PNG at 50 🇵🇬 | The Teen Who Designed Our Kina – A Story of Art, Identity & Nationhood скачать в хорошем качестве

PNG at 50 🇵🇬 | The Teen Who Designed Our Kina – A Story of Art, Identity & Nationhood

As Papua New Guinea commemorates 50 years of independence on September 16, 2025, and the 50th anniversary of the kina on April 19, 2025, we shine a spotlight on one of the most remarkable and untold stories in our nation’s history — the story of William Stevens 🇵🇬. In 1973, at just 16 years old, William Stevens was a bright young graphic arts student at Goroka Technical School. One day, a group of Australian currency designers walked into his classroom searching for ideas for PNG’s new currency — a currency that would symbolise our identity as an emerging independent nation. Among 15 students, it was William's work that stood out. He submitted a full, colour-coded series of designs — what he called the “New Guinea Dollars". Without knowing it, he had just been chosen to help define the visual soul of a new country. What followed was a life-changing journey. William was flown to Fitzroy, Victoria 🇦🇺, where he worked alongside the Reserve Bank of Australia’s top engravers at the Note Printing Branch. He thought he was going on a short holiday. Instead, he found himself seated at a drafting table, tasked with designing the K2, K5, K10, and later K20 banknotes for the soon-to-be independent Papua New Guinea. Using only pencil, paper, and extraordinary cultural insight, William brought to life the artefacts and traditions of our people — clay pots, kina shells, pig tusks, bird of paradise plumage, and more. Each note became a masterpiece, a symbol of identity, culture, and unity. 💡 “My hands don’t lie,” he says. “I did something, and I’m proud of it.” On April 19, 1975, the kina was officially launched. As the crowd gathered at the Bank of Papua New Guinea, few knew that the young man standing quietly among the dignitaries had been the architect of this new currency. Though he was never properly compensated for his work — unlike designers of other currencies — William Stevens has no regrets. His contribution was not just artistic; it was national. For 50 years, his designs have circulated in every market, every village, every city. They've paid for school fees, food, transport, and dreams. His artwork became the face of PNG's economy. 📌 In this video, we honour William Stevens: his journey, his legacy, and the message that one young Papua New Guinean, with a pencil and a dream, helped shape the foundation of our independence. 🎙️ Join us as we reflect on the kina’s golden jubilee and the inspirational legacy of a humble artist whose story deserves to be told. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more incredible stories from PNG’s 50-year journey. #PNGat50 #WilliamStevens 🇵🇬 #KinaLegacy #CurrencyDesigner #InspiringPNG #TeenageTalent #PapuaNewGuinea #NationalPride #ArtAndIdentity #UntoldPNGStories #Independence50 #MelanesianSpirit #FromMilneBayWithLove 🌺