Remembering Amelia

from w
An interesting article appeared in a Fiji paper this week - especially relating to the women of Fiji and a reference to a great heroine, Amelia Rokotuivuna. What a courageous woman she was!
The ACS gang and my gang: a need for PNGPs
11/14/2008

Dr Wadan Narsey was invited by the Adi Cakobau School Old Girls on the topic "Empowerment of women: dismantling boxes". Below is what he said:
For a number of reasons, I was reluctant to speak at your forum. But I thought a bit more about the request from Dr Sereana Kubuabola where she stated (and I quote)
“The last 18 months period has been a very challenging time for our members some of whom have been directly impacted through loss of employment, loss of family incomes, and a sense of being lost in Fiji.”
The “sense of being lost in Fiji”, struck a chord, interestingly, as it could also be used to describe the state of mind of many Indo-Fijians who have opposed the 2006 coup.
Sereana went on to say that while the ACSOG would like to become involved in the development of the nation, their good intentions had been overtaken, and I quote again, “by the lack of self confidence and proficiency”. That I quite disagree with.
No one really knowing the persons and professional lives of Amelia Rokotuivuna, Suliana Siwatibau, Taufa Vakatale, Susanna Tuisawau, Dr Esther Williams, Dr Eci Kikau or Markareta Waqavonovono would ever conclude that ACS Old Girls lacked confidence or proficiency.
Indeed, looking around, I am asking myself, is USP being controlled by ACS Old Girls mafia (except for a few blokes here and there)?
But, given the huge depth of talent they clearly have, why on earth should ACS Old Girls feel discouraged from “becoming involved” in national decision-making?
Why on earth should they have any sense of being “lost in Fiji”?
Your theme “Empowerment of women: dismantling boxes” is appropriate. But what we do need to question is that very ambivalent concept of “silence” - supposedly an intrinsic part of Fijian “culture”, and further, its gender dimension.
We could also usefully examine the interesting phenomenon of “male gangs” which never feel lost and which very overtly have always seemed to empower Fiji’s men-folk.
I will begin my personal and somewhat bitter-sweet experience of “gangs” I have known over the last three decades, and how differently affected they were by the coups of 1987 and 2006.
---The 70s Radical Gang
My first real gang developed in 1973 when I got involved in a project organised by the USP Student Christian Movement, to document the dominant control of Fiji by foreign mainly Australian capital.
We produced a booklet called Fiji a Developing Australian Colony and spoke on it throughout Australia and in Fiji with unions and other NGOs.
That gang was seen by Ratu Mara and his ministerial colleagues as dangerous and possibly communist. Who else was in that intrepid gang?
A leading light was your great ACS alumni, the late Amelia Rokotuivuna, then the director of the YWCA. While others in that gang have dropped out of sight, some are very visible today: Rev Akuila Yabaki, Jone Dakuvula, and John Samy.
Three decades later, these three are in a totally different gang from me. You can guess which gang Amelia would have been in, had she been alive today.
But one lesson I have certainly learnt, if you stick to your principles, your gangs will have a habit of changing - you are an “insider” today, Albert Camus’ “outsider” tomorrow.
One effect of the 1987 coup was that it pretty well broke up that gang.
A QVSOB coup in 1987?
Soon after the 1987 coups, I was joking with a very prominent QVSOB civil servant (married to a sadly now-deceased ACS Old Girl): “You QVS Old Boys are behind all these coups”.
I was only half-joking. Because there were QVS Old Boys springing into high places all over the place, even civil servants suddenly appearing in uniforms.
But my friend growled back: “What about your Marist gang that has controlled Fiji for the last 20 years with the help of Ratu Mara?”
Well, I had never thought about that. Was there really a Marist gang in the 70s?
A Marist gang?
In hind-sight, I could see that in the 70s there were an unusually high number of Marist Old Boys in high places - in Government, statutory organisations and semi-private sector companies like Air Pacific.
No doubt partly because the first Prime Minister of Fiji, Ratu Mara, was a Marist Old Boy and a Catholic.
No doubt also, in those years there would have been many capable Old Boys and Old Girls from QVS, RKS, Natabua, Xavier, Labasa College, MGM who were turned away from jobs they deserved, because some Marist Old Boys were favoured.
But I also know that many Marist Old Boys coming from poor, uneducated, unimportant non-Catholic families received no advantage as “Marist Old Boys”.
For me, the myth of a “Marist Old Boy solidarity” was sadly exposed after the 1987 coup. Those who opposed the 1987 coup were seen as enemies by those in power, then including not just Rabuka and the army, but also Ratu Mara and his ministers, some also Marist Old Boys.
I also felt a great sense of alienation then, when many Marist Old Boy friends (through cricket, soccer, or squash, or even teaching colleagues) would cross the street, rather than be seen talking to me.
A few part-Fijian Marist Old Boys changed their ethnic identification, as it became useful to be a Fijian, and not a kailoma or a part-Chinese.
Many ensured that their part-Fijian children were registered in the VKB, while a certain Savenaca Siwatibau, the great Fijian icon (and a QVS Old Boy), was facing expulsion from the VKB, on suspicion that he had Indian or kailoma blood.
For me, the supposedly multi-racial glue of Marist Old Boys disappeared into thin air, when challenged by the racism and politics of the 1987 coups and its aftermath.
And a Marist Catholic coup in 2006?
In 1987 and 2000, the Methodist Church faced a lot of public criticisms - no doubt because of the very visible involvement of the Methodist Church hierarchy.
But in the last two years, the blog-sites have been alleging that the 2006 coup is a Catholic “Marist Old Boys” coup. Perhaps because the Commodore, some Interim Ministers, and new board appointees are Catholics. Perhaps more so because the Head of the Catholic Church and some of his priests have taken a very prominent role in publicly justifying the NCBBF, the Charter, and the alleged need for electoral reform- all of which are coup-related initiatives.
But while easy, it would be factually quite wrong to conclude that the 2006 coup is a Catholic Marist coup, or that the 2000 and 1987 coups were Methodist or QVSOB coups.
