Ovau Is My Island Poem by Leonard Fong Roka

In 2002, standing on the golden beaches of Lontis on the northern tip of Buka Island, my eyes did not see New Britain nor New Ireland or Manus. In 2005, standing on the romantic beaches of Olava in Buin, I was shocked by what I saw; a peaceful complete Northern Solomons of jet-black people!
Taking a boat trip across the evil international border to Ovau and looking back at Bougainville, my island was so beautiful and playful to its little children like Ovau, Choiseul, and Shortland Island and so on.
I was sad and sick of the of the indoctrination my people are still subjected to by the laws and institutions of the Papua New Guineans that rule our island and the Solomon Islands that exploit Western Province and Choiseul Province and give back nothing to my black people.
But then I knew deep in my broken heart that, Ovau is my island