It is said that Kila Wari’s reputation extended from Mailu in the east to Kerema in the west. He had established friendly connections with the war leaders, Mea Gure and Gure Gure, two brothers from Paugolo (the neighbouring inland village which is now known as Babaka). In their own village the brothers are known as Mega Velapo and Gure Velapo. The war leaders had assisted Kila Wari and his war party when they fought with Mailu in the southeast and in the battle of Kila Kila. (Apart from the battle at Babaka in which Kila Wari finally met his death, he is most often remembered for the burning of the Koita village of Kila Kila which is also called Kira Kira.) While the Gure brothers had been Kila Wari’s allies in this task, accompanying his war party when they travelled down the coast in their war canoes, they were later instrumental in bringing about his death.
The Koita or Koitapu as they are sometimes called have been described as the ‘uncompromising enemy’ of the Vula‘a.[14] Oram sheds some light on the rivalry explaining that ‘The western group of Vulaa villages, who traded with the Western Motu, were hostile to the Koita because they thought that the Koita caused wrecks and loss of sago [their main cargo] through sorcery’.[15] When he visited the Papuan coast in 1885 Lindt observed that ‘The charred ruins of old Kapa Kapa [Gaba Gaba] were still discernible away to the east of the ship. This village had been destroyed about two years ago by the Hula natives, who, sparing women and children, massacred three of the men’.[16] Eleven people were also wounded in this battle which Oram has suggested was probably the last traditional war to take place on the Port Moresby coast.[17] He gives the following explanation for the incident:
A Hula man returning from Hanuabada with two women in a canoe laden with pots was enticed on shore by some Gaba Gaba people who speared him. According to one account, an inland man speared him. In those days there were two Gaba Gaba villages and in retaliation the Hula in their war canoes burned the Eastern village.[18]
Sometime before the burning of Gaba Gaba, the Vula‘a are reported to have burned a Kila Kila site on the hill of Varimakana. Evidence suggests that Kila Wari was dead by the time of the destruction of Gaba Gaba but he led the expedition that was responsible for the burning of Kila Kila. Oral testimony cited by Oram claims that the Vula‘a destroyed the Koita villages of Kila Kila and Roku. More recent Vula‘a accounts focus on the role Kila Wari played in both battles.[19]
Through a number of conversations with Wari Lui, I learned the details of the events that led to the burning of Varimakana village.
The chief from Kila Kila would invite other chiefs who were known for their victories and bravery to his village for friendly visits and assassinate them. One day he and his warriors visited Kila Wari at Alewai. Kila Wari had invited them to a great feast. On their way they had killed a chief from another village, removed his necklace and hidden it in their canoe. While Kila Wari was entertaining his guests his servants were cleaning the Kila Kila chief’s canoe. There they found Kini Olo chief’s lime pot and necklace hidden in the inner section. Meanwhile, Kila Wari had agreed to go and talk with the Kila Kila chief in his village and they set a date. At that time days, weeks, and months were counted on tied knots. Kila Wari tied knots in a string and gave it to the Kila Kila chief along with his necklace, string bag and lime pot. He was to hang them as a sign outside his house. When the chief left the servants took the necklace and lime pot to Kila Wari. He became furious and vowed that on the arranged date he would challenge the Kila Kila chief. Tied knots were untied. Days, weeks, months passed until only a few knots remained. As the days grew closer to the meeting with the Kila Kila chief Kila Wari gathered his fighting men. They paddled their canoes to the host camp under cover of darkness. By sunrise they had sunk the canoes in the mangroves and marched to Sabama and surrounded the mountain village. They beat their drums so the Kila Kila chief knew there was going to be a battle. He put on his armour and waited. Kila Wari made his way to the chief’s house. ‘Who has come to fight with me?’ asked the surprised chief. ‘Don’t they know I am the mighty warrior of Kila Kila?’ Kila Wari answered, ‘I have come to kill you’. The Kila Kila chief threw his spear and missed. As he rushed back into his house for his weapons, Kila Wari thrust his spear through his chest killing him instantly. The Alewai warriors killed men, women and children and burnt the village to the ground. The site of the battle was given the name Kila Kila which means ‘talk’ because Kila Wari had promised the chief he would talk when they met at the feast.
Walo Kalawa also tells the story of the battle of Kila Kila. Importantly, he recalls that they sang a song to mark the event of the death of the Kila Kila chief. He explains that ‘after killing Iovauna, the Kila Kila war chief, and burning the village they sang this lekwai’:[20]
Kira Kira ati vanuga rage rage
Kila Wari na mora geana
Iovauna venena kouta koutalia
Kwamala Wari ama kini veatona
Lekwai, lekwai.
Although Kila Wari had named the battle site Kila Kila it is also known as Kira Kira which the Vula‘a translate as humiliated, destroyed, or trampled flat. The shore of a small bay near Kila Kila is known by the Vula‘a and the Motu as Taikone, which means ‘beach of tears’. It was so named because of the destruction of Kila Kila.[21]