Bougainville Diary
by Justin Tonti 2002
I kept a diary whilst recording the music and film for Bougainville Voices. On this page I have included a few extracts from this diary. The full diary which also includes explanations, song lyrics and translations can be downloaded (free) by clicking on the following icon:
22nd December, 1997
And so I begin to tell another story. I am in a "rest house" next to......
25th December, 1997
Yesterday the Solomon Islands Defence Force ...ordered the local police to put me on the next aeroplane back to Honiara: I am a security risk...
Somewhat inebriated with most of the whisky gone, I jumped up and gave him a hug before we both walked in the pouring rain to the police station ....
27th December, 1997
...We then took a diversion to an outer island and picked up 3 rifles. They sat under my legs in a yellow canvass as we continued our journey...
1st January, 1998
... Na yu tasol yu givim dai long miplea...And you gave death to us...
3rd January, 1998
... With the sudden crash on the helicopter's windscreen, Australian Foreign Minister Downer, the Australian High Commissioner in PNG and the acting BTG Premier thought thay had been shot . . .
4th January, 1998
... Sam has a scar to remind him of Josey's first touch.....
9th January, 1998
... pretty soon we were all gulping down all varieties of jungle juice... weilding a sharp axe one of the dancers came racing towards us shouting...
The free full diary which includes explanations, song lyrics and translations is available through the following address:
