The Friend from Kananam: Adventures in the New Guinea Jungle

Kenneth Gordon Linton was born on March 26, 1906 and died on May 9, 1985. Starting as a salesman and dispatch clerk, he rose to a managership of Noyes Brothers, in Melbourne. At the age of 26 he was initiated into the Masons, eventually attaining the rank of Master. When he was sent to New Guinea in 1944 as accountant for the Madang RAAF base, he was thus in his late thirties, married, and the father of a nine-year-old-daughter.

As we can gather from his exploits, Ken Linton was capable of exhibiting considerable physical prowess. Early in his story, we see him carrying a bunch of 150 bananas on a jungle path. He also seems to have possessed good social skills. Yet he was a gentle and kind man, with a passion for the Planned Interethnic Language. He joined the Melbourne Esperanto Club in 1931, and very rapidly progressed from beginner to honours student in both Australian and British examinations.

The war saw Ken stationed in New Guinea, where, unusually for that time, he made the effort to learn the local language and, with his great respect for all humanity, made friends and was befriended by the indigenous people. From this experience came the unforgettable "Kanako el Kananam," published in 1960.

He continued his studies to succeed with honours in the highest Australian Esperanto exam, the Klereca. He became Comissioner of Examinations, was twice President of the Australian Esperanto Association for 3-year terms, and "retired" to become Vice President and Treasurer for several years. He wrote two guidebooks for the "Elementa" and "Supera" examinations, was the Melbourne Delegate for the Universal Esperanto Association, became Australia's first Committee Member of that world body, and was honoured with the title of Fellow of the Australian Esperanto Association, the highest accolade of the AEA.

In 1983, two years before his death, AEA published his beautiful translation of Neville Shute's "On the Beach."

Ken Linton, scholar, teacher and writer, was highly respected and warmly appreciated as one of the most outstanding contributors to the Esperanto movement in Australia.