By Wasita Royal ENB
The body of the late Graham Osborne was finally laid to rest at the Tagurir cemetery in Raluana village in East New Britain Province yesterday.
Originally from New Zealand, Mr. Osborne made Papua New Guinea his home for over 30 years, earning significance in PNG sports and media.
Mr. Osborne a respected educator and media executive, served on the Board of Directors for Telikom, EMTV, and Kalang FM, and passed away at the age of 77.
As a symbol of his deep connection to PNG sports the PNG Pukpuks jersey and a PNG Kumul jersey were placed on the casket before it was laid to rest.
In attendance were Osborne’s family from New Zealand, colleagues, associates, friends and key figures from these organizations, including the Chair of Telikom Paul Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of EMTV Lesieli Vete, and the Chief Executive Officer of Kalang FM Bill Wartovo.
Following the burial, Osborne’s family proceeded to the residence of the Namaliu clan to take part in the “kutu tabu” ceremony. In this traditional rite, the Raluana people presented Osborne’s family with shell money as a ritual way of saying thank you for his contributions.
Osborne’s New Zealand family also participated in the “kutu tabu” distribution, symbolizing the cross-cultural bridges he had built throughout his life.
The “kutu tabu” ceremony marked the conclusion of Osborne’s final journey home to East New Britain, where he has now found his eternal rest. He will be deeply missed by all those whose lives he touched, both in the education and media sectors, and within the wider community.
