The Spirit of Kokoda

It's easy to think if the Kokoda Campaign as a chapter in a history book. But when you walk the track - when you feel the mud under your boots and the weight of history in the air - you realise this story is alive. It lives in every ridge, every village, every monument. 

It lives in the people. 

DO KOKODA WITH GLENN

FITNESS FOR KOKODA 

ADVENTURE WITH GLENN

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Apodjay Production. This podcast is proudly brought to you by
Adventure Professionals www dot Adventure Professionals dot com dot au.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
For me, Mission Ridge and Brigade Hill. The whole Kakoda
campaign more people need to know about it, or know
everyone knows someone who's trek Kakoda, but to actually understand
the stories of what these young guys did, it's harrowing
what they went through.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
They were staunched to the end against odds uncountered, and
they fell with their faces to the.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Welcome to the Kakoda Track podcast, hosted by former solject
Glen Asa. This is the place to hear stories from
those who've trecked Kakoda and gained tips and knowledge about
what to expect on the track, or to relive your
own amazing experiences. The Kakoda Track Podcast keeping the spirit
of Kakoda alive.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
Welcome back to the co counter Tract podcast. I am
Grenaisar and in this series we walk in the footsteps
of heroes. We explore the muddy, mountainous spine of Parpu
in New Guinea, which is a place that soaked in sweat,
sacrifice and spirit. But this is more than a podcast
this is a journey. So today we begin where all
great pilgrimages begin, with purpose. Why does Kakoda still matter?

(01:29):
Why did thousands of Australians each year choose to leave
the comfort behind and march through the jungle, the mud,
and the memory. So let's step back in time. In
nineteen forty two, the world was at war, and for
the first time in modern history, war came to Australia's doorstep.

(01:51):
The Japanese Imperial Army had swept through much of Southeast
Asia and were advancing towards Port Moresby and Papua New Guinea.
If they succeeded, Australia was next. But they didn't count
on a small force of mostly young, inexperienced Australian soldiers,
many still teenagers, who stood in their way along the
narrow jungle trail, the Kokoda Track. The conditions were brutal,

(02:22):
torrential rains, sweltering heat, dense jungle razor sharp ridge lines.
Disease was just as deadly as bullets. Malaria, dysentery and
exhaustion claimed many before the fighting even began. But despite
being outnumbered, outgunned, and under resourced, the Australians held the line.
Inch by inch, ridge by ridge, they fought, fell, got

(02:46):
back up, and kept moving forward. What they showed wasn't
just military strength, it was spirit, the spirit of Kakoda,
and that's what this episode is about.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
Now.

Speaker 4 (03:00):
It's easy to think of the Kakoda campaign as a
chapter in a history book. But when you walk the track,
when you fuel the mud under your boots and the
weight of history in the air, you realize that this
story is alive. It lives in every ridge, every village,
every monument. It lives in the people. There's a reason

(03:20):
why Kakota has become a rite of passage. It's not
just about paying tribute to those who came before, though
that is vital. It's also about learning endurance, leadership, matship, sacrifice.
Those four pillars carved into more at Ishrava aren't just words,
their values. They're lived out on this track and in life.

(03:41):
So let's talk briefly about what those four words really
mean in the context of Kakota. Courage not the absence
of fear, but the decision to move forward in spite
of it. Endurance the ability to keep going when everything
tells you to stop. Matship, the bond between soldiers, between trekkers,

(04:01):
between people who suffer together, the willingness to give up comfort, safety,
even life for something greater. These aren't wartime relics, they're
timeless truths. In this series, we'll go deep into each
of these themes, will walk the campaign from the first

(04:21):
landing of Japanese troops to the fierce battles at Ishava
and Brigade Hill. We'll meet the unsung heroes, the fuzzy
wuzzy angels, the villagers, the medics, the stretcher bearers, and
will walk the track as it is today with those
who carry the memory forward. But today I want to
leave you with this thought. The spirit of Kakoda isn't
something you just learn about. It's something you carry, whether

(04:45):
you've walked the track or not. We all have our
cocoda moments in life, times when we called to endure,
to lead, to support a mate, to rise above our limits.
So the question is this, When your coacoda moment comes,
will you answer it? Thanks for joining me on this
first episode of this new series of The Contract Podcast.

(05:06):
If you found something meaningful here, I invite you to subscribe,
share this with the mate, and join us on this journey.
In the next episode, we're going to head back in
time to nineteen forty two, where the campaign begins and
the stakes for Australia have never been higher. Until then,
walk strong and remember those who walked before you, Right.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
Lessy Harmunzisfee, Raising Bend and visits brub.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
So.

Speaker 3 (05:52):
The bond between Ossie's and the people of Papi and
New Guinea was forged in war and it endures in peace.
We've felt that friendliness, that special connection and the company
presence of our porters and in every small community along
the Kakoda Track.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
WHOA Okay, guys, thanks for tuning in. It would be

(06:32):
awesome if you'd share this with anyone you know that's
going to the Kakoda Track or that has been and
has a keen interest in the track.

Speaker 4 (06:38):
It's people and those that choose to track it.

Speaker 2 (06:40):
The Pillars of Ishrata say, courage, endurance, makeshif and sacrifice
great words to live by, and this podcast will offer
makeshift and a place for those that live and love
the CoA Coda Track experience. Until next episode. Live a
life that inspires you and those around you, and remember
to take time out to think about what's really important,
what's really important, what's really important?

Speaker 1 (07:02):
Thanks fellowstak to look at Coda Track Podcast. To get
in touch or stay up to date, go to Kakoda
Track Podcast on Facebook or email Glen at Adventure Professionals
dot com. Belah, don't forget to subscribe and share with
your friends. Let's keep the spirit and the stories of
Kakoda and the pm G people alive.