Farewell to a friend

It was sad to hear of the passing of late Paul ‘Wiggy’ Yabo, member of Sanguma, a friend and a schoolmate. The memories go back to the early 80s when we spent our young days studying music at the National Arts School. Paul was gifted, and a very creative person, always trying things out, never afraid to experiment. We’d spent hours jamming in the main studio, each one getting a chance to improvise on whatever instrument he/she was playing. Paul was a versatile musician and excelled on the guitar, trumpet and keyboards. After all these years, I still remember vividly that classical piano piece he mastered for his grading; how could we forget! Paul practiced it to death and perfected it; and we, well, we were singing it in our sleep having heard it a thousandth time! We did get up to some mischief. Students at the UPNG mess may remember Paul and Tony Subam’s carpet snake trying to have a meal after a drinking bout. Paul showed his composition skills when he arranged Sosi Sosi for Sanguma, a piece that brought PNG contemporary music to a new height. Paul had an infectious sense of humour and always saw the lighter side of life in any situation. Though our paths went different ways, we did have a final performance together in 1994 for Pope John Paul ll beatification mass at Sir John Guise stadium. So long brata na slip isi.


Paul 'Wiggy' Yabo at the 1994 beatification mass of Peter ToRot in Port Moresby.