While it is very human to label any group doing something together, as a “gang”, gangs are often not what they appear to be.
The truth is that all the coups have been supported by mixtures of all kinds of people drawn from different religions or Old Boys networks.
The 1987 coup may not have succeeded if Ratu Mara and other Ministers of his (some Catholic) had not supported it.
The 2006 coup would not have survived to this day without the support also of the Fiji Labour Party and the Hindu organisations such as the Arya Samaj.
Equally, we can also say that coups have also been opposed by people drawn from different religions and Old Boy or Old Girl networks.
And whenever individuals oppose a coup that their normal “gang” supports, there naturally arises the feeling of “alienation”.
Why alienation?
When Amelia publicly opposed the 1987 coup, she also went against her chiefs, the hierarchy in her religion, her community, numerous of her friends, and even many members of her family. She was physically traumatised. In 1987, your famous ACS alumni may also have felt a sense of being “lost in Fiji”.
But the hall-mark of a great individual is the strength of moral conviction to say “let us stay on this track, let us not give in to political expediency”, when everybody else is saying “let us go off the track”.
After this 2006 coup, there are many Indo-Fijians also feeling “lost in Fiji”. They face a cold shoulder from the majority of Indo-Fijians and their leaders, and indeed other former friends of all races, who actively support the 2006 coup.
But today, I take comfort that I do have an invisible college which opposes the 2006 coup. You can call it an “intellectual gang”, because it hardly ever gets together socially.
And this “intellectual gang” is drawn from all religions, ethnic groups, professions, and rankings in life. It contains Old Boys and Old Girls from Labasa College, St Josephs, QVS, RKS, Ratu Sukuna, ACS, Grammar, and yes, still the odd one from Marist.
I do not “feel lost in Fiji”.
So why would some ACS Old Girls feel “lost in Fiji”?
Culture of Silence or Cunning?
I suspect that there are two inter-related reasons - one because the ACS Old Girls are largely indigenous Fijian, and second, that they are females.
I am sure that there is no consensus among ACS Old Girls on the 2006 coup. Nor should there be one.
But what should be of concern to the ACSOG Association is that while the majority of the Fijian community oppose the 2006 coup (for whatever reason), there are so few ACS Old Girls who publicly stand up for the principles of constitutional law and order.
It was so much harder for Amelia when she opposed all the powerful people in her community, including her friends.
This “silence” from your Fijian elite is often defended by anthropologists, often with implicit sympathy, as an element of Fijian “culture”.
But there are critical sociologists and observers, who point to other very Machiavellian reasons for this “culture of silence”: prominent would be elements of convenience, cunning (euphemistically called “strategizing”) , and perhaps even cowardice.
Do the Fijian rank and file remain confused and “feel lost in Fiji” because the Fijian elite are strategically staying silent , not taking a public position on a controversial issue in case they are punished, just waiting to see which side wins, perhaps before joining the band-wagon?
Historically, such cunning behaviour was associated with male Fijian leaders. Read Derrick’s history of pre-Cession Fiji- it also explains a lot about today’s Fijian politics.
At the QVS Old Boys Forum last year, in the aftermath of the suspension of the GCC by the Commodore, I listed ten criteria by which the chiefly system could be judged.
No Fijian leader publicly responded. Ironically, the only response was from the Commodore’s Task Force who asked me to help in their Review of the GCC.
A good question for ACS Old Girls to ask: are the Commodore and his military personnel so dominant today in public life, only because of the huge leadership vacuum left by those who should be Fijian leaders and are not?
Today, we also have to ask these questions of female Fijian leaders, including the elite from ACS Old Girls, who no doubt suffer from an additional burden.
The gender burden
While QVS Old Boys or the Marist Old Boys have been readily accused of coups, why has the ACS Old Girls not shared in this dubious honour?
Well, firstly, ACS Old Girls have had to marry Old Boys of other schools- in the early years mostly the dominant men from QVS, RKS, Ratu Sukuna, and Lelean. Within their households, their husbands’ views, and the “male gang” views, would usually prevail. The ACS Old Girls are merely “servers of other agenda”.
Secondly, ACS Old Girls within the Fijian community, regardless of their education or professional seniority are simply not allowed equality in decision-making alongside males. It does not matter whether they are Education Ministers or USP Vice Chancellors.
Not surprisingly, ACS Old Girls have probably never explored their potential to be a “political gang” having an impact on national politics or development debates, or doing coups.
But, surely that is a good thing.
The challenge today
As in 1987 and 2000, today there are ACS Old Girls who actively support the 2006 coup. Just as there are those who vehemently oppose it. Perhaps the relative numbers have changed over time.
The real challenge for ACSOG as an organisation is to encourage your Old Girls potential leaders to come out of their “culture of silence” and to assert their views- whatever they are.
I am sure that part of the reason why many ACS Old Girls feel “lost in Fiji” is the failure of the ACSOG elites to be “intellectual beacons”, of whatever colour and whichever direction, in the way that Amelia was.
ACS Old Girls should not be asking “how did ACS produce someone like Amelia”. They should be asking “why are there so few Amelias?”.
ACS Old Girls need to not just exercise their full political rights as equal citizens and voters in this country alongside the males, but to also provide political leadership, to “stand up and be counted” on critical issues.
They do not need to dwell on how special they are as “ACS Old Girls”.
They need to express their solidarity, on shared principles and beliefs, with the Old Boys and Old Girls of any other school, not as a united ACS Old Girls “gang”, but as PNGPs- Principled Non-Gang Persons.
That is what would lead to sustainable empowerment of women, bringing them out of their “boxes”, for the good of Fiji.

