Personalities from New Caledonia’s diverse communities - Mamie Fogliani: 1939-2020
Mamie Fogliani passed away over a year ago. OPT-NC has decided to pay tribute to this iconic New Caledonian “celebrity” and pioneering heart and soul of the rural Bush by issuing a stamp featuring Mamie Fogliani, illustrated by young New Caledonian graphic artist Christophe Gervolino
Éliane Obry, known throughout New Caledonia as Mamie Fogliani, was modest and full of good cheer, always ready with a welcoming smile. She was known and loved by all. She belonged to the generation of New Caledonians filled with entrepreneurial spirit and deeply attached to their land and their origins. Born in Poindimié in 1939 to a Kanak mother and a father from mainland France, Mamie Fogliani grew up in the Ina Tribe village; she formed strong never-to-be-forgotten ties with Kanak culture.
A woman with a mission
The mother and head of a very large family, Mamie Fogliani settled in Farino, New Caledonia’s smallest municipality, and quickly became the mainstay of the community. She set up a home-cooking venue whose fame spread far and wide, well beyond Farino and its environs. Hardly surprising, because Mamie Fogliani was a brilliant cook, inheriting her mother’s talents and skills in creating dishes showcasing local produce. Delicious food and a warm and friendly welcome ensured the success and prestige of her restaurant. But Mamie Fogliani did not restrict her energy and enthusiasm to her family and her home-cooking restaurant, she worked incredibly hard in the service of Farino. In 1987, during the tragic period of the “Events”, she founded Farino market, which not only showcased local produce but played a key role in keeping ethnic communities in friendly touch with each other. When peace returned, Farino market grew in reputation and became one of New Caledonia’s main attractions. To start with, it was a small market with just a few stallholders but it very quickly became a magnet for more and more stallholders and thousands of visitors. Driven by the same determination and spirit of dedication, Mamie Fogliani founded the Candlenut Worm Fair, now a must-see attraction for locals and visitors alike. Farino, and New Caledonia as a whole, owe a great deal to this woman, who threw herself unstintingly into caring for her family and others, inspired by her passion to see everyone come together in peace and understanding. With the issue of a stamp celebrating Mamie Fogliani’s quintessential good humour, kindness and enthusiasm, OPT-NC is paying tribute to this outstanding woman who left such a mark on her era and the people who knew her and knew of her.
