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(Photo:
Pippa Brown, Pacific Media Centre) |
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NEW ZEALAND: Moala explores Tongan democracy and
identity issues
Source:
Pacific Media Centre
Publisher and broadcaster Kalafi Moala led
an intimate and spirited philosophical
public discussion recently at Auckland
University of Technology's Pacific Media
Centre, on what it means to be Tongan with a
sense of place in the world.
The issues of modern Tonga and how to take
the country forward without losing its sense
of identity dominated the discussion as the
kingdom moves into a fresh era as it
progresses toward developing a new
constitution.
When Tongans express a sense for democracy
there is also a voice saying “please don’t
touch my Tonganness, my identity that was
established over 3000 years ago,” says Moala.
“Even radical reformists do not want to
break up this system.”
Moala, who publishes both the Taimi ‘o Tonga
and Tonga Chronicle, was being hosted by the
Pacific Media Centre at AUT University to
talk about his new book In Search of the
Friendly Islands and the constitutional
reform consultations.
As the problems of diaspora and the
dispersing of people and culture become
greater with the issues of globalisation,
consequential loss of identity were likely
to become more prominent, he says.
Moala introduced the statement, ‘I belong,
therefore I am’, and contrasted it to ‘I
think, therefore I am’, as being
fundamentally important to Tongans and other
Pacific peoples in knowing who they are.
He says young people are starting to
question who they are as they move among
other social structures and although this
can relate to anyone, it applies in
particular to people in the Pacific.
The quest for identity is a huge thing in
the sense that for so many years being
Tongan has been taken for granted.
Social relationships
“It is not so much that ‘I have’ but my
belonging that shapes everything else that I
am,” says Moala.
“In Tonga, the social relationship starts
with the family, from the immediate family
to the kainga (extended family) which
contribute to the grouping of the families
who make up the village which combine
together to become a region and a nation
which then become the fonua.
Moala says the more people look at this
belonging and social structure within Tonga,
it shows how the relationships work within
the family and the strong traditions and
headships that lead.
“It’s the people, it’s the land, it’s the
nation,” says Moala.
The difference is that Western identity is
based on what a person does while Tongan and
Pacific identity are based on who people are
and the relationship with family, village
and so on.
“It is not what you do that really matters
in the relationship,” says Moala.
“I belong, therefore I am: Belonging is the
relationship of who we are and how we base
our relationships in Tonga,” says Moala.
The structure is clearly defined even before
Christianity. It is always important that we
have a head of the structure from the
immediate family where the father figure
protects, provides and teaches to the
emotional support the mother brings, he
says.
Within the relationship courtesy, loyalty,
sharing and love are very much part of the
social structure. In this sense of structure
or Kainga there is always a headship person
to relate to.
It is very clear in this society knowing who
people relate to, family, kainga, village,
and nation and within this nation, the head,
says Moala.
“We as a nation are progressing toward
reform and the people want changes to happen
but they are saying please don’t let it
affect my Tonganness and my relationships
and relationships to the land and the issues
that need to be resolved spiritually for our
future,” he says.
Concept of land
Tongans have a strong relationship to the
land. The Tongan concept of land and the
spirit and life of the land we belong to
always remains even as generations come and
go, says Moala.
The system of tenure and generational
inheritance remains in the sense of
Tonganness when returning to the homeland.
“The issues of land extend to the ocean and
seabed,” says Moala.
The oceanic kingdom of Tonga comprises 169
islands, 36 of them inhabited and extends
over a distance of about 800 kilometres.
Spirituality plays a large part in
Tonganness. Moala sees the strong thread of
spirituality that binds the people in their
relationship with one another and the land
as becoming stronger.
“The movement of people across borders is
opening up more spirituality as there is
more out there to explore,” he says.
Modernisation has made some issues difficult
to grasp within the Tongan and Pacific world
which are clearly defined in Western terms.
“It is important for us to find conceptual
tools that we can use to construct new
thought patterns to allow us to find what we
are looking for,” says Moala.
“As scholars, media and academics we are
trying to probe into this new era of
Pacifica and we need to find and create the
right conceptual tools."
“The challenge of walking into the future is
how we develop new tools,” he says.
Consensual methods
The consensual methods we traditionally use
to provide solutions to problems are deep in
our culture together with the peace and
harmony that come with it says Moala.
