PNG’s first House of Assembly interpreter Susan Hilan Pora passes on at 83

Susan Hilan Schmidt Sikot Pora, a foundational figure in Papua New Guinea’s journey to independence and one of the first interpreters for the House of Assembly, has passed away. She was 83.

The Manus native, originally from M'Buke Island, passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of Friday morning at her residence at Dobel Coffee Plantation in Mount Hagen.

Susan Pora was a rare female presence within the Bully Beef Club, the elite group of intellectuals and public servants who met in Port Moresby in the 1960s. This group ultimately founded the Pangu Pati and spearheaded the movement for self-governance and independence.

As one of the first interpreters/translators for the first House of Assembly [established in 1964], she was the literal voice of democracy. She played a vital role in ensuring that the debates between colonial officers and local leaders were understood across linguistic barriers.

By moving from her home in Manus to the Highlands [Mount Hagen], she became a respected figure in the community at Dobel, blending her coastal heritage with her life in the Western Highlands, until her passing.

She is survived by her eldest daughter Dulcie, her third daughter Pauline, and her youngest son John Pora, along with 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The Pora family is expected to announce funeral arrangements in the coming days.