Koriam Michael Urekit (c. 1916 – 3 December 1978) was a
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
n cargo cult leader and politician. He served as a member of the House of Assembly and
National Parliament from 1964 until his death.
Biography
Urekit was born in Ablingi village in New Britain. A subsistence farmer, he helped establish and improve educational facilities in the Kandrian area.
[ He married and had five children.][''Members of the Third House of Assembly'', p29] He was involved in a local cargo cult,[ and was jailed for his activities.
In 1962 Urekit was elected to New Britain District Advisory Council, also becoming an observer at the Legislative Council of Papua and New Guinea, Legislative Council.][David G. Bettison, Colin A. Hughes & Paul W. van der Veur (1965]
The Papua-New Guinea Elections 1964
In the 1964 Papua New Guinean general election, first elections to the new House of Assembly in 1964, he was elected from the East New Britain Open constituency. After his election he established Pomio Kivung, another cargo cult. He was re-elected from the new Kandrian-Pomio Open constituency in 1968 Papua New Guinean general election, 1968 and from the Pomio Open constituency in 1972 Papua New Guinean general election, 1972 and 1977 Papua New Guinean general election, 1977. When Papua New Guinea became independent in 1975, the House of Assembly was renamed the National Parliament. During his time in parliament he continued to push for the establishment of new educational facilities, with former MP Harry Humphreys claiming he once saw Urekit try to give Papua New Guinean kina, K20,000 to the government to set up a primary school.[
Urekit collapsed while at Port Moresby Hospital on 2 December 1978 and died the following day.MPs pay tribute to Urekit]
''Papua New Guinea Post-Courier'', 7 December 1978[Long-time Pomio MP dies]
''Papua New Guinea Post-Courier'', 4 December 1978
See also
* List of members of the Papua New Guinean Parliament who died in office
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Urekit, Koriam
Papua New Guinean farmers
Members of the House of Assembly of Papua and New Guinea
Members of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
1978 deaths
Cargo cults