Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast Episode #88 – Yoga is Blessings – Yoga in Papua New Guinea with Dennis Kia

Welcome to Episode #88 of the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast! My conversation with Dennis Kia, a yoga teacher from Papua New Guinea, was so interesting as we really looked at Papua New Guinea and at what that culture and that community, how they have responded to yoga, and also what yoga has done for Dennis as a teacher and for his life. So if you’re looking to tune into a podcast episode that’s all about Papua New Guinea, a place where yoga is very new and is just starting to blossom, then this is the conversation for you.

Tell me more about Dennis Kia

Dennis began practicing yoga in 2018, and after almost seven months, he attended a yoga teachers training program introduced by the Active City Development Program (ACDP) under the British Wheel of Yoga Model. It was there that he obtained his teaching certificate and started teaching yoga.

Since then, Dennis has taught yoga mainly in Port Moresby city around residential areas and public gyms, as he does not own a studio yet. He has been teaching Haha yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and yin yoga for almost five years since 2018.

What to expect in the Yoga In Papua New Guinea episode of the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast

Teaching yoga in Papua New Guinea comes with challenges as many people perceive yoga as a religious practice conflicting with their Christian beliefs. However, Dennis perseveres and continues to teach, especially to foreigners and expatriates who are familiar with and interested in yoga. Despite the difficulties, he remains determined and carries out awareness campaigns.

Yoga has had a profound impact on Dennis’s life. It has not only improved his health, both physically and mentally, but it has also provided him with financial stability. As a yoga teacher, he earns enough to support his family and himself. Yoga has transformed his career path, shifting him from a laboratory analyst to a yoga teacher—a transition he is proud of and believes to be his true calling and purpose in life.

Dennis describes Papua New Guinea as a beautiful country with diverse cultures, over 800 languages, and various traditions. While the country is still developing, its people are friendly, and rugby league is a popular sport.

Overall, Dennis’s story highlights the transformative power of yoga and his determination to overcome barriers to bring yoga to others in Papua New Guinea.

Favorite Quote From Dennis Kia

“I am a laboratory analyst by profession, but I switched my career to being a yoga teacher and I am so proud of that and I believe that yoga is my destiny. It’s the purpose why I was born.”

Connect with Dennis Kia

Facebook page: Yoga instructors PNG

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Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast Episode #88 – Yoga in Papua New Guinea Transcription

[00:00:00] Lily Allen-Duenas: Namaste, family, and welcome back to the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast! Today, I am so excited to invite and have Dennis Kia, a yoga teacher from Papua New Guinea on the show today. He teaches Hatha yoga and yin yoga in Port Mosby in Papua New Guinea. He was trained in yoga in a program introduced by the Active City Development Program, ACDP, under the British Wheel Model of Yoga. So I’m excited to hear more about that. So how did yoga come into your life? What’s your story? 

How did yoga come into your life?

[00:00:34] Dennis Kia: I can still clearly remember back in 2018 when one of my friend invited me to attend a gym session. That’s what he said. So I was so excited and I followed him. We did a class together to program called Active City Development Program.

They’re offering the classes for free. So it was my first class and I was so happy. The sensation after my first class was so nice. So I decided come again for another class and I continued to come for the classes. And yeah, that’s how I come to know yoga.

[00:01:22] Lily Allen-Duenas: That’s great. And so how did you become a yoga teacher and what is this active city development program with the British Wheel of [00:01:30] Yoga model?

How Did You Become a Yoga Teacher?

[00:01:31] Dennis Kia: I became a yoga teacher through the program of Active City Development Program after practicing with the program for six months. And they told us that there is a training for yoga teachers. So I put my hand up and that’s when I attended the training. So it was like two weeks of intensive training program that we had, and it was free; our governor sponsored the program. So yeah, there was, there were like 28 of us youths. We attended, both males and females.

[00:02:17] Lily Allen-Duenas: That’s great. That’s awesome. And so are all of those people that you were trained with are they all yoga teachers with you now?

Do all the People You Got trained with Still Teach Yoga in Papua New Guinea? 

[00:02:27] Dennis Kia: So, out of 28 people who attended yoga training program, a large number of group of youths are certified and just handful are not certified. So I was unfortunate; I wasn’t certified. So I became an assistant yoga teacher, and then I continued for three months and then eventually they certified me. All the teachers who are certified, they work under [00:03:00] the active city development program, including me, and then like for a year and then next year. I never seen them like again. Maybe they went their own path, but I’ve never seen them teaching around the city. It’s only me.