Whither the charter?

from w
Fiji Times and Fijilive have been quick off the mark to announce an important court decision today. Sobosobo Lorini and co, you owe me a good dinner of fish in lolo with the trimmings!
from Fijilive:

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Fiji High Court stops Charter work
14/11/2008
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The Fiji High Court has ordered the interim Government to stop all work on the draft People’s Charter for Change, Peace and Progress. The order was handed down by High Court judge Justice Filimoni Jitoko after midday today.

Justice Jitoko ordered that the interim Government stop “promulgating any law, decree order or doing or recommending anything whatsoever to alter or amend the 1997 Constitution or anything whatsoever, including changes to the electoral system that are contrary to or inconsistent with current provisions of the Constitution until the final determination of this matter”.

As well, the interim Government has been ordered to stop distributing articles, leaflets, forms and announcements, advertisements and publication on radio, television, newspapers and any other form of media to secure support for the document.

Other orders stop the interim Government from convening public meetings to promote the Charter and restrain the interim Government from using civil servants and government facilities to promote the Charter.

The final order stops the interim Government or its representatives from appropriating and paying any public funds to the National Council for Building a Better Fiji – the body charged with drawing up the Charter.

The case was brought to court by Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua leader, deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.

The proceedings have now been adjourned to 10am next Tuesday for directions on the hearing of the plaintiffs’ originating summons.

Qarase and the SDL are plaintiffs in the case and Justice Jitoko has ordered that court costs of $1200 be paid to them.

and from Fiji Times
High Court order against State
Friday, November 14, 2008

Update: 2:12PM The High Court in Suva today passed five orders that will stop further work on the draft Peoples Charter and the interim government from promulgating any law.

The five orders by the High Court judge Justice Filimone Jitoko are:

Firstly, that the interim government of itself or by and through the defendant their agents and/or their representatives restrained from promulgating any law, decree order, or doing or recommending anything whatsoever to alter or amend the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, that are contrary or inconsistent with the current provision of the Constitution until the final determination of this matter.

Secondly, that the interim government of itself or by and through the defendants their agents and/or their representatives restrained from distributing articles, leaflets, forms and through announcements, advertisements and publication on radio, television, newspaper and any form of media for the purpose of securing public support for changes to the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji and/or supporting and promoting the Peoples Charter until the final determination of this action.

Third order, that the interim government of itself or by and through the defendants their agents and/or their representatives restrained from conveying public meetings and gathering in any part of the country or any form of meeting whatsoever to promote and obtain support for the amendment of 1997 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji and the Peoples Charter generally until the final determination of this action.

Forth order passed, that the interim government of itself or by and through the defendants their agents and/or their representatives restrained from engaging and utilising civil servants and government machinery including vehicles, personnel, building, office equipments etc to promote and obtain support for the amendments of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji and the Peoples Charter general until the final determination of this action.

The last order by the High Court, that the interim government of itself or by and through the defendants their agents and/or their representatives restrained from appropriating and paying any public funds to the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF), its agents and/or representatives until the final determination of this action.

The next court proceeding will be held next Tuesday for the judges direction on the hearing of the complainants originating summons.

The defendants in this matter are President Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu, interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, interim Attorney General Mr Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Archbishop Petero Mataca and NCBBF's Mr John Samy.

(later: And six hours later, the reaction!)
from editorial of Fiji Sun:
A day of drama in the court
In what must be one of the fastest legal processes in Fiji's legal history, a ruling by a High Court judge halting the draft People's Charter process was stayed by an acting judge of the same court only hours after it was given. The ruling by Justice Filimone Jitoko delivered at 11am was stayed - that is halted - by Acting Justice John Byrne. Justice Jitoko had ruled in an action brought by ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase and the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party seeking to have the People's Charter process declared illegal. Justice Jitoko ruled that the charter process should cease at once pending a final judgment in the case. Approximately five hours later Justice Jitoko's ruling was stayed by acting Justice Byrne on the application of the interim attorney general. According to Mr Qarase's and the SDL's legal team, they heard of the stay order only through the media. There is as yet no available written stay order, though the interim attorney's statement that such a verbal order exists cannot be doubted. Nevertheless, this is a massive setback for the interim government - whether the stay order is permanent or not. As has been repeatedly pointed out by this newspaper as well as other organisations and individuals, the charter cannot be implemented without amendments to the constitution which the interim government has consistently stated is the supreme law of the land. The status of the constitution was further confirmed in the High Court judgment that legitimised the coup. It was further cogently stated in yesterday's judgment by Justice Filimone Jitoko: the constitution can only be amended by an elected parliament. So where now for the draft People's Charter? The direction is at best unclear. The precise reasons for the stay order are not known. It is believed that acting Justice Byrne will give his reasons on Monday. Until then, the Jitoko judgment is without legal force. What, then, does it all mean for Fiji's return to democratic rule? At this early stage it is difficult to see how the conundrum of the constitution versus the charter can be resolved. Commodore Bainimarama's position - no charter, no election - seems highly unlikely to alter. At the same time the court's stayed injunction may yet gain the full force of law. That remains to be seen. These are difficult and highly uncertain times for Fiji - but ultimately the rule of law must prevail. The nation will now urgently await the final decision of the court on this vital matter. And in his judgment yesterday, Justice Jitoko acknowledged the fact of the national importance, urgency and intense public interest of this case. Of course it is vital to the interest of justice that all the parties will be heard and a fair judgment delivered. Similarly, the stay order can no doubt be challenged at law. But at the end of the day justice will be done and no matter the final outcome that's what we should all hope for and respect.

