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Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels
Transcript of Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels
Who were the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels?
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels are the people native to Papua New Guinea. They were given the name Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels during WW2 because of their fuzzy hair and because of the way they helped and aided the Australian soldiers, the way they acted as angels.
They normally lived in the villages along side the Kokoda track itself. They had lived a very traditional life having little communication with outside countries and knowledge of things such as war, so they had no idea what war would bring.
Many of the natives then moved out of villages after they had been raided by Australians and lived in smaller villages in the bush. They then provided a great deal of assistance by carrying bags, using their local knowlege and helping the wounded soldiers to help the Australians. They were then fondly named by the Australians the 'Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels'.
Why did the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels help the Australians?
At first the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels were given no choice but to help the Australians because their only other option was to stick with their villages and prodomently get killed by the Japanese.
As the war continued the understanding is that the Fuzzy Wuzzies realised that by helping the Australians they would forever be greatful and they could provide so much for the country.
They also felt responsible to help the Australian soldiers because Papua New Guinea was a part of Australia as such and therefore the Australians were their people to protect too.
Did the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels change the outcome of the battle in PNG?
Overall the Fuzzy Wuzzies made a large imapct into the outcome of the war because they provided help for the wounded while the soldiers fought.
They used their local knowledge to help navigate around the island and to carry up to 40kg packs through the country side to and from Australian soldiers.
Throughout the war thousands of Australian lives were lost but this number would have been dramatically larger if it hadn't been for the support and help from the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.
This image is of a Fuzzy Wuzzy angel helping an Australian wounded soldier. It was taken on December 25th by George Silk in 1942. It was taken to show the hlep that the Papuan's gave to all the Australian soldiers. By helping them walk, carrying their packs or even nursing them back to health they made a wonderful impact- as clearly shown from this photograph.
What did the Australians think of the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels helping them?
The legend of the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels is that they were known as anglic, devoted stretcher-bearers and the saviours of wounded Australian soldiers. Even the tribes women were greatly noted because they helped by carrying lighter supplies and providing food where possible.
The Australians were very thankful for the help of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels but the Fuzzy Wuzzies were not as happy to help as history portrays them to be.
The Fuzzy Wuzzies did not willingly help the Australians without complaint. Many of them were taken away from their familes and lives. Before the war the natives were also 'hard used', being forced to do hard labor for the Australians.
Also many of the natives were treated very poorly. They were round up and pushed to work to their absolute physical limit. Many of the natives, having been treated so badly, simply gave up and left and did not contribute to the war at all. They would drop supplies halfway through a trip and walk off to return to their villages.
But ofcourse when the Australians realised the help that they had been providing, the natives were treated a lot fairer. Described as magnificent and praises including "every need which they can fulfil, is fulfilled. If they had a patient they will make him as comfortable as possible, get him water, and feed him if food was avaliable. Many felt a great responsibility for their patients and made sure they were back to full health.