Veronica Somare
Veronica Somare | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First LadyofPapua New Guinea | |
| In office 17 January 2011 – 4 April 2011 | |
| In office 5 August 2002 – 13 December 2010 | |
| In office 2 August 1982 – 21 November 1985 | |
| In office 16 September 1975 – 11 March 1980 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Veronica Kaiap 1946 (age 77–78) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Betha, Sana,Arthur,Michael, and Dulciana |
Veronica Somare(néeKaiap; born 1946), known asLady Somare,is a formerfirst ladyofPapua New Guinea.Her husband, SirMichael Somare,was the country's firstprime ministerand is known as the "father of the nation." Veronica Somare has been honoured for her own role in the establishment of Papua New Guinea and her position as the country's inaugural first lady.[1][2][3]
Biography
[edit]Somare was bornVeronica Kaiapin 1946, as a member of the Mindamot lineage.[4][5]Somare's father was Mathew Kaiap and she is one of eleven siblings.[5][6]
in 1965, at age 19, she marriedMichael Somare.[4][5][7]The couple had met that year inWewak,and Michael was immediately taken with Veronica, courting her quickly in "the village fashion."[8]They had five children together: Betha, Sana,Arthur,Michael, and Dulciana.[7]The pair remained married until Michael's death in 2021.[7]
Veronica Somare became first lady of Papua New Guinea in 1975, when her husband became the country's first prime minister. After finishing his term in 1980, he went on to serve two subsequent terms from 1982 to 1985 and from 2002 to 2011.[7]Veronica cared for their children while supporting her husband's ambitious political career. In 2005, she told an interviewer, "I had to explain to the children thatPapa ino blong yupela tasol. Em papa blong kantri tu(Your father is not yours alone. He is also the Father of the country). "[5]
Later, Michael Somare emphasized Veronica's role in his political success: "She was a young woman who changed my life so that I could have the credibility at home and professionally."[9]After the former prime minister's death, Prime MinisterJames Marapedescribed Veronica as the "steadying hands that steadied our late Grand Chief."[10]
In 2008, she was awarded theOrder of Logohufor her contributions to Papua New Guinea.[11]
While Somare's primary focus has been supporting her family throughout her husband's prominent career, she is also deeply interested in the cultivation oforchids.In 1981, an orchid commonly known as the Sepik Blue was formally nameddendrobiumVeronica Somare.[5][12]She has also been involved in various philanthropic and development efforts, including the country'smicrofinancebank for women.[13]
References
[edit]- ^"Lady Veronica honoured".The National (Papua New Guinea).2021-03-15.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-09-09.Retrieved2022-09-09.
- ^"Marape Thanks Lady Somare".Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.2021-03-15.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-31.Retrieved2022-09-09.
- ^Yafoi, Melisha (2022-02-25)."Lady Somare A Competent Woman".Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-04-09.Retrieved2022-09-09.
- ^ab"How a cop's son became PM".The National.2021-03-02.Retrieved2021-12-31.
- ^abcde"The good lady".Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.2005-09-09.
- ^"In-laws praise Chief".The National (Papua New Guinea).2021-03-19.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-03-19.Retrieved2022-09-10.
- ^abcdZhuang, Yan (2021-02-26)."Michael Somare, Papua New Guinea's 'Father of the Nation,' Dies at 84".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2021-12-31.
- ^Lipset, David (2007)."Women without Qualities: Further Courtship Stories Told by Young Papua New Guinean Men".Ethnology.46(2): 93–111.doi:10.2307/20456616.ISSN0014-1828.JSTOR20456616.
- ^"Sir Michael owed his achievements to East Sepik people".The National.2021-03-02.Retrieved2021-12-31.
- ^"Marape thanks Lady Somare".Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.2021-03-14.Retrieved2021-12-31.
- ^"Govt praised for recognising women".Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.2008-01-07.
- ^"Sepiks growing good orchids".Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.2010-12-15.
- ^Bashir, Mohammad (2011-05-30). "Women start microbank".Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.
