The Independent (PNG): 1 November 1996

BOOKS: SOLOMONS ISLANDS CARTOONIST PRODUCES SPECIAL COLLECTION

A Solomon Islands cartoonist-journalist has produced a collection of cartoons while he was at the University of Papua New Guinea. He is now publisher-editor of Solomon Grasruts.

By JESSIE WAIBAURU in Port Moresby

Solomon Islands journalism graduate Campion Ohasio has produced his first collection of political and social cartoons, published in a special edition of Pacific Journalism Review enitled "Ting Ting Bilong Mi".

in a collection , the Solomon Islands' first full journalism degree graduate, is a proud author/cartoonist of the Pacific Journalism Review edition "Ting Ting Bilong Mi". The book was launched last week by Unisearch PNG and University of Papua New Guinea Press which distribute Pacific Journalism Review, a biannual publication of the South Pacific Centre for Communication and Information and Development at the University of Papua New Guinea.

David Robie, lecturer in journalism at UPNG, is the editor of PJR.

"Ting Ting Bilong Mi" is a cartoon-filled book done by Ohasio, a 25-year old Solomon Islander from Nariekeara village in South Malaita. He entered the University of Papua New Guinea in 1993 in pursuit of a journalism degree and completed it in 1995 - the first Solomon Islander to gain a full journalism degree.

Cartoonist Campion Ohasio ... own newspaper. Photo: DAVID ROBIE

A deceptive, quiet person, however, his trenchant abilities with pen and paper soon became apparent to his then tutor, senior Post-Courier journalist Leigh Martin, who was tutoring students on Uni Tavur in 1992. Campion was encouraged, and worked on local issues on campus at UPNG. At the beginning of 1993 when David Robie, now senior lecturer in journalism and managing editor of Uni Tavur and editor of PJR joined the Journalism School at UPNG, he persuaded Ohasio to tackle national issues. At the end of 1994, he was making his mark with regional issue cartoons. During the years when Uni Tavur was in a newsletter format, its keen readers would remember the faithful "Tome and Spotty", a feature of Ohasio's cartoon strip "Class of 93". For him it has been one of the most rewarding things that has happened as an overseas student studying and living in PNG at that time.

A third-born from a family of six, Ohasio is a self-styled cartoonist, without any art lessons. However, his artistic talents and motivation stirred him towards his dream.

I remember as a first-year journalism student in 1994, he had his cartoons done by pen laid out in front of him as he sketched them again using computer graphics.

In 1992, before he joined Uni Tavur, he worked as a graphic artist and reporter for Solomon Voice, a weekly newspaper in Honiara.

Last year Ohasio worked on attachment alongside The Independent's cartoonist, Jada Wilson for two months before moving on to EMTV on attachment.

In 1986, Ohasio won a cultural exchange opportunity to visit museums and art galleries in Brisbane and Canberra. Two years later, he made another visit to Australia for the World Expo Exhibition.

He tried getting into art school but ended up studying journaliam at UPNG in 1991. However, due to unrest at UPNG over parliamentarians' controversial pay rise the campus was closed for a semester, so Ohasio had to continue in 1993.

The day before Ohasio left for Honiara, he showed David Robie his new strip character, Toka.

Ohasio is now a proud publisher-editor of Solomon Grasruts, Solomons' first pidgin paper and fourth weekly newspaper.

Copyright © 1996 Christine Fogg and Asia-Pacific Network. Contact: Editor

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