"My father was a believer in his land," Marlene has written. "He had a heart for his people of Pauluaku, Bogisago, Rukauko, Paghui and the whole Wisai area." This deep commitment to Bougainville and the Oria people was a legacy she would inherit fully.

A bright and ambitious student, Marlene travelled to the mainland after her schooling to train as a teacher and earn a degree in education. She then returned home, eager to contribute to her community. However, her homecoming coincided with a tumultuous period—the Bougainville Civil War had erupted in 1989 and would rage for a decade.

The war's personal toll became devastatingly clear on 23 August 1993, when, despite being a supporter of Bougainville sovereignty, her father and two brothers were abducted by elements of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army. The night before, her father had instructed her mother, Margaret, to take the women to a safe hideout on his sacred land.

"We left at dusk. As we were about to go, my father told my mother that he and the boys would come to us in the morning."

Tragically, those would be his final words to the family. Despite their neutrality, Nehemiah and two of his sons were executed by revolutionary soldiers. It was a loss that would haunt Marlene profoundly for many years.

"I couldn't understand why brothers were killing brothers," she reflected. "I couldn't accept the fact that my father, who had donated his shotgun and a .22 calibre rifle to the Bougainville freedom fighters, had been killed by his own."

In the aftermath of these traumatic events, Marlene fled to Lae while the war continued. The years that followed were a crucible of grief and healing.

"For many years after, I was a wretched woman with a huge hole in my heart," she admitted. "I was very much affected by the war. These years were heartbreaking as I tried to cope. There was so much anger, and an overwhelming sadness I didn't know how to handle."

Writing became her salvation. "I found a new solace through writing and have written for the last 20 years," Marlene said. "Writing. A complete release that has made me accept and forgive those responsible."

Around 2014, I first encountered Marlene when she was running a struggling private learning centre in Lae for children aged four to 12. Her days were marathon sessions of dedication—waking at five, teaching all day, writing through the night, often not sleeping until two in the morning.

Life had again become a substantial challenge for Marlene, who, after a failed marriage, now had to raise two children, Martin and Dahlia, on her own.

Her perseverance eventually bore fruit. She began receiving recognition for her writing and was employed by Paradise College, a prestigious school in Port Moresby.

Most recently, Marlene has been honoured with a First Nation Writers Festival 2024 Book Award for her memoir, ‘Remembering, Father and Me.’

The book's judges were effusive in their praise: "Nothing to add. This is perfect work from the Greater Pacific. A memoir where every gene and nerve in the body is engaged with the story. Your bones sing and weep when you read it. Sweeping spiritual engagement and towering culture. This will go down in the history of literature everywhere as a template."

Beyond her writing, Marlene has been building expertise as a publisher, first producing books for Paradise College and now supporting other writers like Bougainvillean Alphonse Huvi.

Her ambitions continue to expand, with plans to transition into full-time online publishing and to open a bookshop in Port Moresby.

"I have been purchasing books and getting ready to open a bookshop," Marlene shared. "I can say I am around 40% ready."

Marlene’s journey—from a daughter of a paramount chief to a writer, teacher, and publisher—is a testament to human resilience, the healing power of storytelling, and the enduring spirit of community.