[00:03:19] Lily Allen-Duenas: So, I love that you’re teaching yoga. I would love to hear more about where you’re teaching. I know it’s in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, but what is the environment like that you’re teaching in?

What is it Like to Teach Yoga in Papua New Guinea?

[00:03:31] Dennis Kia: Teaching yoga in my country for Papua New Guinea is very challenging because they have the idea that yoga is a religion thing and we are Christian country. So, it’s quite tough to accept yoga. So when I go and teach somewhere, sometimes, people, they stop me and they say things, but I don’t hesitate.

I still continue teaching and at some point, I stop teaching and it’s different from one place to another. We’ve been through a lot of situation and yeah, but we… like we never give up. We continue to do awareness and… Yeah, but there are some people who also they want do yoga. So I started to in hotels and other residential areas where people from outside the country, they already [00:04:30] practice yoga and they knew what yoga is, so it’s easy for me. People from like European countries, Indians, Filipinos, and other expatriates. So it’s quite easy cause they understand yoga and they’ve been practicing and there are handful of… they, they also want to do this. Yeah, I teach them around. So it’s different from my own people in the communities here.

[00:04:59] Lily Allen-Duenas: And Dennis, I was also wondering how does yoga help you. If you know that yoga helps so many people, and I love hearing how much you love yoga, but how does yoga actually help you?

How Does Yoga Help You?

[00:05:13] Dennis Kia: So yoga helps me in so many ways. So the one… and the important one is it helps me to be more healthy. So, I feel more healthy mentally, physically, emotionally. And another thing, it’s like financially, as a yoga teacher, I made a a good amount of money to just to help my family and help myself. Yeah, I really appreciate what yoga has done for me.

What Has Yoga Changed in Your Life in Papua New Guinea? 

[00:05:49] Lily Allen-Duenas: Well, That’s great. I’m glad that it helps you with income and what has it changed in your life besides your finances?

[00:05:57] Dennis Kia: Yoga has changed my [00:06:00] career entirely. I studied science and I used to work in a laboratory. I am a laboratory analyst by profession, but I switched my career to being a yoga teacher and I am so proud of that. And I believe that yoga is my destiny. It’s the purpose why I was born.

I define yoga as blessings, so when I go teach yoga, I say the blessings to others.

[00:06:40] Lily Allen-Duenas: Oh, I like that. So Dennis, also, for those people who don’t know very much about Papua New Guinea, can you tell us more about your country?

What is Papua New Guinea like?

[00:06:53] Dennis Kia: It’s a very beautiful country with diverse cultures, 800 plus languages, different traditions. We speak English and as a common language in our country. The country is still developing, so most of the places here are still rural and just few areas are developed. People here are very friendly and our favorite sport is Rugby League here.[00:07:30] 

[00:07:30] Lily Allen-Duenas: Okay, that’s great. Yeah, good to hear more about Papua New Guinea, so thank you. So, Dennis, I will definitely link your facebook page, the Yoga Instructors PNG, in the show notes, as well as on my website, wildyogatribe.com/yogaPapuaNewGuinea. So I was wondering, Dennis, do you have a Instagram page yourself or a Facebook page just for you that you’d like to share?

How to Get in Touch with Dennis

[00:07:59] Dennis Kia: I have a Facebook page account called Yoga Instructors PNG, and I also have a Facebook account named Dennis Enrique Kia. And it’s linked with my Instagram account. You can check me there to find out more about me.

[00:08:19] Lily Allen-Duenas: Wonderful. Thank you so much, Dennis, for being with me today. I had such a good time being with you.

[00:08:25] Dennis Kia: And I would like to say thank you so much, Lily, for having me on your podcast. I really appreciate you. Thank you.

Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast Outro

[00:08:36] Lily Allen-Duenas: Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast. My conversation with Dennis Kia, a yoga teacher from Papua New Guinea, was so interesting as we really looked at Papua New Guinea and at what that culture and that community, how they have responded to yoga, and also what yoga has done for Dennis as a teacher and for his [00:09:00] life. So if you’re looking to tune into a podcast episode that’s all about Papua New Guinea, a place where yoga is very new and is just starting to blossom, then this is the conversation for you. Thank you for listening to the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast. Be well. 

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