Computer woes send me scratching the wall

from w
A glitch of some kind last night stalled my boot-up. I blamed the game-player in the house while we were up at Altona representing the Fijian congregation at a meeting. I knew I needed a new battery because the time was reverting to 1980 every three or four days. Anyway I was in a panic, and we unhooked half a dozen cables, drew a diagram on how to put them back, then went to the shop where we bought the computer over three years ago. Four hours later, I rang the technician and he said, 'Hmmm, not looking good. It won't work yet. The hard drive does wear out you know!'

So I watched kiddies TV, I cleaned the kitchen, I watched a bee prowling around the rose bushes. I drew. I painted. Rather woosy pics though. What if we have lost all our email addresses! I couldn't edit pages of a booklet I am writing. I was thinking - I haven't backed up all my files!

Anyway by 6 p.m. Peceli came back from a DIK meeting and had picked up the computer at 5. It is working! How clever is that technician! Thank you Shane! He told Peceli, 'Tell Wendy to back up all the precious files.'

Remembrance Day

from w
For many people, today marks 11th November, the day World War 1 ended and a red poppy signified the fields of Flanders and the madness of war.

for our family, the 11th November marks the birth of our second son at Ba Hospital 39years ago. A beautiful son and in thirty years he lived so fully. So joy and sadness mingle. Rob - 11.11.69 - 10.7.2000.

One long supercalafragilisticexpialadotious sentence

from w
I know that many Fijian men have the gift of the gab - aka speechmaking - but this one long sentence is really funny. It's from a letter to the editor of the Fiji Times today when talking about Fiji as NOT a democracy!

Fijocracy is a takeover-vulnerable type of government system that is, in a roundabout way, based on the Westminster system of governance merged with the indigenous Fijians' fazed traditional administration and various political and universal systems, charters and protocols, recognising indigenous Fijians' adopted religious beliefs while purporting to respect any and all other religious beliefs allowing for a shut-out-free-handed Lower House-based government duly elected through under-proportioned common roll-based representation, overly-proportioned ethnic roll-based representation with a closed-room-ethnic-based-cosmetic-autocratically-appointed executive and Upper House representation backed by a politicised-unionised-professionally-academically-recognised-yet-suicidally-expensive and uncheckable civil service solely defended by a totally-legally-reactive-but-illequipped-and-otherwise-sedated legal system.

K KOROVULAVULA
Suva

Beaut speech from a winner

from w
I came back from a women's meeting where we wore funny cup day hats, to be greeted by Peceli 'Shhhhhhh.' He was watching the TV intently. A few minutes later Obama and his family were centre stage and a very beautiful speech, passionate, simple, humble followed. Yes, it is time for a change and it is a historic day. It is a tough world out there and our prayers are with the new leader in USA. I found bits of the text of his speech here:

Change has come, says President-elect Obama
By Wesley Johnson, PA, in New York
Wednesday, 5 November 2008


STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
President-elect Barack Obama and family members appear on stage for his victory speech at his election party in Chicago

America is a place where all things are possible and the "dream of our founders" is alive, President-elect Barack Obama said today.

The man who will be the first black President of the United States was cheered by hundreds of thousands of supporters as he walked on to a stage in Chicago with his wife Michelle and young daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, at his side.

His era-changing victory came as he swept a series of key battleground states, winning Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"We are, and always will be, the United States of America," he said.


He said it was time to put "hands on the arc of history and bend it once more to the hope of a better day.

"It's been a long time coming but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America," Mr Obama said.

He said he had received an "extraordinarily gracious" call from his Republican rival John McCain, who he said had "fought long and hard" for this campaign and for his country.

"We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader," he said of the former Vietnam prisoner of war.

"I congratulate him, I congratulate Governor (Sarah) Palin for all that they've achieved.

"And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the month's ahead."

He paid tribute to his running mate Joe Biden and said he would not be standing on stage tonight without "my best friend of the past 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama".

"Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House," he said to cheers from the crowd.

He also said he knew his 86-year-old grandmother Madelyn Dunham, who helped raise him but died of cancer late on Sunday night, would be watching.

Mr Obama also thanked his campaign manager David Plouffe, whom he described as an "unsung hero" who "built the best political campaign, I think, in the history of America.

"To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics, you made this happen and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done," he said.

"Above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to: it belongs to you.

"I was never the likeliest candidate for this office; we didn't start with much money or many endorsements; our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington."

He said his campaign "began in the backyards of Des Moines (Iowa)" and was built by working men and women "who dug into what little savings they had" to give small donations to the campaign.

"It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generations apathy, who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

"It grew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers.

"And from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organised and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from the earth."

"This is your victory."

Delivering his message, Mr Obama told those whose support he had not won: "I hear your voices, I need your help and I will be your president too."

He told those watching outside the US that "our stories are singular but our destiny is shared.

"The new dawn of America leadership is at hand," he said.

"To those who would tear the world down, we will defeat you.

"To those who seek peace and security, we support you.

"And to all those who have wondered if American's beacon still burns as bright, tonight we've proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth but from the enduring power of our ideals, democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

"That's the true genius of America."

Mr Obama said the challenges to come were "the greatest of our lifetime" - two wars, a planet in peril and a financial crisis.

"The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even in one term, but America I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

"I promise you, we as a people will get there."

He said there would be "setbacks and false starts" and the government would not be able to solve every problem.

But he said: "I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.

"Above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America in 221 years, block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

"What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

"This victory alone is not the change we seek, it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were."

He called for a new spirit of patriotism and responsibility "where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look not only after ourselves, but after each other".

