Youth from Labasa with a mission

Naseakula youths offer their vakamalolo sevu to elders of Naseakula Village before they journey to Levuka. Picture: THERESA RALOGAIVAU

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What a good idea that young people from Labasa have taken the initiative to do something constructive to visit another place with their message of hope. The tauvu relationship is here more than jokes and teasing.

Mission to save livesTheresa Ralogaivau
Tuesday, June 08, 2010


MEMBERS of a youth group from Labasa are ready to set sail for the old capital in the noblest of missions - to help save youths of a village on the island from a world of crime and drugs through peer bonding. Around 50 youths from the Labasa Methodist Circuit intend to do this through cultural songs, meke (traditional dances) and the word of God.

According to circuit youth leader Kinijoji Drauna, they intend to be an example, showing the youths of Natokalau Village on Ovalau that it is a wonderful, learning and saving experience to be part of a youth group. The group that has been practising and fundraising for the trip for several weeks presented its meke to elders of the circuit as a sevu to seek blessings for the journey.

"We see that youths are crowding up prisons and even St Giles, some are caught up in crime, others are listless meaning they don't seem to have a sense of purpose, there is drunkenness and we are concerned," he said. "Most of our youths are from Nasekula Village so we represent the circuit. We find that belonging to a youth group is a good thing because we can help each other withstand peer pressure, learning good skills and there is companionship because a young person's life can be the most trying time.

"A member of the group is from Natokalau and she observed that interest in youth groupings isn't the same back home so we decided to contact church leaders at the village to allow us to come across so we could have a youth rally there."

The rally would also be a venue of cross cultural exchange of traditional meke and songs.

The Natokalau youth group will be hosted in Labasa later this year.