Could some of your difficulties have resulted from the huge wealth gap between those of you who were there to work and had company resources to maintain your housing and provide "security" and the indigenous inhabitants looking for goodies from their white economic colonizers who have trashed their home and taken much of the wealth away with them?

Spot on, Charlie, sadly. I am just about to publish that very thing. There is no doubt that we were all perceived to be wealthy. Some had lived on the island for years, and lived off the fat of the local people.

Bougainville is an absolute tragedy. There are moves afoot to open the mine up, and I shudder to think of the environmental effects of all of this.

You story sounds very like ours. We were young, and a little myopic, on our first visit, and saddened beyond belief on our second.

The mining company responsible at the time, BCL, left the island degraded and wanting. I'm ashamed to have been part of that, but getting to know the locals, was wonderful.

The people of Bougainville have been trying to gain independence for many years. Because it's so minerally-rich, I fear the PNG government will e reluctant to allow it to happen.

Thanks for taking time to read about Bougainville.

My latest post: https://mariarattray.medium.com/returning-nine-years-later-to-beautiful-bougainville-island-in-the-pacific-ocean-e9afed61e92e