He added the "great victory" was won "with a measure of humility and a determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress".

Fijians in Melbourne

from w
Peceli went up to Melbourne three days in a row - last night for a party to thank the helpers at Makalesi and Eroni's wedding and to farewell some of the visitors. Here are a few photos from last night's party.

Whoever wins, how will this affect Fiji?

from w
Some commentator in Fiji said it won't make any difference, but I wonder. Anyway I found this picture on the web. Our TV has been full of the American election every day, every night. What a waste of money - could have gone to the poor of the world surely! But I am betting on Obama winning.

Ma and Eroni get married

from w
Here are a few pictures from yesterday's wedding in Melbourne - our tram-driver friend, Ma (known as Lisa by the tramways colleagues) and Eroni from Nadi. It was a lovely celebration at St Marks Uniting Church in Chadstone and then a party in Oakley at a very large hall. Lots of laughter, great speeches, food and conversations with old and new friends. (more stories and pictures later.)

Fiji photos from the 1930s

Click on each photo to enlarge. Do you recognize anyone in these photos?

from w
An elderly lady in Geelong gave me these photos, taken from the 1930s it seems - some are postcards, the others small pictures from Matavelo Girls School in Ba and Dilkusha near Nausori. The notes on the back say;
Dilkusha Methodist Mission Dispensary. Sister H.J. Clark and a few Hindu patients. Jan 1935 (is this Shantiniwas, below the Dilkusha orphanage?)
Mariam aged 14 (Dilkusha)
Matavelo girls with Miss Foulcher. Sewing machine was given by ladies from Donald. Girls make their own frocks.
front view of school (Matavelo)
four senior girls Matavelo
our house (missionaries house at Matavelo?)
Fiji Scouts Choir 1935
Ropate Varo and David Mone
Ropate Varo

Happy birthday Dakai

(Thanks Rini for the photos taken on Dakai's birthday.)
from w and p
Today, 30th October, is the birthday of brother Epi Dakai who was born 70 years ago. There is a great celebration going on this afternoon with many guests at Vatuadova village.
Mo marau ni nomui siga ni sucu Dakai! The picture was taken on the boat, going to Mali I expect, with Dakai in the middle.

Has the Labasa mill started crushing again?

from w
It is shameful that the trucks full of sugarcane have to wait eight or nine days. If the sugar industry is to survive the mills must be in perfect working condition. The farmers work very hard for little money and times like this are even harder for them.
from Fiji Village yesterday:
Labasa Mill to resume crushing (perhaps?)
Thursday, October 30, 2008

The Labasa Mill is expected to resume crushing today after an eight-day breakdown, but that will not stop farmers’ representatives from pursuing the matter further.

The National Farmers Union has written to the Divisional Commissioner Northern on the performance of the Labasa mill.

NFU secretary Surendra Lal says they have asked for a meeting of sugar industry stakeholders in Labasa.

Lal says the continuous mill breakdown and disruptions in crushing has led to a drop in the number of quotas being issued and insufficient and irregular supply of rail carts to harvesting gangs and farmers have to incur extra cost of providing food to cutters in order to retain them in camps.

Meanwhile, the Sugar Cane Growers Council Director Jwala Prasad says the mill will crush all the dumped 500 tonnes or so cane before it will start to crush the cane still loaded on trucks.

He says the 8 – 14 days old cane is not suitable to produce sugar and FSC has said they will try and make some sugar out of this burnt cane and the rest will be used to make molasses.

When vavalagis dance the meke

the pics are from http://www.flickr.com/groups/tribewanted/pool/
from w
Certainly this is a first - a group of vavalagi visitors to Fiji perform mekes at a Fijian traditional gathering such as Macuata Day in Naduri! Way to go - instead of tourists sitting down watching the locals perform their dances. Shows there is a good cultural exchange and a patience to learn the dances, to dress up, go the distance.

from the Tribewanted website:
Macuata Day
Community → David Randall's blog
By Kai Viti, ,
Posted 4 days ago
Bula sia tribe.

Last week was a full on cultural week for the tribe here on Vorovoro. All the tribal chief’s of the Macuata region were having a four day meeting in Nadori. On the Monday we had the Sevu Sevu so Tui Mali could leave for Nadori early Tuesday morning. We were to meet up with him on the following Friday to perform meke for the chiefs on their day of celebration, Macuata day.

So the week begun with the tribe eager to learn and perfect the meke for our performance on Friday. It is a great honour to be invited to a gathering of chiefs and to perform a traditional Fijian dance to them. So the tribe were all very excited and determined to get the meke well and truly ingrained into their psyche. We split into men and women so the girls could do a fan meke and the boys would do the vuikimalua and the katuba nivucu, commonly known to us as the 1 to 6. The moves are easy but there are a lot of intricacies that make it frustrating to learn. [Moves can be very similar but have very different endings which is a tad confusing. ] The girls were taught by Va until she had to leave on Wednesday and then by Anna. The boys were taught by captain culture himself, Savé.

On Thursday afternoon we had a ceremony to welcome in Tui Mali’s new boat. This was a great opportunity for a dress rehearsal for Friday’s big event. I was dressed up in tapa and a huge piece of cloth that was carried by most of the tribe. Having 12 girls in my costume was really nice I have to say. I had to walk very slowing into the Fijian village so that my entourage would keep up. Movement is a tad restrictive when you’re attached to 12 girls.

