, church openings, baby presentations, Christmas, New Year, Independence, crusades Hunting, cooking, fishing Baskets, mats, wooden spears Primary School Enrollment 109 Secondary Schools Secondary Schools 0 Percent Of Eligible Students Enrolled Teacher To Pupil Ratio 1: 27 Language Of Instruction Early Years Language Of Instruction Early Years Language Of Textbooks Early Years Language Of Textbooks Early Years. There was a lot of standing around when the survey team arrived. The Namo, however, gave the survey team a place to stay and cooked meals for them. Nearly everyone came for testing, but it was difficult to find people who would do individual testing. They were mostly very reserved. Girls help with washing, caring for younger siblings, cleaning, and cooking. Boys help with hunting and fishing. 1 elementary, 1 primary Namo students go to Arufe and Morehead for secondary school. 100% (elementary) English Mari (East Sepik Province) English Mari (East Sepik Province) The language of instruction in the elementary school is Namo. The language of instruction in the primary school is English. The primary teacher/headmaster does not speak Namo. He is from Daru. The elementary school teaches EP and E2. The primary school teaches grades 4 and 6. Church Growth Total Baptized 62 Comment (Church Growth) Big books are in Namo. Textbooks are in English. The elementary school enrollment is thirty-nine students. The primary school enrollment is seventy students. One pastor is with the Christian Life Center, and the other pastor is with the Evangelical Church of Papua New Guinea.
Religion & Response Attitude To Christianity Comment (Religion) All Namo refer to themselves as Christians. History Of Christianity In Group Year Began 1979 By Whom Graham Martin started the ECPNG church via Arufe. Pastor Jack from Daru came to start the CLC church in 1989. Significant Events CLC had a revival in 1984. ECPNG had a revival in 1986. Scripture Translation Status Available Scripture Comment (Scripture) Other Forms Of Gospel Available: Literature Other Forms Of Gospel Available: Recordings Other Forms Of Gospel Available: Film/Videos Other Forms Of Gospel Available: Radio Possible During church services, the pastor reads the Scriptures and preaches in English, and then he explains important points in Namo. The Namo express great interest in Bible translation. Missions and Churches Organization Name Year Started 1979 Mission Agency Type Of Organization? Denominational Type Of Organization? Number Of Adherents 32 Number Of Congregations 1 Number Of Expatriate Workers 0 Number Of National Workers 0 Number Of Local Workers 1 Number Of Workers Using Local Language Evangelical Church of Papua New Guinea (see APCM) Namo is used for youth services, announcements, women s groups, and some prayer. English is used for the sermon (with Namo translation of important points) and some prayer.