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| WrICE Residency in Philippines 2017 |
Who would have thought the work I did in the
prison space would end up in some of the best libraries in the world? Imagine
the voices and words of Buimo prisoners and warders are read and heard all over
the world, outside the confines of the prison space!
I helped to facilitate the writers’ workshop
in Buimo Prison in Lae that led to the publication of A Turning Point: Buimo Prison Writers. It is now kept in the National
Library of Australia, University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Michigan,
Universitatsbiblioteck Johann Christian Senckenberg,
Zentralbibilotheck—Franfurt/Main, German, HCL Technical Services Library of
Harvard College Library (USA) and Harvard University, USA.
More than 10 books published since 1991 are
now found in libraries all over the world. I wonder how many libraries in PNG
hold copies of my books? All information gathered here on the books and where they are from © 2010 OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
My first poetry collection, Lomo’ha I am, in spirits’ voice I call:
1984-1991 published by the South Pacific Creative Arts Society, USP (Fiji)
is now held in these libraries around the world: Avondael Coll-Sydney Campus,
Cooranbong NSW, Australia, National Library of Australia, University of
Wollongong Library (Australia), Manukau Institute of Technology Library
(Auckland, New Zealand), Alexander Turnbull Library—National Library of New
Zealand, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Library (New Zealand),
University of Canterbury, Central Library (my alma matta), Brigham Young
University—Hawaii, University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Oregon Libraries,
University of Victoria Libraries, British Columbia, Canada, University of
California, San Diego, USA, Starts-und Universitatsbibliothek Hamburg Car von
Ossietsku, Hamburg, German, Universitatsbibliothek Heidelberg, Germany,
Universitatsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg, Zentralbibliotheck,
Frankfurt/Main, German, Universitatsbibliothek Leiden—Leiden University
Library, Netherland, University of Pittsburg Library, USA, Cornell University
Library, Ithaca New York, USA, The British Library, St Pancras, London, United
Kingdom, Colombia University in the City of New York, New York USA, and Medgar
Evers College Charles Evans Innis Memorial Library, Brooklyn, New York, USA. 
The second collection of poems Hembemba: Rivers of the Forest (2000) is
held in 29 libraries around the world: Australian National Library, National
library of Australia, University of Wollongong Library, University of Adelaide
Library Barr Smith Library: University of Adelaide Libraries, Australia, State
Library of Australia, Melbourne, Australia, Auckland Libraries, New Zealand,
University of Auckland General Library, Auckland, New Zealand, Alexander
Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Massey University Library,
Palmerston North, New Zealand, Porirua Public Library, Porirua, New Zealand,
Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Library, Wellington, New Zealand,
University of Canterbury, Central Library, Christchurch, New Zealand, Brigham
Young University-Hawaii Joseph F. Smith Library, Hawaii, USA, University of
Hawaii at Manoa Library, USA, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford,
California, USA, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene Oregon, USA, University
of California, Los Angele, California, USA, University of California San Diego
Library, California, USA, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor Michigan, USA, University of Edinburgh-Main Library,
Edinburg, United Kingdom, University of Pittsburg, PA, USA, University of York,
United Kingdom, The British Library, St Pancras, London, UK, University of
London, School of Oreintal and African Studies, London, UK, Library of
Congress, Washington, DC, USA, Colombia University in the City of New York, New
York, USA, and Yale University Library, New Haven, CT, USA.
Wow, I have never dreamt that my name and my
work will find a permanent place in these prestigious libraries around the
world. These libraries have brought this humble name to the spaces that are
visited by so many people I have never met at all.
I have a quiet presence in the highly
guarded libraries of the world. The Institute of Pacific Studies, USP, Fiji
published the second collection of poems in 2000. It remains an all time
popular title to date. During the
preparation for publication of this book, a blind reviewer rejected this
book arguing that I did not know how to write poetry. I have no idea what the reviewer was
referring to as the basis for rejecting this collection.
Transitions
and Transformation: Literature, Politics, and Culture is found in only four libraries around the world. It is the main
book that is selling out in Papua New Guinea. Since its publication it has been
reprinted many times because it is a textbook in “Literature and Politics”, course I teach at the University of Papua
New Guinea. I have earned some money from the sales of this book on Amazon.com
and at the University of Papua New Guinea Bookshop. The libraries with this
book are the National Library of Australia, Canberra, Australia, University of
Hawaii at Manoa, University of California, San Diego Library, San Diego,
California, USA, and the University of Michigna, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
The third collection of poems, A Rower’s Song is yet to appear
somewhere in the world. Maybe it is lost in the under currents of Oceania. Maybe
it is still rowing to distant shores. All I know is that this collection is
sold out in Papua New Guinea. 