Earlier that day we had gone on a mission to find materials for our costumes. We used leaves from the duva vine. Savé took us on a rummage through the jungle to find some and then we all got to tie them up to be used around the wrists for the men and around the waist for the women. We got to wear them later that day as part of the boat ceremony we did for Tui Mali’s new boat. The ceremony consisted of drinking grog (now there’s a surprise) until the boat came and we made our way to the beach. While the boat was coming into the shore 3 guys jumped off the boat and swum the last 50 metres or so. We then covered the boat in the huge piece of cloth that I had been wearing earlier. Tevita then offered some grog and Puasa accepted on behalf of Tui Mali and much was said in Fijian in a very fast and loud way by Tevita. We then made our way to outside Tui Mali’s house. His veranda had been done up by Tevita earlier and looked really amazing. We drunk more grog with the boat captain who had come all the way from Suva and Puasa’s son. Then I was invited on to the veranda to watch the guys perform the meke. I hadn’t seen it from such a vantage point before. The girls one looked great as did the boys although there was much room for improvement on the last meke for the boys. We then ate and carried on the grog session. I left after a few hours but team Fiji kept drinking until the wee small hours.

The next morning we had an early breakfast and all got on boats and headed for Malau. There we boarded a bus which took us to Nadori. The bus journey was fun, if a bit dusty, and everyone was in a jovial mood even though team Fiji had very little sleep. They don’t seem to need much. I was excited as I didn’t know what to expect although I knew everyone would be extremely welcoming. When we got to Nadori we were shown to our area. Each district had it’s own covered area with matts and a tanoa. We had our own section as Mali district’s area was full. Almost as soon as we sat down a group of women came over with massive amounts of tea and cake. No one else seemed to be offered any and I’m not sure if that’s because everyone else had eaten already, we were a tad late, or Fijians only offer tea and cake to foreigners. We seemed to be given heaps of tea and cake everywhere we go but I rarely see Fijians eat it themselves. I’ve never eaten so much cake in all my life until I came here.

After tea the meke started. We watched one and then when behind a building to get ready for our performance. I again got a special bit of tapa to wear as chief but it was very minimal compared to the previous day. The girls performed their meke first and the crowd absolutely loved it. You can judge how much they like what you do by the amount of cloth that is given during your performance. Collectively we came away with a huge amount of cloth even after giving loads to other groups. When it came to the boys performance I was really calm and looking forward to it. When you are performing in front of people who just want you to do well and are really happy that you are embracing their culture then you can’t go wrong. Of course you want to do your best but I felt no pressure from the audience. We were warmly received and I felt it was over far too quickly, I loved it. Performing Fijian dance to Fijians is a wonderful way to show your appreciation and love of this beautiful country and people. I felt such an honour to be there. It was a very special day. When the mekes were done, and there were some amazing ones, especially the last group of ladies, the band started playing and people started dancing. Many Fijians would come to us and ask us for a dance, another way of showing their appreciation.

The journey back was great as team Fiji sung their appreciation of the day. When we got back I was very tired and very dusty from the bus trip and everyone had a swim and wash in the sea before getting ready for Roger and Franklin’s leaving party. Macuata day was a day that will live with me for many years to come.
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Meanwhile Tui Mali, Apenisa, relaxes!

Charter for water

from w
Now who wouldn't want a nice new water tank in a village! Pic of water tank - not Mali but another island.
Nice one - gifts of fresh water tanks and people will sign on the dotted line. I Guess this is a tactic used all over the world.
from Fiji Village:
North Charter Consultation On Hold
Publish date/time: 28/10/2008 [12:01]

The consultation of the Draft People’s Charter process in the North will be put on hold and be rescheduled to the 3rd of next month. This was decided by a meeting chaired by the Commissioner Northern Colonel Inia Seruiratu yesterday allowing for the completion of some projects that needs to be cleared before the end of the year.

However, Press Secretary Northern Filipe Cula described the outcome of the consultation as being positive as people have decided for themselves what they think of the proposed Charter. Meanwhile, Cula added close to 200 islanders living on Mali Island just outside Malau, Labasa, are expected to receive 400,000 litres of fresh water by the end of November. The Government assisted the villagers of Ligaulevu, Vesi, Napoidi and Matailabasa with fresh water tanks which cost them $10,000. Cula said this should solve the water problems on the island of Mali.
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Meanwhile...
one of the eco-tourists participating in the Fijian lifestyle on Vorovoro Island has been looking at other ways of finding/retaining water on Vorovoro island (next to Mail Island and the same tribe)
He writes on the tribewanted website:
Water storage solution...
Community → Benjamin Katz's blog
By Benjamin Katz, Hawaii, USA
Posted 1 day ago
Water. The plants would be crying if they could spare the moisture to produce tears. Instead, they are just shriveling up. The plants, the garden, our food supply, is suffering because of the lack of water on the island. The problem is not that we don’t get enough rain. We get more than enough rain between the months of November and May. The problem is storage. Basically, we are wasting huge amounts during the rainy season. For this project to be successful, this problem needs to be fixed before the end of the upcoming rainy season.

A few days ago, Tevita, Leavi,and I sat down to determine how many calories we need to get out of the garden and how much space we will need to do it. The island has enough land with enough decent soil that if we can store an additional 40k liters of water, we should be able to produce all of our vegetables year round.

I did the necessary soil tests for the pond and discovered that the soil contains too much sand to hold any water. Without a plastic liner, this option is not possible.

We also looked into the plastic water tanks. The tanks themselves cost between $2500-$3000 for a 10k liter tank. Add to that the cost of shipping and the materials needed to build a base for them we estimate that to get the neccessary 40k liters we are looking at a cost of about $12,000-$13,000 fjd.

We quickly began looking for a more elegant solution. I am happy to report that We have found one.

It is, of course, the solution that was originally put forward by the Fijians at the beginning of this mad adventure.

For those of you who have been here during the rainy season, you will remember the joy of looking out at the ocean from beneath our beautiful waterfall. It is here that we have been told that we should look to find our water and we have finally found a way of doing it that makes it both cheaper than either of the other two options and will definitely cover all of our water needs.

