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American Jonathan Whitcomb
interviewed natives on Umboi
David Mokay
The two natives were fishing one night, over a reef near Umboi Island,
Papua New Guinea. The local magistrate, Peter Luke, and a leader in the
village of Opai, David Mokay, were using an “underwater torch,” what
Americans call a “waterproof flashlight,” to catch fish.
The second edition of the nonfiction book Searching for Ropens says:
“Moke [Mokay] told me that this waterproof flashlight can ‘put them to
sleep.’ Moonless at 11:00 p.m., close to the reef, between Bunsil Station
and Opai Beach, as [Mokay] was paddling the canoe and Luke was
diving, without warning or sound, the sea was lit up with a brilliant light.
[Mokay] was shocked, as the trees on the shore were illuminated ‘just like
daybreak.’ (I believe he meant that the trees appeared as they do at sunrise
rather than at night.) The light source was unseen. After about five
seconds, it gradually became dimmer until all was again dark. The
significance of the “five seconds” became obvious when I spoke with
another eyewitness, a few days later, and with another American explorer,
a few weeks later: This ropen flashes brightly for only about five to six
seconds.”
This may be related to the flying lights observed by the British biologist
Evelyn Cheesman, in the 1930’s, on the mainland of New Guinea. She
wrote about her observations and analysis in her book The Two Roads of
Papua (published in 1935 by Jarrolds of London):
“While at Mondo I witnessed a most curious phenomenon which I could
not understand; nor could I later hit upon any satisfactory explanation for
it. . . . It was rather a slow flash . . . in a moment it came again, and this
time I counted; yes, about four or five seconds. . . . flashes continued at
intervals. It was a most intriguing mystery because by no possibility could
there be human beings out there using flash-lamps at intervals.”
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Other Online Resources
Mount Bel, Umboi Island
Gideon Koro interview
Wesley Koro interview
This is Mount Bel just hours after two men
witnessed the ropen light fly just above the
mountain’s tree canopy the previous night.
Whitcomb’s interpreter, Luke Paina, and a
local leader, Mark Kau, saw the ropen fly
across the mountain for a few seconds.
Orang Bati of Seram Island
Destination Truth,
Ropen Episode
David Mokay (or “Moke”), with two sons, as he was being interviewed
near Gomlongon Village, in 2004, by cryptozoologist Jonathan Whitcomb
The opinions expressed are those of Jonathan
David Whitcomb. Media professionals may
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