The bilingual collection of poems Detwan How is held in these libraries
around the world: National Library of Australia, ACT, Australia, University of
Hawaii at Manoa Hamilton Library, University of California, San Diego, California,
USA, Zentraibibliotheck Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Detwan How is the forth collection of poems I published in 2012. I
have since then moved on to other genres of writing.
Acknowledging the success of these books
helps remind me that my work is read all over the world. My reputation as a
writer precedes me in all aspects. I am known all over the world because my
books are found in some of the best libraries in the world.
“Think
about it. Your natural inclination is always to improve your score. If you were
to keep a score on the five things that would advance your personal and
professional objectives the most, imagine how motivated you would be each time
the numbers improved in your favor” Jack Canfield.
The first novel, Land Echoes is held in libraries that have special interests in the
Pacific or Pacific Studies. These include Australian National University,
Canberra, ACT, Australia, National Library of Australia, Canberra, ACT,
Australia, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Library, Victoria,
Wellington, New Zealand, University of Hawaii at Manoa Hamilton Library
(special Pacific Collection), and the US San Diego Library, University of
California, San Diego, California, USA. The
novel is picking up sales slowly, but seems to missing in my personal
collection.
The
Unpainted Mask (2010) the first and only collection
of short stories has made its own mark. It is held in these libraries around
the world: Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia, National
Library of Australia, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Universite de la Polynesie
Francaise, Faa’a Tahitti, French Polynesia, University of Hawaii at Manoa,
Hawaii, USA, University of California San Diego Library, California, USA,
University of Michigan, Michigan, USA, Universitatsbibliothek Johann Christian
Senckenberg, Zentralbibliotheck, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Library of Congress,
Washington, DC, USA, Columbia University in the City of New York, New York,
USA, Princeton University Library, Princeton, NJ USA, HCL Technical Services,
Harvard College Library, Cambridge, MA, USA, and Ralph Pickard Bell Library,
Mount Allison University Libraries and Archives, Sackville, NB Canada.
With Otto Ignatius M S Nekitel and Sakarepe Kamene we co-edited the book Critical and Developmental Literacy, published in 1995. It is found in some of the greatest libraries of the world: University of Sydney Library, Sydney, Australia, Australian national University, Canberra, Australia, National Library of Australia, Canberra ACT, Australia, University of Wollongong Library, Australia, Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide Library, Australia, University of Melbourne Libraries, Australia, University of Auckland General Library, Auckland, New Zealand, University of Canterbury, Central Library, Christchurch, New Zealand, Hamilton Library, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Reed College Library, Oregon, USA, UC Berkeley Libraries, Berkeley California, USA, University of California, North Regional Library Facility, Richmond California, USA, University of Michigan, USA, University of Pittsburgh, PA USA, Library of Congress, Washington, DC USA, Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries, New York, USA, and Sidney Martin Library UWI – Cave Hill, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown, Barbados.
This
piece is more than 1000 words because I wanted to document the success of my
books and where they are found in the world. In this blog I also lists each
title I have written or edited or co-edited.
The success of a writer is measured by the
success of the works. The libraries listed here are associated with
universities and research programs in universities around the world. It is
clear the books are held in familiar regions and in important collections of
libraries in Australia, New Zealand, and USA, especially in Canberra, Wellington,
Hawaii, and California.
The one single library I hope will carry all
my books is the Library of Congress, Washington, DC USA. Right now it does not
have all my books published over the years.
This blog appearing previously as The Window is also listed on the online
library access of State Library of NSW, Sydney, Australia, National Library of
Australia, and State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
I have since then rebranded the blog as
“Safla Rama” in Nagum Boiken language translated into English as Fern Ridge.
In Success Principle 21 Jack Canfield
speaks about keeping scores of successes. I am keeping the scores on the
successes of my books. JC says: “Well,
successful people keep the same kind of measurements. They keep a score of
exciting progress, positive behavior, financial gain…anything they want more
of.”
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