Paul,Amy, Suzie, and I climbed up to the top of the waterfall this Sunday to survey the area and to measure the distance from there to the village. Above the falls is a natural ravine that during the rainy season fills with water and is what allows us to have a waterfall 24/7 for half the year. All we need to do is store this water. We had previously thought that piping any water from here would be cost prohibitive.

In steps Pupu to the rescue.

Using black polythene piping we can create a reliable and durable water storage area and pipe system for around $2000. Due to the fact that this area is already flooded half the year there are no large trees in the area. By creating a more permanent water basin we will increase the biodiversity and health of the ecosystem of the island so that any loss of vegetation will be quickly made up for by the added diversity that the stored water will allow. The cliff formations will enable us to do all of this without effecting the waterfall itself nor will the fruits of our activities be visible from the beach.

We would like to put this to a vote starting next week so If you have any further thoughts on this topic, now is the time to voice them.

http://www.tribewanted.com/forums/38/topics/1495

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And also: Serafina, Serafina, what are you thinking?
The Fiji Times journo in Labasa is picking on the Mali Island people for their toileting habits in an article today - Wednesday - oh dear, and the first time I ever saw those little bridges out on the sea with a little lean-to at the end, - Bau Island - I did not know what for? Mangroves are better actually. Serafina, your article is full of mistakes I reckon! Perhaps you are from Lomaiviti and havin' a go at the kai Labasa?
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and a comment in Fiji Times relating to Serafina's article. I am amazed that people will comment on such an unsavoury topic! This writer gets to the main problem of pollution at Malau - the sugar mill and the Fiji Forests timber mill!
Samunivalolo of United States says…
Agree with "Valataka na Dina" that Industrial pollution is by far the greatest threat to the marine ecosystems in this area. Unless the meagre population of Mali is producing huge ammounts of Human waste they should be discounted from this allegation. Thier toilets need to be fixed for thier own personal hygeine not because it is destroying the ecology of large swathes of reefs and waterways. This leaves us with the other two horrors, FSC will never admit that it is dumping at least 500 kilograms a day of sugar into the Qawa river via its return injection water. This is a fact in sugar production and that is why sugar mills in developed countries have self contained injection water cooling, recycling, and treatment plants that dont use water from natural waterways. When Sugar degrades in the river it uses up all the oxygen in the river water, produces that horrible smell and thats why all the fish are belly up and the crabs are scrambling onto land to breath. Tidal wash moves this blanket of death up and down the river until its all black and as concentration increases bigger tides cary it out to sea and viola, watch out coral reef. Worse still is the company sitting on reclaimed land right near the waters edge at Malau. The FFI mill has been there for decades bathing sawn timber in an arsenic based poison to termite proof our lumber, burning of offcuts right at the shoreline and buldozing contaminated soil out into the seashore to expand its log stacking yard. Can someone take drilled soil samples from the periphery of thier lumberyard and analyze this for arsenic, tanalith, caustic, diesel and heavy oil. The reefs around Mali and Vorovoro are dying a painfull death because of these two companies, not from the Mali crap. Peace, Out

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And a website about how a village in Rewa solved their problems.

Swimming for your life

pic from a Taveuni blog by Pandamonium


from w
A story from Vanua Levu / Taveuni about a tourist who had to swim for his life. Sobosobo, why wasn't he found quickly? The sharks were surely there but did not bite. It was indeed fortunate that he survived.
from Fiji Times today:

Left-behind tourist swims 12 hours for life
By THERESA RALOGAIVAU
Tuesday, October 28, 2008

A TOURIST battled an all-night ordeal swimming 10 kilometres in shark-infested waters near Vanua Levu for about 12 hours before reaching land in Taveuni. Thomas Holz, 40, of Berlin in Germany, said he was a lucky man to have survived the strong currents of Somosomo Strait between Taveuni and Vanua Levu.

"I felt alone and couldn't stop thinking of my family back in Germany, my wife and children and how they would be devastated if I didn't make it. That gave me the strength to keep on swimming," Mr Holz said. Mr Holz and three other tourists holidaying on Taveuni were part of a diving outing organised by Bubble Divers at the Rainbow Reef near Viani Bay in Vanua Levu at 5pm.

Twenty-five minutes into the dive, he surfaced for air after exhausting his oxygen supply. "The dive master told me to hold on where I was while he dived for the remaining three who had also run out of oxygen," Mr Holz said. "The boat was about 100 feet away and I could see it on the horizon but couldn't swim for it because the currents were too strong."

Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said when the dive master resurfaced a few minutes later with the other tourists, Mr Holz was nowhere to be found. "They searched until 9pm and called it off and started again at 5am yesterday," Mr Sokomuri said.

Mr Holz said he could hear the sound of the boat engine but it was far away and he could hardly see through the dark. "I could see lights at a place in Vanua Levu but was worried if I swam for it I would wash up in an isolated place with no one around to help so I swam for Taveuni which, although further off, was more populated," he said.

"I felt alone so I decided to swim slowly to balance my energy so that I could last.

"The currents were strong and my main fear was for my family in Germany. Even though I was tired, I hung on to the oxygen cylinder and kept swimming. Then early this morning (yesterday), I felt the seabed and just screamed out for help before I collapsed on the shore."

A woman from a nearby settlement at Wairiki heard Mr Holz's shout for help and rushed to the shore. She helped him to the safety of a home where he recounted his ordeal.

