Yes, the church should be involved in politics

from w
I don't mean to promote one particular political party, but members of the church and leaders need to look at issues in society if they are serious about 'the Kingdom of God' here as a place of justice and equity for the people. I saw this article in today's Fiji Times.

Methodist 'Think Tank' talks about Fiji
Wednesday, March 05, 2008

THE Methodist Church in Fiji 'Think Tank' discussed Fiji's present status and its impact on the work of the Church and the livelihood of the people at the Epworth Hall in Suva.

A statement from Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu the church's assistant general secretary said the discussions were part of the church's "Christianity and Democracy" program.

"After the decision of the Church annual conference last August not to participate in the interim Government's charter process, the Methodist Church had decided to set up a think tank of professional lay members to offer advice and assist the Church elders and members over national social and economic issues," said Mr Waqairatu.

Concerns raised at the meeting included the poor state of government services, high inflation rate and the high rate of unemployment, the pursuit of fiscal policies which exacerbated poverty, the absence of good governance and lack of transparency on the part of some leaders in the interim government.

"Serious concern was also expressed at the weakening of some Fijian institutions and the interim government's attempt to politicise appointments to the Great Council of Chiefs and other Fijian Institutions," he said.

Also the meeting abhorred the erosion of basic freedoms, especially the right to express dissenting opinion, the curbing of the freedom of the press and the forced expulsion of the publisher of the Fiji Sun, Russell Hunter.

The media was barred from sitting in at the meeting which included divisional superintendents, circuit ministers and senior church officials.

There are 20 members of the 'Think Tank' made up of some former politicians in the deposed government like Adi Samanunu Talakuli, Asesela Sadole, Ratu Meli Saukuru, Ratu Jone Kubuabola, Doctor Tupeni Baba, Solomone Naivalu, Apisalome Tudreu and Pita Tagicakiverata.

Presentations yesterday was led by Ratu Jone and Dr Baba.

The next meeting of the 'Think Tank' with ministers of the Church will be held next month where they will be discussing good governance.

Kava ban for Labasa Methodists

from w
Well, well, that's something! The Methodists of Labasa town (but maybe not countryside) are on a kava ban for the Christmas season. Okay, too much kava is unhealthy but after all it is holiday time and hospitality requires - or does it - having a bowl of grog with visitors? I'm of the opinion that too much social kava drinking isn't good on work days but it is holiday time now. It has been suggested that a ban on kava might solve some social problems? Which problems? About parents neglecting children because they are grog-doped? Okay, fair enough. One week, then in January it's back to 'normal'!

Kava ban for the flockMERESEINI MARAU
Sunday, December 23, 2007

MEMBERS of the Labasa Methodist Church circuit are on a kava and smoking ban throughout the festive season. Circuit minister Samisoni Daunivala said the ban had been effective from the second week of November. Mr Daunivala said the ban would go on until the end of this year. Speaking in Fijian, he said that would be subject to review.

Mr Daunivala said that the ban was part of their cleansing process within the circuit as well as the vanua. He said there were social issues which had affected not only the vanua but the church members as well. While he did not wish to dwell much on the ban and the reasons behind it, he said that they were praying and hoping that the ban would serve its purpose.

He felt that the ban was the best thing to do to solve the social problems that had affected the people. He said the ban started with the people of Naseakula, the home of the Tui Labasa and where the circuit headquarters was based. Mr Daunivala said the ban was spearheaded by the church and was totally supported by the vanua. He said the people had supported the idea and abided by the wishes of their church leaders and the vanua.

He hoped that this festive season would be a meaningful one to all the members of his congregation and 2008 would be a prosperous one. Labasa circuit is part of the Macuata Methodist division.

Chasing a book about Fiji - as usual

from w
A book we really wanted to read is at the local Deakin library so I waited until the due date (about Nov 23) for someone to put it back, then lo and behold, someone has taken it out again until January 7th! Sobosobo! It's too expensive to buy - about $70.It's By Andrew Thornley and translated by Tauga Vulaono. Exodus of the i taukei: The Wesleyan Church in Fiji 1848-74. and written in English and Fijian. Monash Uni has a copy but that's a bit of a hike from Geelong. It's probably a more developed discussion than the Mai kea ki vei based on a church history conference in Davuilevu which we have been able to read locally.

