Wesmo Nelly Toksy-Chief

Wesmo Nelly Toksy, the chief guides and directs every activity of the Kevo clan members. The activities he oversees are mainly the land boundaries, conflict resolutions, business activities, ceremonies, religious activities, liaising with the other clans within and outside of Gerup village and the government & NGOs. Due to his natural talent of communication and the in-built ability of leadership he travels vastly throughout Sialum and Morobe province on behalf of the Kevo clan. He is currently in the process of registering the customary land under the Integrated Land Group Act (ILG).

Land boundary: When there is dispute either within the Kevo or other clans Wesmo is called to the site of dispute and he then organizes a land boundary dispute meeting. He asked the elders of the Kevo clan to also attend the meeting whereby they discuss the actual land boundary. The disputing parties are advised to adhere to the meeting resolutions. They also advice against the repeat of situation.



Chief Wesmo Nelly Toksy returning from one of his trips and heading or ascending up to Gerup village.



Conflict resolution: The chief calls the assistance of the clan leaders of all disputing parties. He then tasks the conflict resolution committee to address the issue. The committee investigates the cause of the conflict. The committee then informs the chief the outcome of the investigation. The chief convenes a conflict resolution meeting immediately with the advice from the committee he now tells the party at fault with the strongest terms not to repeat the issue. With the prerogative bestowed upon him thus he disciplines the party if possible. The discipline is in terms of cash fine (depends on the conflict) or doing community work. Occasionally, the conflicts are domestic, marital, or pet related. When the issue is beyond the chief's capabilities he refers the matter to the law and order committee which the chairman is the village magistrate.

Business activities: He is currently, the chairman of the Keronge Coffee which is the business arm of the Kevo clan. The clan is more into coffee production and selling. Kevo clan members own a large coffee block on the Keronge mountain. The block is made up of plots. These plots are owned and managed by individual clan members especially the males. Though the females are also encouraged but their sons are the ones who have plots. He also directs other economic activities such as store and informal retailing of merchandize. He encourages the female clan members to sell their farm produces to the village market or even the Sialum, Nanda, Nunzen and Finschafen markets when there are surpluses.

Ceremonies, Religious and Liaison: The chief organizes every ceremony be it opening of new house, harvest of taro, clan anniversaries. He allocates duties to the clan members and the location of the gathering is agreed upon by the clan elders. Any religious activities he liaises on behalf of the clan. There are three major denominations in Gerup. They are Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea, Bakesu Revival Church-PNG and Straight Street Ministry-PNG. He liaises with the government and the non-government organizations.

Kevo Clan-Gerup, Sialum

Kevo clan is the biggest and the powerful of all the clans in Gerup village. This clan produced the best intellects of the village. The clan is the first clan to conquer the Keronge mountains. In history the people Kevo was a very powerful and sorcer in his time. During that years the people all live in communal groups where they stay at Saniwo. Keronge was most feared mountain because on the mountain there lived a "masalai". The people were scared to go close to the Keronge mountain. One day Kevo made a journey. He got close to the mountain and applied a strong incantation. Pronouncing that the "masalai" the spirits will not harm him. What he actually did was closed their mouth and tied their hands. He then crept into the mountain top. Also because he was a sorcer and spiritual he could communicate to the demons. He rebuked them not to touch his life and body. He stayed on the mountain for a week. After that he returned to his family's hut at Saniwo. He told the saga to his only brother. The next day both of them went unto the mountain top. They even passed this mountain and continued to Danibalong (Ziura). After they built a hut they returned to their parents hut at Saniwo. They reported what they did at Danibalong. They managed to convince their parents to leave Saniwo immediately and go to Danibalong. The parents adhered, packed and left.



Wesmo Nelly Toksy Kevo clan chief in his office

The clan is now actively involved in alot of developments and programs at the village. The chief, Mr. Wesmo Nakni Toksy is currently a public servant and public servant. He graduated from Balob Teachers College with a Diploma in Primary Teaching. He is the senior teacher of Gerup Primary School. He is the chairman of the Gerup water supply project committee, team manager for M Roots soccer club. He is an asset for both Kevo clan and Gerup village as a whole. He is a fine example of a Kevo clan's intellectuals.

During the opening ceremony of church building where all the clan members are gathering

 Kevo clan members participate in a lot of village activities both socially and economically. Kevo also owns alot of land because of the influence he had when he was the sorcerer. When the first Bavarian missionary arrived in Gerup the first person to reach out to was Kevo. Mainly because of his influence and the activity he had. The missionary was a caucasian. Thus, the ordinary villagers thought he was a ghost. Kevo was brave to face him like what he did for the conquering of Keronge mountain. Kevo was declared by the German missionary to be the person whom he will contact upon his arrival there. There he automatically was appointed the first chief of Gerup by the missionary- Sawarakac.