Police staff deployed to Bougainville have celebrated two decades years of devoted support to their mission from their teammate Mama Maria Didiu.
Senior Advisor THERESA WILLIAM reports from Arawa.
On 5 July, the team marked 20 years since Mama Maria began working alongside our people in Arawa, Central Bougainville.
Mama is 69 years old, which is an achievement in itself in Bougainville where running water, power, education and access to health services are very limited.
For the past 20 years, she has been a friend and helper to New Zealand Police staff helping shape policing in the territory after the Bougainville crisis of the late 1980s and 1990s. Along with generations of Bougainvillians, Mama’s life was forever changed by the crisis.
Mama had built a life with her husband and children in Sipa, an idyllic seaside village on the Kieta peninsular, near Arawa, overlooking Pok (Crocodile Island).
During the crisis, she became a victim of suspicion. Her house was burnt down, leaving her homeless with children to care for. They fled the village.
If you sit with her looking out to the Pikus market outside Kiwi Haus, she might share one of her experiences.
She might talk about having to walk for days at a time in the Panguna mountains to access food and water, or the time she and her susa (sister) Celia had to swim for hours to avoid conflict in Kieta.
Eventually Mama Maria left Arawa and travelled to Buka, in the north, for a time.
Left: Mama Maria flanked by Senior Advisor Theresa William and Team Leader Owen Maurirere, with Senior Advisors Matthew Prendergast and Derek Ealson standing with Owen's wife Paula. Right: With the addition of VSA Team Leader Matt Lambie and nurse Sarah Togher.
These experiences and countless others built a resilience in Mama Maria that is only surpassed by her warmth, love and the biggest smile you will see in Bougainville.
In 2004, Mama started her new life with New Zealand Police, back in Arawa. Twenty years later she is still working with us, caring for each team that deploys to Central Bougainville. Haus meri, advisor, security, gardener, confidante - these are a few of her roles.
Mama is fiercely loyal and protective of the team. As one of the locals pointed out during her 20th year celebrations, the Kiwis’ success in Central Bougainville is in no small part because of Mama.
Her relationships in the community, her reputation and mana have enhanced our experience and contributed to our longevity and overall success.
We spent the day of the celebration with Mama’s Didiu family, including her daughter Melinda, her sisters Celia and Gwen and extended family from Sipa and her adopted mountain village Topiang, where Mama has built a house.
International Services Group staff from Police National Headquarters were able to join in via Teams. Members of previous contingents sent in emails which were read out. Mama remembered every one of them.
Team Leader Owen Maurirere gave the opening remarks in Tok Pisin, which was greatly appreciated.
There were cakes and gifts, as there should be.
One of our partner agencies - Volunteer Services Abroad NZ (VSA) - attended and their Team Leader Matt Lambie gave the keynote speech, having known Mama for years.
In her response, Mama was emotional and simply expressed her gratitude. Her work with the Kiwis has meant she has been able to build a home, support herself and help sustain her wider family.
She was presented with a lovely piece of pounamu, a certificate and plaque with the inscription Tampara long kamap yu Mama Maria. Yu bin holim mipela long han bilong yu olsem ol Pikinini long 20 yias, which translates as...
Thank you for being you, Mama Maria. You have held us in your arms as children for 20 years.
Team Leader Owen extended his thanks to the team of Bougainville Senior Advisors for organising the celebration, and to all Police staff who sent email greetings.
“I would also like to thank staff members and senior managers from International Service Group (ISG) who joined the celebration via Teams to express their appreciation to Mama Maria for her loyal and dedicated service to New Zealand Police in Bougainville.
“The emails and the video link with ISG helped make the occasion very special.”