Peceli and I were talking this morning about the fact that to understand the Fiji Methodist Church of today, we do need to know the story of 19th and 20th century church history in Fiji and the way the vanua, protocol, customs became an integral part of the lotu of today.

Davuilevu 100 years on

from w
I noticed a small item in a Fiji paper about Davuilevu one hundred years on from moving from Navuloa in Rewa. It's the focal point of Methodist institutions in Fiji with a high school, lay training institute, bible school and theological college. I lived there one time when I was teaching at Lelean, and Peceli spent several years training there. A place where we have made many friends. Baker Hall on the hill, Lelean, sports fields, all near Dilkusha and nowadays opposite the new Rewa Bridge.

The picture at top is of Baker Hall. The one below is of five graduates from Davuilevu Theological College - but many years on!


from a Fiji paper
Davuilevu celebrates 100 years
5-Oct-2007 11:07 AM

THE Methodist Church in Fiji will next week hold a centennial celebration for its Davuilevu property, which is the home of Methodist Education.

College Librarian James Bhagwan said the first Teacher-Training and Technical Institutes in Fiji were established at Davuilevu just outside Nausori. He said this was also home to Lelean Memorial School, The Methodist Young People’s Department lay training centre and Davuilevu Theological College.

Bhagwan added the October 7-10 celebrations are to commemorate the shifting of all the major Methodist educational institutes from Buretu in Navuloa to Davuilevu in 1907.

“The celebrations committee made up of representative from the institutions currently based at Davuilevu released its programme yesterday”, he added.

Bhagwan said the highlights of the week would include a special thanksgiving at the original site.

There will also be a march from Nausori to Davuilevu led by the youth band, a special Meke Ni Davui to commemorate the occasion, church services, the dedication of the Centennial Monument and the viewing of the Davuilevu Archives at Baker Hall.

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(later: I found a few pics - one of Baker Hall at the celebration, one of Lelean Memorial School and one of the new bridge which now is at the entrance to Davuilevu instead of beyond Dilkusha.)

Crossing cultures in Fiji

from w
There's a connection between Hindi bhajans and a Fijian family. Mereia, Marika and five year old Matelita.

Mereia's father, Ari Siri, came from Lobau village in Namosi, but we first met up with the family in Rakiraki when Peceli was a minister in the Indian Division of the Methodist Church there. One day he met Ari, covered in oil, after working as a labourer at the sugar mill and they spoke together in Hindi until they realised they were both Fijians! The Siri family were living in an Indian village called Gallau so we established a little Sunday school in their home. Mereia lived in Rakiraki until she was 18 and used to accompany her father in pastoral visits amongst the Indian people throughout the district. We also loved living in Ra and had a beautiful life there for three years with the sugar-cane farmers.

We didn't meet Mereia for many years after that until we found that Mereia was an ordained minister (and that's something for a woman in a rather patriarchal society like Fiji) living in Labasa. She was so hospitable, humble, compassionate. I remember eating with her a lunch of dhal bhat (lentils and rice) and coconut cakes. We shared stories together of the pain of coups and the time all hell broke loose even in the 'Friendly North' in 2000. Her Hindi was excellent and she later edited a song book with the words in Fijian, English and Hindi. One of my favourite Hindi bhajans is printed here - as set out in her book. (Jesus the Lord said I am the Bread.)

Mereia married Marika, a Labasa farmer from Korowiri, who also could speak Hindi and he actually plays the dholak, tabla and harmonium as well. Later on Mereia went back to study - at the Pacific Theological College to do her Master's Degree (why call it master hey!) and now is a lecturer at Davuilevu.

So when I saw her photograph and story in Marama magazine, I was delighted because the life journey of many of Fiji's women is inspirational. Way to go, Mereia!

