Port Moresby | Monday, 3 November 2025 – Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has officially opened FOCUS: 50 Years of PNG Through the Lens, a landmark photographic exhibition by distinguished photographers Rocky Roe and Dinah Halstead, celebrating five decades of Papua New Guinea’s national journey since independence.
Hosted at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, the exhibition brings together a remarkable collection of images that capture the evolution of Papua New Guinea — from its emergence as an independent nation in 1975 to the vibrant and diverse country it is today. The event was attended by the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, members of the diplomatic corps, artists, and members of the public.
A Tribute to the Nation’s Storytellers
In his address, Prime Minister Marape warmly welcomed the veteran photographers back to Papua New Guinea and expressed deep national gratitude for their lifelong contribution.
“To Rocky and Diana — thank you for being back in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. More importantly, thank you for sharing your work with our country,” the Prime Minister said.
“We sincerely appreciate the last 50 years or so that you both have contributed to the nation by capturing its history. Through your photographs, we see the story of Papua New Guinea — our people, our environment, our culture, our history, and the beauty of this land.”
PM Marape said the exhibition was much more than an art display — it was a visual record of the nation’s journey, reflecting the soul and spirit of Papua New Guinea through the eyes of those who had lived and worked alongside its people for half a century.
“I hope that everyone who walks through this exhibition will look through the lenses and eyes of Diana and Rocky and appreciate not just their work, but more importantly the story of our people — our landscapes, our struggles, our unity, and our resilience as a young nation.”
Celebrating Diversity and Nationhood
The Prime Minister reflected on the historical context of Papua New Guinea’s independence and the uniqueness of its cultural and natural heritage.
“We are among the last — if not the very last — nations to be decolonised. We emerged into the United Nations family of nations on 10 October 1975,” he said.
“The fathers and mothers of our country did an absolutely amazing job in 1975 to fuse this incredible diversity into one nationhood. In terms of linguistic, ethnic, and cultural diversity, Papua New Guinea is second to none on the face of planet Earth.”
He added that Papua New Guinea’s biodiversity is equally unmatched, with between six and seven percent of the world’s biodiversity found within its borders — from its mountain forests to its coral reefs, some of the richest in the world.
“Our waters house the richest coral reefs on the planet. Our landscapes are home to species found nowhere else on Earth. This richness of life — human and natural — is what makes Papua New Guinea unique and what your photographs so beautifully preserve,” the Prime Minister said.
Honouring the “Somare Generation”
Prime Minister Marape described Rocky Roe and Dinah Halstead as part of what he called “the Somare generation” — the pioneers, artists, leaders, and citizens who helped build the nation in its formative years.
“You too belong to the Somare generation — the greatest generation who contributed so much to the cause of our country,” he said.
“The legacy of your work will endure. It will contribute to the continuing discourse of our nation’s character as we move forward. The future is shaped by the past, and the story of our past will forever be interwoven with the images you have taken — stories both above and beneath our waters.”
He added a personal note of appreciation, acknowledging the emotional and historical weight of their work.
“On behalf of Papua New Guineans past and present, I say thank you. The children of our country — future generations — will see these still, frozen pieces of Papua New Guinea that you have captured and will know who we were and where we came from.”
Preserving the National Memory
Prime Minister Marape said the government would look into ways to preserve and digitise the photographers’ collection to ensure it remains accessible to future generations of Papua New Guineans.
“I look forward to a time when our schoolchildren can access your work as part of our national heritage,” he said.
“As a government, we will explore opportunities to translate your work into digital form and store it in our national archives, so that it becomes part of the perpetual story of our country — our first 50 years as seen through the lens of Diana and Rocky.”
The FOCUS exhibition, curated as part of the PNG@50 national reflection series, invites visitors to journey through half a century of change — from the early years of independence and nation-building to the modern transformations in society, environment, and culture. The Prime Minister said it was fitting that the exhibition coincided with the nation’s golden jubilee celebrations.
“The story of Papua New Guinea is one of resilience, faith, and unity,” PM Marape said.
“As we celebrate 50 years of nationhood, let us remember that our past — captured so vividly through these photographs — continues to shape our destiny. Our story lives on through the eyes and lenses of those who believed in our future from the beginning.”
Rocky Roe and Dinah Halstead have worked in Papua New Guinea since the early post-independence years, documenting everything from traditional village life to political milestones, environmental change, and cultural transformation. Their work has appeared in major publications and archives around the world and now forms part of the nation’s visual record as Papua New Guinea reflects on its first half-century of independence.
The exhibition FOCUS: 50 Years of PNG Through the Lens is jointly presented by PAWA TV, the Papua New Guinea@50 Secretariat, and APEC Haus.
ENDS
