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On the 7th July at the Gateway Hotel I was approached by a young girl around 16 years of age who came up to me and asked ….
'Would you have any objections if I went back to Sydney and tried to arrange sponsorship for a saxaphone to be bought and sent to PNG for your porter FREDDY YAUGA?'
The young girl's name was SAMANTHA BREACH and about a month ago I received an email from her father Christopher saying they now had the 'Saxaphone' and that it was about to be sent to my address in Australia.
As I had to fly down to Australia mid last week I was able to bring it back to PNG with me and today it heads out to KOKODA to our very LUCKY porter FREDDY YAUGA.
We at Kokoda Trekking have a lot to thank Freddy Yauga for as well due to his musical ability and keeping our trekkers entertained.
On a trek late 2006 he so inspired a group of trekkers that they purchased a guitar for him. If you look in the photograph below you will see the guitar he received now goes with him on his treks.
This was the same trek that Samantha and her father were on. Now he will have a chance to master another instrument, the 'Saxaphone', can he do it without tuition, well thats another article in itself as we will all just have to wait and see.
On another trek in April this year, Freddy acted as a porter to Jane Boswell. Later in the year when our boys went down to the Kokoda Challenge on the Gold Coast his brother Horace was in the 'Elite Team'. On seeing the name YAUGA listed, Jane wrote to me and asked if Horace was also related to Freddy. When I answered yes, his brother, Jane immediately sent a ticket inviting him to visit with her family in Melbourne.
Just before race day I sent down another brother Andrew Yauga to act as support crew. Jane saw his name as well and asked if another brother to which I replied YES. Not long after Andrew had a ticket to Melbourne as well.
When you think that Jane had not met either of his brothers, it shows me that Freddy must have looked after her really well to think she would invite and pay for his two brothers to fly down to meet her family.
The result of this is that Jane has now booked another trek in 2008, trek 447 to put something back in KOKODA and each trekker has to donate $500 towards to Kokoda school to join her trek.
So thanks FREDDY YAUGA for the three treks you have been on that you somehow or other touched the hearts of your trekkers. Thanks to Allan; his twin brother Peter and to others on the same trek who contributed towards his guitar; Jane, per above and now Samantha and Chris for his saxaphone. I could be wrong, but I would hesitate a guess that he will be the only man in the Oro Province to own such an instrument.
Group Photograph trek 362 B with Freddy Yauga kneeling on the ground in the front row:
IMGP4004__Medium_.JPGTrek 362 B seen here at Bomana War Cemetery shortly before heading out to Owers' Corner:
IMGP3960__Medium_.JPGJane Boswell and her friend Tracy seen here with Freddy on her right along with Chris Suma one of our guides, and a couple of his brothers in front of our newly painted mural at Kokoda Airstrip in August 2007 this year when they returned to see how they could contribute to the small town of Kokoda to help our porters and their families.
Co-incidentally, another of Freddy's brothers Horace mentioned above is sponsored by us to attend school so he can finish his Grade 12 as he wants to become an airline pilot.
Most of you are aware of the Kokoda Challenge Race we hold each year. Horace told me before he raced last year that he was entering to pay for his school fees. Later in Kokoda the following day he said he tried his hardest but could only manage 4th which is not too bad for an 18 year old over 96 km.
This year in January I informed him, to prepare for school as his fees would be paid to attend as a boarder St Maryts High School. Hopefully his dream may come true!
Jane_and_Tracey_at_Mural_at_Airport__Small_.jpgUpdate: To all Freddy Yauga fans, he has received his gift of a saxaphone today and is on the track commencing in Kokoda tomorrow morning, our last of the season. Hence in 8 days he will be here in Port Moresby on the 5th December if anyone would like to phone him. +675 325 4423 or +675 323 6650
One of our trekkers today says he is no expert but has played this instrument so will hopefully be able to give him some hints, perhaps he is over there right now practising at Russell's family block !!!
We will be posting a beginners guide book for the sax with CD to Andrew care of KTL office for Freddy to pick up a few more clues on playing. Next year trek 417 has a sax music teacher walking the trek and perhaps Freddy would like to porter for him? This teacher also plays several other instruments, sings, has his own band and plays the ukulele too. Could be a most enjoyable trek.
Mike, please advise which guy and I will allocate Freddy to him as his porter, thanks for the tip. Freddy arrives in here off a trek this coming Wednesday. When he first tried blowing I don't think he got a sound out of it….will know more when I talk with him later in the week.
Thanks Gail.. the saxophone teacher in trek 417 is Stephen Gill. I had a chat with Stephen and he is keen to meet up with Freddy as his porter. We are all looking forward to next year.
Update: thanks, have added this request to your trek so Freddy it is as Stephen's porter.
From Chris and Samantha Breach – it is great to hear that the Sax has found "The Man". Also that tuition id being lined up. Fantastic.
Update: Freddy is so HAPPY, thanks ever so much for thinking of him. He has been practising on his guitar and singing since arriving as I want him to record some of his music this coming week.
He was at my house all day yesterday sitting on the verandah playing and singing….very relaxing sitting in my office listening to his music.
PS Peter Gray one our last trekkers just sent me this photograph of Freddy shortly after receiving his saxophone… with the added comments 'he is one cool dude'.
DSCN3125__Small_.JPGGreat photo of Freddy with the sax..please let us know if and when the practice book arrived and if it will be helpful in working out the mysteries of the sax for Freddy..hopefully he has access to a CD/DVD player somewhere so he can do a bit of "playing along" as he learns. Who knows Kokoda could become the next "new wave island jazz center". Cheers Mike and Trina
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