Naduri village - opening day of Conference

from Peceli
Greetings from the sunny Macuata!!! This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoy and be glad in it. There was a warm welcome of the traditional ceremony to the Members of the Bose ko Viti led by the President Rev Laisiasa Ratabacaca and the 50 Divisions of the Methodist Church in Fiji. It was very good. The President' house was especially built close to the vale ni kana as I regarded it as in 5 star hotel style to cater the President and the Valenivolavola and the overseas members such as Rev Nemani Caqkacaka from Sydney and New Zealand members and me from Victoria. Naduri village is looking good. I took some photos at Wailevu village before I went to Naduri in the afternoon.The old relic of Bolatagane which Zakaria from Naseakula helped to build in the 1940s is still there and I stayed the night close to it

The Methodist Church and compassion

from w
The Fiji journalists seem to be obsessed with the terms 'fill coffers' through fundraising with a Choir Competition, and the spat between the Interim Minister of Health and the Methodist Church over a perceived debt concerning Ba Hospital.

Well, let's start at the very beginning, hey - or even with Hannah Dudley who adopted orphans in Suva, and who was feisty enough to refuse the direction of men on church committees and when they wanted her to take her orphans to Nausori, she upped and took off on a boat with them, heading for Bengal.

You see, compassion was an emphasis in the early days of the Methodist Church mission to the Indian community in Fiji - the care of orphans, the setting up of dispensaries, and then a hospital at Ba. (Education is another topic of course).

Another argumentative missionary from Australia was Rev Richard Piper who was based in Lautoka. When Dilkusha was established near Nausori, he wanted it moved to the healthier, drier Lautoka but lost that argument. He already had a farm school for boys and the Australian Methodist Church which funded Fiji's church in those days, bought a hotel with the gift from a bachelor, Mr Jasper Williams. (Many years into the future to become Jasper Williams High School).

The CSR gave some medical care for their staff and workers in those early days, but did nothing for 'free' Indian migrants, nor did the government of the day. In Ba with thousands of people, there was no hospital. The Methodist Church staff in various places had set up small dispensaries such as at Nausori and Navua. In 1913 Cyril Bavin wrote 'The Church in Australia has been asked for years to provide a hospital, and all that they have has been two dispensaries and one nurse!' The compassionate policy that began with Hannah Dudley gradually evolved slowly.

Rev Piper in 1919 stated a case for a Mission hospital for Indian women because the Government did nothing for them. In the same year J.F. Long began work at Rarawai, Ba. His wife was Dr Olive Long (nee Rivette) and she started to relieve Indian women of their ailments. So in 1924 a decision was made to build a hospital in Ba but not to exceed the cost of 2000 pounds. Local Indians raised 500 pounds. Local Fijians helped by carting river sand needed for the conrete and the CSR gave an engine and trucks for transport. So on 5 June 1926 Ba Hospital was opened.(More of this story can be found in Harold Wood's book Overseas Missions of the Australian Methodist Church Vol 111 Fiji-Indian and Rotuma.

Over the years, fees have been kept fairly low and the hospital at Namosau has been a wonderful gift to the Ba community. Our first two children were born there in the late 60s and I feel gratitude to people like Dr John Horton and Sister Satya Bali.

As funding from Australia diminished, there were financial problems, so as far as I know, the hospital was handed over to the Fiji government. So what's with this debt of nearly half a million dollars? The hospital has been a gift to the community out of compassion, but now with a well established Ministry of Health, it is time for it to become part of general health care in Fiji and a spirit of co-operation is required between church, community, and state.

Timothy and the Navua Methodist Church

from w
I was interested to read several items in the Fiji papers this week concerning a celebration at Navua at the Timothy Methodist Church named after a blind pastor. Peceli and I were involved for several years in the Indian Division of the Methodist Church in Fiji, particularly in Lautoka, Rakiraki and Dilkusha. In my early years in Fiji I was a member of the Dudley church in Suva and sometimes visited Navua to the homes of Dudley High School students.

We knew Timothy well and at one stage he lived with us in Rakiraki, sang and played his music and showed us how he read in Braille. He was such a lovely man, gentle and peaceful. Though Navua is a small town, several church leaders have emerged from this little Methodist Church near the Navua River, such as the Lucas family of course.

