Hiri Adventure
Neil Thompson
Unknown Binding
(Macmillan Company of Australia, March 15, 1986)
An unusual and exciting adventure story for children, set on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. Each year the Motu men from Hanuabada and the surrounding villages set out along the coast on the Hiri, a trading expedition involving a fleet of large canoes. On this voyage, three enterprising children - Vani, Vaki and Vani's sister, Kori - stow away on one of the canoes. For this misdeed, they have to face the anger of the village sorcerer, Bara the puri puri man. The children's adventures are many: they catch a black marlin, fight off a crocodile, are captured by an enemy tribe that is plotting to destroy the expedition, and eventually, gain the thanks and admiration of their own tribesmen.