BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
On the gentle shores of Simbo Island in the Western Province of Solomon Islands—where the sea kisses black volcanic sand and coconut trees lean obediently with the wind—lives a woman whose age has become a quiet legend.
At 107 years old, Mrs Daisy Tuke still smiles easily—an unhurried, knowing smile shaped by more than a century of life.
Her back has never bent. Her steps are slow, measured by time rather than haste. Yet her eyes remain bright, alert, and warm.
Each morning, Mama Daisy, as she is affectionately known, sits outside her leaf house watching the tide roll in and out.
She greets neighbours and children as they pass. Many stop simply to hear her laugh. Others come seeking advice, because Mama Daisy has seen it all.
Born in 1919, long before modern roads, clinics, or schools reached Simbo, she grew up in a world guided by nature’s rhythm. As a young girl, she learned to fish with hand lines, tended to gardens nourished by volcanic soil, and listened carefully to the stories of her ancestors.
“We lived from the land and the sea,” she often says. “That is why we are strong.”
Mama Daisy married and raised many children—some of whom are now grandparents themselves. She has outlived her husband, several siblings, and many childhood friends. Yet she speaks of them not with sorrow, but with gratitude. Life, she believes, was a gift meant to be shared, not mourned.
Her lifetime has stretched across colonial rule, World War II, independence, and into a rapidly changing world of mobile phones and solar lights. While modern technology remains a curiosity, she watches with quiet amusement as children show her photos on their phones, her smile widening with wonder.
Asked about the secret to her long life, Mama Daisy laughs softly. “No secret,” she says. “Eat local food, work hard, pray, and don’t keep anger in your heart.”
During the 2026 New Year programme hosted by her family in Ward 3, the Member of Provincial Assembly, Gideon Tuke, asked his 107-year-old mother for advice for her siblings and the younger generation.
In a calm and gentle voice, she replied, “Be kind to everybody. Live in peace with your neighbours and don’t forget to thank God in all things you achieve. We wake up each day because God cares.”
On Simbo Island, Mama Daisy’s smile is more than an expression of happiness. It is a reminder of resilience, humility, faith, and the enduring strength of Solomon Islands women. At 107, she may be old in years – but her spirit remains timeless.
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Blessed..