NOT JUST A BOOK REPORT

... BUT AN INTERVIEW WITH A MODERN INDUSTRALIST?

When you think about the birth of a nation, you would probably imagine reading something in history class. That is what I thought as well, until I read the book They Call Me Ishmael by John D. Kuhns. My father had already read the book, and recommended it to me as a good example of a situation where finance can change the world for the better. I was surprised to read that even in our world today, nations are still being born and there are leaders with bravery and integrity leading their people to freedom. The book They Call Me Ishmael is a semi-autobiographical account of an American investment banker who traveled to an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea called Bougainville. Initially, he left with the purpose of starting a gold mining company, but he soon became intimately involved in Bougainville’s quest for independence.

The banker’s name, at least in the book, is Jack Davis, and the book tells of his attempts to start a gold mining company. Much like the author himself, and my father, too, the character Jack Davis has always been involved in finance. Davis in particular follows“frontier finance”: finding opportunities in places others thought that none existed, or where such opportunities were just too risky to pursue. This particular opportunity starts in the unlikeliest of places: reality TV.

From an idea for a reality TV show, to a trip to Bougainville, to understanding the island’s painful history, Jack comes to realize that the real value of Bougainville lies not in some Hollywood depiction, but rather in its people and resources. Jack further comes to realize that in order to achieve his original goal–restarting the mining industry in Bougainville–he first needs to help improve the government as well. He has to help Bougainville’s people become independent, leading him to meet a man named Ishmael. Ishmael is the leader of their revolution and is regarded as the most respected man from all across the island. Jack helps Ishmael get elected president, and the two work together to build up the island’s economy and infrastructure.

Recently, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with the author John Kuhns the man on whom Jack Davis is based. Kuhns has written several other books about his adventures in international business, and has actually spent most of the last 7 years living in Bougainville. During the conversation, Kuhns brought up how when he first arrived, some people tried to take advantage of him because of his personal wealth. One even stole his car! But Ishmael who is, in fact, quite real was always there for him. Kuhns got in touch with Ishmael, and his car was quickly recovered.

This was Kuhns’s first interaction with Ishmael, and it formed the basis for the growing trust between them going forward. Interestingly, Kuhns also emphasized how favorably people in Bougainville look upon America and Americans. These people believe that we are the one group of people who are likely to help people in their situation, and they almost entirely rely on the fact that we will help them out. Kuhns mentioned how Bougainville, like many Third-world countries, was historically quite corrupt, and that this is something he still has to deal with today.

One of the main attractions for Kuhns, as well as other very powerful countries and businessmen, are the mineral resources that can be found on Bougainville, specifically the Panguna Mine: the largest known gold deposit in the world. Unsurprisingly, that attracts all sorts of interest, and not often from the best type of people, which is why the residents of Bougainville have become naturally suspicious of outsiders. That has meant that building trust and accomplishing anything meaningful has taken time. Remember the stolen car, after all.

Kuhns is still spending most of his time on Bougainville both assisting Ishmael as president where needed, and in pursuit of his business interests.

After speaking with Kuhns about his book and asking him some questions, I was able to better understand what he is trying to accomplish in Bougainville both for himself and others. Throughout the interview, Kuhns was very open about what he was doing in Bougainville and also very descriptive of the work that he does on a daily basis. Kuhns was genuine and informative. He is a very hardworking individual, and he only wants the best both for himself and for the island. Kuhns originally came to Bougainville for business, but after arriving and seeing all of the work that needed to be done for the country, he quickly took great interest and devoted time to the political situation. Kuhns is helping the country politically, in the hopes that one day, the mine will be accessible to his company a win-win for both parties. Not many people have the generosity and kindness, as well as the courage, to go to what is not even considered a country and take an active leadership role there to try to improve the lives of many. As I write this now, I find myself still somewhat overwhelmed by the magnitude of the changes that Kuhns and Ishmael have brought about in Bougainville, and I find myself rooting for both Bougainville and Kuhns, hoping that their paths continue together to their mutual success.

Some may find this positive correlation between good works and commerce surprising, or even offensive, perhaps reminiscent of imperialism. But this book, and the island’s situation, reinforce why it wasn’t always, and even less-so now, necessarily a bad thing. Ishmael and Kuhns understand a fundamental truth–while lots of things may be necessary to support a country and improve a people’s standard of living, one thing is absolutely necessary, and that is a strong economy. A nation can’t be built and supported without money, and for Bougainville, that means intelligently utilizing their natural resources. In this instance, one can do both good, and well. Likewise, I really enjoyed both the book They Call Me Ishmael as well as the conversation with John Kuhns, and I look forward to following his progress and Bougainville’s progress as they work together toward becoming the world's newest nation.