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Bougainville - People

The distinctive, dark black skin colour of Bougainvilleans contributes to a sense of uniqueness. Douglas Oliver describes Bougainville as ‘the black spot in an island world of brown skins’. The ‘jet-black’ people of Bougainville commonly refer to mainland Papua New Guineans as ‘redskins’.

The Bougainville crisis was the deadliest, bloodiest, and most destructive conflict in the South Pacific since World War II. Bougainville civilians were subjected to massacres, torture, murder, arbitrary arrests, forcible evictions, looting, destruction of houses and villages, disappearances, mass rapes, and other human rights violations. Consequently, much of the population suffered trauma and, by the time the ceasefire was finalised in 1998, Bougainville society was deeply wounded, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.

The impact of the crisis on Bougainvillean society was profound. Like with many civil wars, the violence was at a level of savagery and brutality that is difficult to comprehend. There was a heavy loss of life, with around 10,000 Bougainvilleans dying of violence or disease. By the mid-1990s, over 60,000 Bougainvilleans were living in internally-displaced persons’ camps, with thousands more fleeing to the neighbouring Solomon Islands.

The population of Bougainville was recorded as 249,358 in the 2011 census but is estimated to now be around 300,000. Its people, Bougainvilleans, are mostly Melanesian but there are also descendants of Micronesian and Polynesian origin (mostly from the outer atolls). The majority of the population live outside the three main urban centres in villages.

Culturally, Bougainville is primarily Melanesian and has a population which includes up to 25 language groups spread across ten clans. The majority of clans practise matrilineal inheritance and succession, which sets it apart from other parts of PNG. There are at least 19 distinct indigenous languages in Bougainville. Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinean Pidgin English) is the lingua franca across the districts and English is also widely spoken.

There are three main town centers in the Region; Buka Town, Arawa and Buin.

Buka Town - Located on the Buka Island shore of the Buka Passage (the channel separating Bougainville and Buka Islands), Buka Town is the current capital of the Region and hosts the Autonomous Government’s headquarters. Transport to Bougainville Island from Buka Town is available at several boat stops in the centre of town. Taxi and PMV (Public Motor Vehicle) services are also available for getting around Buka Town. Buka Town also has an airport which is regularly serviced via Port Moresby and Rabaul.

Arawa - Formally the capital of the province, Arawa is located in Central Bougainville. Prior to the crisis Arawa was a busy town during the active years of the nearby Panguna Copper Mine. Taxis and PMVs also operate in Arawa. Nearby on the coast south from the township is Kieta/Aropa Airport and Kieta Port.

Buin - Located in Bougainville’s Southern District, Buin is accessible from Arawa via two roads (one following the Eastern coast or one passing by the Panguna Mine). Buin’s proximity to the southern coast of Bougainville also means it is an informal point of contact with the neighboring Solomon Islands.