Marau Boat Park Song

Leonard Fong Roka

 

Cruel are the waves

That roar upon landing from Papona to Marau beaches

And pleasure, is the setting sun over Puru’ata island…

Sweet are the songs we hear

At the fine brown beaches of Koiare…

Oh my beautiful Bougainville.

 

 

And it’s my song,

A song of the Karato Mountains that Kaspeke likes.

It’s my dreams by the Asimana Rivers and her boat people

That row down to the tempestuous coast of Koiare

Then to Marau

To fine you, the government man

Oh my wild Bougainville.

 

From Karato

We run in boats and canoes

Across the cruel sea and time

We dart

With our load of hunting gains and garden produce

To land in the estuaries of Marau

And wait for civilization to welcome us

As his brothers…

Oh my forgotten Bougainville.

 

 

From the desolated Karato

I touch onto the Marau Boat Park

And realize, Bougainville is my land;

Heaven has no place for me yet…

At Marau is civilization

Door, which I loved so much

At Marau is Bougainville

Oh, my sweet Bougainville

Photo: (a) Marau Water Park to Maryanne Tsinuau & (b) a boat in the Buka Passage to http://tartantales.blogspot.com