The story of Father Misael Kammerer

The story of Father Misael Kammerer

(From Our Own Correspondent – Claude Belloni)

HOLLANDIA, November 30 1952

“Father Misael Kammerer is dead, murdered by members of the Ndani tribe in the Central Highlands.”

This was the message which was received in October from the Catholic Mission Station at Enarotali, at the Wissellakes in Netherlands New Guinea. There was a tragic but heroic story behind it.

Father Kammerer’s bearers had come back at Enarotali without their master. They said they were close witnesses of the murder, which took place before their eyes. When the Ndani’s, who were after the trade goods, axes, etc., which Father Kammerer had with him, forbade him to continue his trip to the well-known ‘Baliem Valley’, the “Shangri-La’ of American stories) he broke away. But the Ndanis’ soon overtook him and his bearers. They surrounded the priest and speared him to death, after which they stuffed the wounds with leaves.

The bearers said that Father Kammerer, who was seated on one of the bearer’s packs didn’t utter a sound when the cruel spears hit him. And in the afternoon the saw a huge fire, from which they concluded that their master was being cremated – as is the local Ndani custom with their dead.

It was a very sad story and it undoubtedly caused a lot of grief to the parents of the pries in Holland. “Jungle Pimpernel” Dr J.V. de Bruyn, who became well-known because of his underground work for the Allies in the Dutch NG Central Highlands during Japanese occupation, was sent to the Wissellakes for an investigation. He speaks the languages of the people there. (A story of the exploits of de Bruyn was published in Australia and reviewed by PIM some years ago).

Two months passed and nobody doubted the murder any more. Then very recently word came from Enarotali: Father Kammerer is still alive!

He did not meet murderous Ndanis at all. He had wandered around for weeks after his bearers had left him, he couldn’t find the way back, suffered with a painful nee and was half-starved. But he was healthy and because his bearers did not come back, Father Misael returned to the Ndanis where he stayed for about a month waiting for his knee to mend. When he was fit again he went back to Enaroltali; although the Ndanis asked him to stay forever.

One day before he reached the Wissellakes, Father Kammerer met a fellow-missionary who was searching for him.On that occasion he heard the story of his ‘murder’, his ‘heroism’, the “In Memoriam” notice which was written in one of the biggest Catholic newspapers in Holland about hi.

But Father Misael Kammerer is still very much alive.

C.B.