Words & Melody:  Francis Ona, 1997

This freedom song was written by Frances Ona, Commander in chief of the Bouganiville Revolutionary Army (BRA) in preparation for Independence Day celebrations on 1 September 1997. Although Papua New Guinea is still to recognise Bougainvillešs independence, the people of Bougainville celebrate the first of September each year in honour of the first unilateral declaration of independence on 1 September 1975. That declaration was reaffirmed on 17 May 1990, during the crisis.