THE TSENGLAP TRIBE OF JIWAKA

A Tribal Myth

Kerowil Government Station

Kerowil is a place inside the Tsenglap and it is known as the Tsenglap Tribe's centre of Government and Administration. The former Wahgi Local Government Council Chamber was at Kerowil. Prior to 1977, there was only one Council for the Wahgi Area, known as Wahgi Local Government Council. After 1977, they separated Wahgi Council into two councils now known as North Wahgi Local Level Government and South Wahgi Local Level Government Councils.

The Wahgi Council established the once renowned Wahgi Mek Coffee Plantations. After they separated the Wahgi Councils, the North Wahgi Local Level Government Council chamber was still at Kerowil until in 1985 it was moved to Banz.

Tsenglap Administration Centre

In the early days of the exploration of New Guinea Highlands, the first airstrip was built at Nangamp which is near Kerowil. When famous New Guinea Highlands Explorer, Jim (Lindsay) Taylor first came into the Wahgi Valley, he was greeted and welcomed by the Baiman Clan of Tsenglap at Nangamb near Kerowil. Jim Taylor settled at Kerowil and later married Manamb Yerim of Tsenglap Baiman clan.

At the exact spot where Wahgi Council Chamber once stood, now stands the depot for PNG Defence Force's Highlands Regional Engineering Base. The Kerowil PNGDF base is called Singirok Barracks, named after former contraversal commander of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, Brigadier General Jerry Singirok.