When The Fiji Times called Mr Holz at about midday, he was revived and on an eco tour. "I am feeling tired and although the experience was scary, it is something I won't forget," he said.
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The website for diving in Somosomo Strait with Bubble.

fiji cartoon

from w
There are a few messages in this Fiji cartoon which I saw in a recent Fiji Times. Something about no longer using the 1 cent and 2 cent coins, about Suva's street beggars, and of course the distribution of a certain booklet. Reminds me of a song 'I cannot come to the banquet (meeting) so the servants are told to go out to the streets and lanes and invite all and sundry!

Have a happy Diwali next Tuesday

Next Tuesday Fiji will celebrate the Festival of Lights, Diwali. It is a lovely custom with houses lit up with candles welcoming the light from darkness. Neighbours sharing delicious sweet food, and goodwill. I think of the goodness in outstanding people bringing light from chaos, such as Mahatma Gandhi at this time of year. Though he had some quirky personal habits, his life is an inspiration showing that non-violence is one answer to oppression in society.




The Tradition of Lights


Lighted diyas represent light in darkness, achieving knowledge where there is ignorance, and spreading love amidst hatred. Diwali is also known as the Festival of Lights. Light signifies goodness. So, during the Festival of Lights, 'deeps', or oil lamps, are burned to ward off darkness and evil. Homes are filled with these oil lamps, candles and lights. Some people use decorated light candles, some decorated diya or clay lamps, and other decorative lights and put them in their windows for the festival. Traditionally people use 'earthen lamps' with cotton wicks and oil to light up the dark night.

The idea behind the Festival of Lights comes from various versions of an ancient Hindu story. In northern India, the tale tells about the holy Lord Rama's return from a twelve-year exile and the celebration by the people for their beloved hero. The rejoicing people decorated their city with lights to welcome him back. In southern India, the story talks of the Goddess Durga's triumph over the evil demon Narakasura. In Fiji the festival is associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

This year Diwali is on Tuesday October 28th. It is a recognised public holiday throughout the Fiji Islands, with the Indian community decorating their homes and offices with bright, flashing lights and baking special sweets to celebrate the occasion.

A colourful design called a Rangoli is made near the entrance to a house to welcome guests. Traditionally they are painted or created out of coloured sand/rice powder. Like Hindu and Buddhist Mandalas, the reason for using powder or sand as a medium for creating Rangoli (and its resulting fragility) is sometimes thought to be a metaphor for the impermanence of life and maya. The motifs are usually taken from Nature - peacocks, swans, mango, flowers, creepers, etc. The colours traditionally were derived from natural dyes - from barks of trees, leaves, indigo or are synthetic dyes.

There is a nice blog with pictures of rangoli on:

http://masala4maza.blogspot.com/2008/10/diwali-rangoli-design-indian-diwali.html

The Labasa rivers - same old story

from w
The story is told, ad nauseum, about the degradation of the Labasa and Qawa rivers, but who cares? The mill continues to chuck sludge and gunk into the river. No wonder the fish die!
from today's Fiji Sun.

Large quantity of dead fish found in river
10/22/2008
The fisheries department is investigating the discovery of a large quantity of dead fish in the Labasa river. Labasa was flooded with the dead prawns, crabs and fish yesterday and caught the attention of the Labasa residents.

The divisional fisheries officer North Apisai Sesewa who was in Suva yesterday said he was not aware of the incident but had sent a team of fisheries officers to investigate the cause of the dead fish.

He said the team had surveyed the mouth of the river and found out there were dead fish there.

Sant Ram from the fisheries department said while surveying the river he was informed by the villages that the dead fish had been noticed for some weeks and yesterday it got worse. It is believed that chemicals from the nearby Labasa sugar mill could be the cause.

Mr Sesewa said they had taken some fish for a test at the Koronivia research station. He said once they confirmed the chemical which killed the fish, they would then take further action. Meanwhile it was a shocking scene for the people of Labasa.

Moape Serukalou a fish sell(er) said it was normal to see dead fish when cleaning of the sugar mill was carried out because chemicals would be drained into the river, “It is the syrup and chemicals from the mill which caused the death of a large amount of fish”.

No comment could be obtained from the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
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Shame on the polluters in Babasiga land!

ANU forum about Fiji

from w
Duncan Kerr chaired a meeting at the Australian National University with the topic 'Courts and Coups in Fiji' One of the speakers was a highly esteemed Fiji lawyer Graham Leung. I saw this on Fiji Village this morning. (Fijilive also ran the story.)
Leung Attacks Court Decision
Publish date/time: 22/10/2008 [08:02]

One of Fiji's most senior legal figures has launched a scathing attack on the recent High Court decision which has declared the interim government lawful.

Radio Australia has reported that former Fiji Law Society President, Graham Leung said that it is cruel blow and has led to a climate of fear and retribution.

He made the comments at a forum at the Australian National University which has been chaired by the Australian Government's Pacific Affairs Parliamentary Secretary, Duncan Kerr.

Leung said he believes that the court decision in Fiji has inflicted some serious blows, if not grievous to the fabric of the constitution.

Meanwhile Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Bainimarama said Leung should stop lying to the people.

Secretary of Pacific Island Affairs comes to Geelong

from Peceli
Today Wendy and I had lunch at the Wholefoods Cafe to meet the Hon Duncan Kerr who is the Parliametary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs. His constituency is in Hobart as he is the Federal Member for Denison. He came to Geelong for a youth program which was a kind of United Nations forum on Climate Change, but he had time to meet with about twenty people for lunch, some local Labour Party leaders. Wendy and I represented our local Fiji community which is part of Diversitat who hosted the lunch. Two Maori women, Fran and Joanne, were there also. I was able to talk to the Hon. Mr Kerr about Fiji and he seems to be a very understanding man. He said he had been in Fiji a few times, including to monitor the last election. We talked also about the seasonal workers scheme and he hoped that Fiji could be included later on.