I read that our friend Daniel Mastapha and other former Fiji residents have gone back to Fiji for a reunion. The photo is of James Bhagwan and Daniel Mastapha. Many ex-Dudley, Dilkusha, and Lautoka Fiji-Indian Christians have moved overseas to Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Just this weekend I talked with a Fijian friend Loloma Tukei Tali who once worked as a deaconess in the Methodist Church in Fiji and also had stayed with us in Rakiraki one time, working alongside Peceli in visiting the cane-farming families. Loloma and Tom (who is from Vanuatu) now live in Geelong so it is a wonderful friendship renewed.

Timothy Methodist Church in Navua Declared a Circuit
Saturday, July 14, 2007
After 101 years the Timothy Methodist Church in Navua, is to be declared a circuit that will no longer operate under the Dudley Methodist Church, in Suva .

The church part of Methodist Church’s Indian Division, gets its independence tomorrow in a special ceremony and church service led by former church president Reverend Dr Daniel Mustapha, now a resident of Australia. Divisional Superintendent Reverend William Lucas said that it will be a truly great occasion for the church.

A thoughtful editorial from Fiji Post

from w
Church and politics in Fiji has been a topic of conversation, discourse, debate for many years. A couple of days ago, a thoughtful editorial in the Fiji Post again raised this topic for discussion. The author of the article is not given. Three things though to consider when the Methodist Church of the present day is discussed - I. don't forget the minority Indian Division of the Methodist Church in Fiji.
2. There may be diverse views within that church also.
3. It is probable that many/most of the military men and women belong to the Methodist Church in Fiji so what do they think about their church deciding not to participate in the proposed National Council?

Churches also represent class interests
22-Jun-2007

The difficult relationship between church and state in Fiji continues. The influential Methodist Church and Assembly of Christian Churches in Fiji have joined together to withhold participation in the consultation and submission processes for formulating the interim regime’s proposed People’s Charter and for establishing its National Council for Building a Better Fiji, to meet this goal. Between them - the Methodist Church and the ACCF - Fiji’s predominantly indigenous Christian majority are represented. The churches’ views of the coup and the interim regime are well known and have been circulated since the tumultuous events of last December. Their stand against the present invitation to participate is, therefore, consistent and principled this time around.

It is clear that the churches are more than expressions of personal faith. They represent a clarified perspective on many public, social issues, not the least of which is the merit and priority of parliamentary representative democracy. While this view was not as clearly put, or evident, in the earlier coups of 1987 and 2000, the churches now more clearly represent the social and political, as well as spiritual, aspirations of Fiji indigenous and blooming middle-class. In this regard, the ACCF is especially interesting as its churches have worked to translate their religious beliefs into an upward mobility-success ethic on one hand and a social conscience ethic on the other.

The voice of protest by these combined churches therefore should not be under-rated. It would be an over-simplification to imagine that they only speak for an otherwise silent majority of politically passive, self-absorbed church-goers. They don’t. These Christian churches have metamorphosed into powerful reflections of increasing indigenous middle-class affluence and political ambition. In this respect, the SDL Party is not merely a party of Fijians, but it is ‘their’ party – the vehicle for projecting the class discourse and religious vision of Fiji’s dominant Christian congregations onto the national stage.

Therein lies the difficulty for a regime that seeks to overturn the privileges that these church members feel they have won fairly by following their religious ethic. For both Methodists and ACCF members, hard work, self-discipline, frugality, and credentials, bring material and professional rewards as well as a sense of individual satisfaction that was unknown to their ancestors. These rewards have been especially forthcoming over the past two decades (of pro-indigenous governments) and these Christians feel understandably miffed by any impediment – such as a coup and its consequences – which not only overturns the fruits of their labour, but which denigrates their effort as cronyism, or worse, corruption, and which demotes them or excludes them from further participation in public life.

It is important therefore that a conversation is constructed between any political charter-makers and these churches. A people’s charter without their input and stamp of approval may be turn out to be an empty, self-defeating enterprise. Christians must stand for justice, but they must also be open to talk to each other through their differences. When one broad congregation feels it has been routed by another, and its political representatives, dialogue is the only way forward.

Is the Kingdom of God the here and now or later?

from w
Once again the Methodist Church in Fiji leaders in Suva have made a statement that has upset the military interim government, this time in response to the plan to set up an action group/committee/forum/NCBBF (Fiji loves acronyms) to 'go forward'. Once again Rev Tui has led the church in a forthright statement. Last time this happened, the hierarchy backed down and dithered a bit.

