TLA MEDIA (PNG)

Who Owns Kokoda? (Part 2) (By Kora* / Direction and editing: Glenn Armstrong) Looking out over the Trail, there is a point where the jungle falls silent. Veterans say it is the sound of memory. Trekkers say it is humility. Papua New Guineans say it is home. But increasingly, development professionals say it is a “platform.” And there lies the problem. Kokoda — once a solemn site of wartime sacrifice, national identity, and local custodianship — is slowly being reframed into something else: a convenient launch pad for every fashionable development agenda, from gender mainstreaming to climate resilience to market systems strengthening. Useful agendas in their own right, yes. But on Kokoda, they are beginning to overshadow the core story of the Trail itself. This phenomenon has a name: development creep . It begins quietly. A small program on environmental protection. Then a youth-empowerment add-on. Then safeguarding requirements. Then governance components. Before long, the ...

The Global Problem  of Development Creep in Other Cultural Landscapes (By Kora* / Direction and editing: Glenn Armstrong) Kokoda is not unique. Across the world, heritage sites are slowly bending toward donor agendas that were never meant to be there. And if you wonder why multi-million dollar aid programs disappear into the ether, here’s why. 1. Cambodia — Angkor Wat Angkor Wat’s conservation programs have expanded to include: community livelihoods, gender empowerment, climate resilience, migration research, waste-management studies. Result: important programs, but heritage is no longer the centre of gravity. 2. Nepal — Everest Region Originally focused on mountaineering safety and cultural preservation, the Everest region is now home to: carbon-offset initiatives, climate modeling hubs, global tourism governance, resilience programming. The Sherpa cultural narrative is now an annex, not the headl...

How a Sacred Wartime Trail Became a Battleground of Narratives (By Kora / Direction and editing: Glenn Armstrong) Kokoda is many things at once: a battlefield, a pilgrimage, a national symbol, a shared wound, a shared pride. For Papua New Guinea, it is the memory of villages, carriers, courageous families who sheltered soldiers, and the landscape that shaped history. For Australia, it is the legend of courage, endurance, sacrifice, and mateship - as is carved in granite on the four pillars of the Isurava memorial. But today, Kokoda is also something else — something less organic. It has become a contested narrative space , tensed between history, tourism, development funding, political symbolism, and competing interpretations of what the trail should “mean”. Slowly, quietly, and often without public debate, Kokoda has been reframed by external actors — including aid contractors, NGOs, policy think-tanks, and government programs — into something far broader than the wartime...

We sent Kora on a magical mystery tour to explore PNG music legend Ben Hakalitz’s new website.  (story by Kora; direction and editing by Glenn Armstrong)   Ben Hakalitz’s new website arrives at an opportune moment: a renowned Papua New Guinean musician builds a digital home for his craft, his brand, and his legacy. From the initial navigation, the site presents confidently—drum kits, signature series, contact details, and a clear brand identity (“Hakalitz Drums”). The visuals are striking: high-quality images of Ben in a studio setting, signature cymbals and snares branded under his name, and a strong sense that this is both a musical platform and a heritage project. What works well The clear brand name “Hakalitz Drums” ties the musician with a product line and professional identity. The site shows his international credentials—his work with major artists, his presence in Australia—and roots that in his PNG heritage. There is a sense of call to action: purchase drums, merch, c...

  What Papua New Guinea Can Learn from the Cook Islands When a Jetstar passenger settles into their seat - flying from Bangkok to Brisbane - and sees a Cook Islands tourism ad proclaiming “Freedom Awaits” , something clicks. The message is clear, emotional, and effortless. It doesn’t need to explain — it invites . The Cook Islands, with a population of just over 17,000, attract well over 100,000 holiday-makers each year . Papua New Guinea, a land of staggering cultural and ecological diversity with over  10 million people , struggles to reach even half that number. Why does one Pacific nation capture the hearts (and wallets) of global travellers while the other remains off the tourist radar? Let’s look closer. 🌺 1. Branding That Breathes Simplicity The Cook Islands’ slogan “Freedom Awaits” is genius in its minimalism. It promises an emotion — not a geography. The word “freedom” speaks to weary travellers seeking escape from routines, responsibilities, and ...