Hiri Motu

Lore & Background

Hiri Motu developed among members of the Hiri trade cycle, a traditional voyage system for trading sago and clay pots between the Motu people and their neighbors on the southeast coast of New Guinea, predating European contact. The term 'hiri' refers to these trade voyages. In early European colonial days, the language was adopted by the Royal Papuan Constabulary, giving it the name Police Motu. The name Hiri Motu was conceptualized in the early 1970s during a conference held by the Department of Information and Extension Services, where a committee recommended the name to reflect the language's legacy and everyday use rather than its association with the police.

Reader's Guide

Hiri Motu's significance lies in its role as a lingua franca in Papua New Guinea, particularly in the areas around Port Moresby, and its historical connection to the Hiri trade voyages and the Royal Papuan Constabulary. The language reflects a blend of Austronesian and pidgin/creole features, with a simplified grammar and vocabulary derived from Motu. Its decline since the early 1970s in favor of Tok Pisin and English marks a shift in linguistic dynamics in the region. The language's statutory recognition and its use in official publications until the mid-20th century highlight its former importance. Today, its speakers are mostly elderly, concentrated in Central and Gulf provinces, and younger speakers of Motu proper are often unfamiliar with it. The language's unique features, such as the inclusive/exclusive distinction in 'we', the use of postpositions, and the optional subject marker 'ese' to resolve ambiguity, illustrate its linguistic structure. The legacy of Hiri Motu is preserved in linguistic studies and collections, such as those at Paradisec, and it remains a subject of interest for understanding language contact and change in Papua New Guinea.

Did You Know?

• Hiri Motu has two dialects: 'Central' and 'Papuan', with the Papuan dialect used as the standard for official publications since around 1964.
• The language uses postpositions; for example, 'ai' can mean 'in', 'on', or 'at', and fuses with words like 'lalonai' (inside) and 'latanai' (on top of).
• Hiri Motu has no verb form for 'to have'; possession is expressed with phrases like 'Lau na mai egu sisia' (literally 'I with my dog').
• The number 99 in Hiri Motu is typically expressed using English numerals or a different construction, as the traditional number system does not reliably extend to such numbers.