So should the church be on about private spirituality or public life? Is the Kingdom of God about the here and now, or just about an imaginary future/Heaven? I like Tui and I find it offensive when writers in the 'comments' in the Fiji Times are mainly telling him and his like to get back to their soapbox preaching instead of being involved with politics. To me, to sit on the fence is wrong. Jesus was a political person too.

So will the military take offence now and say, hey you, we will send our 'watchers' to your conference in Macuata to make sure you don't incite people! Insight or incite - whatever.

from today's Fiji Times.

Churches oppose national council initiative
BRENDA RAGI and SERA JANINE
Thursday, June 14, 2007

TWO Christian church groups have opposed the setting up of a National Council for Building a Better Fiji.

The Methodist Church in Fiji which enjoys the biggest membership among the Christian churches claims it has the support of its 200,000-plus members. It released a joint statement with the Association of Christian Churches yesterday. The submission is one of the 50 received by the interim administration so far.

They had sought submissions from 150 organisations and individuals. Permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's Office Parmesh Chand said the submissions were being analysed before being taken to the cabinet sub-committee formed to look into them. The Methodist Church submission calls on the interim Government to immediately stop the council's formation.

This it says is because:

The interim Government has no popular mandate and should restrict itself to taking the nation back to civilian rule through a general election and the restoration of full democracy within the earliest possible timeframe.

After the 1987 coup, a similar operation named "Veivueti" was set up for the same purpose, which led to the politicisation and weakening of some institutions of State and the collapse of the National Bank of Fiji.

Policy initiatives should be left to the elected representatives of the people.

The charter specifies that to achieve its objectives, a 40-member council is to be set up by the President. The church says this is unconstitutional and illegal.

With the suspension of the members of the Great Council of Chiefs, the churches are concerned about the legality of any policy measures affecting Fijian land and administration.

Speaking on behalf of the churches, Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu stressed the concern over the exclusion of key people in the ousted government.

"The churches are concerned that in promoting unity, the interim Government has excluded a major political grouping and elected representatives of a large part of our community," he said.

"It is of serious concern that the nation's elected Prime Minister and the leader of the elected majority government ousted by the military coup in 2006 have been excluded from participating in the discussions on this charter." The churches also condemned the appointment of senior military officers to key government positions.

They specifically referred to the appointment of deputy military commander Captain Esala Teleni as Police Commissioner.

"The churches strongly condemn the politicisation of appointments, and say that it is the worst form of corruption,'' he said.

"The appointment of the deputy military commander to the position of Police Commissioner is illegal and morally wrong in view of pending cases against the military over the December takeover of the elected government."

The submission was sent to interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama on Tuesday and copied to the President, US ambassador, High Commissioners of Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, and the secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

Mr Chand said he respected the views of the churches.

"If they feel this way about these matters then it is well within their rights and we respect that,'' he said.

"This is the whole purpose of seeking submissions on the proposed set-up of the national charter, to get people's view on it."

He also clarified that the NCBBF has not been formed yet so people should not feel they were being left out.

The closing date for the submissions has been extended to Tuesday.

Submissions have also been received from the Fiji Muslim League, the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji, the Fiji Islands Hotels and Tourism Association, Fijian Holdings Limited, University of the South Pacific, Fiji Disabled Peoples' Association, University of Fiji, Fiji Chamber of Commerce, the Catholic Church, the Rotuma Council, the Rabi Council and Tailevu Provincial Council.
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An Anglican perspective on the situation in Fiji can be found in a publication from New Zealand.

Methodist choirs in Fiji

from Peceli
Here is a photo of the Centenary Choir in Suva taken last year when they invited me to meet with them. We have a good relationship especially since their tour to Australia to one of our Uniting Church conferences in Melbourne.

Every year there is a huge choir competition as part of the Methodist Conference in Fiji. This year the choirs will perform in Suva at Furnival Park, though the main meeting will be in be in Macuata at Naduri. The Fiji newspapers seem to emphasize the fund-raising aspect of this conference but it has many other aspects.