He says one of the problems of cultural
dispersion and diaspora is that wherever
Tongans and Pacific Islanders are in the
world they encounter these issues of
identity.
“In international cities where there are
large populations of Pacific Islanders
churches become very important and almost
like a refuge,” says Moala.
He thinks the Pacific as a region identifies
with a lot of similar issues that we need to
find a solution for.
“It is important to find the tools to walk
down the aisle together and discover who we
really are,” says Moala.
Vaea Hopoi is a student who also works with
youth who are dependent on alcohol and
drugs. He thinks the biggest problem for
Polynesians is a loss of identity and not
knowing where they come from.
“I believe you must know your history to
know who you are now and to know where you
are going in the future,” says Hopoi.
Moala questions why the Pacific region is
trying to solve the current Fiji political
problem in an confrontational way.
“Why not solve it in a Pacific way and let
the Pacific sovereignty leaders meet Fiji
and see how we can open up the dialogue,” he
asks.
Moala thinks New Zealand is a country that
is standing in confrontation with Fiji so
Māori may offer a solution. Going in as an
outsider hasn’t worked but to look at the
issue as Pacific brothers in the broader
sense of fonua may work.
New framework
“It hasn’t been solved within the current
framework so we need to find another one,”
he says.
He thinks the Forum had the right to suspend
Fiji “but we don’t need to keep beating them
up.”
Moala says the heads of government in the
Pacific Island Forum may have some conflict
with the duality of the Pacific and Western
frameworks.
It is important to apply criticism and look
at the challenges facing the Tongan and
Pacific Island people he thinks. He says
rather than standing outside and looking in
we need to come to the culture.
“While it hurts talking about these things
it feels good to be a part of it,” says
Moala. “We need to report on it but report
on it from our own perspective.”
David Robie, associate professor in
communication studies at AUT and director of
the Pacific Media Centre, commented on how
Moala was one of the only journalists in the
Pacific who is reflecting on these new
issues of belongingness and sense of
identity.
“Media reflects a society and its sense of
identity and yet in the Pacific this is very
much influenced by New Zealand and
Australia,” says Dr Robie.
Moala thinks people need to learn to be
comfortable with the two sides of
traditional belonging and Western way of
thinking, to overcome the confusion with
identity.
He says some concepts cannot be explained
because the tools are not there and “it may
be a role for Pacific scholars to
investigate and construct these tools and
find how to put it in words”.
Photo Caption: Publisher and broadcaster
Kalafi Moala at AUT Pacific Media Centre.
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(Photos:
CaringBridge) |
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SAMOA: “Road to Recovery” cultural benefit for
Masiano Sala
Source:
Monarch PR Press Release
Local business owners came together to organize
the Masiano (Masi) Sala “Road to Recovery”
cultural benefit on June 27, 2009, at the Sports
Center of Las Vegas at 121 E. Sunset Road. The
event ran from noon to 9:00 p.m. and was open to
the public. Attendees of the cultural benefit
enjoyed live entertainment, exotic arts and
crafts, and various food vendors representing
tastes from around the world. Tickets to attend
the “Road to Recovery” cultural benefit were
donations of $20.00 for ages 15 and up, with
children 14 and under free.
The benefit was held for Masi, a father,
husband, athlete, and musician who has have been
a contributing resident of the Las Vegas
community since 1994. In 2008, Masi took on
coaching for the open division Las Vegas
Silverbacks rugby team, and suffered a cervical
sports injury that changed his life forever.
On March 28, 2009, due to the lack of players,
Masi participated as a player to support his
team against the San Diego Armada. He was
tackled, and tragically injured his C3 and C4
vertebrae causing paralysis. Masi endured four
weeks in the Intensive Care Unit at the
University of California, San Diego Medical
Center emergency room.
Once recovered from almost fatal respiratory
infections, he was allowed to return home to Las
Vegas, arriving at the North Las Vegas Airport.
Masi was immediately transported to the
Healthsouth Hospital at Tenaya.
Masi remains paralyzed, but is determined to
live a normal life, he has begun receiving
speech, respiratory, and physical therapy.
Masi has brought many smiles to tourists and
locals alike as a dealer for Southpoint Casino,
and a Polynesian musician, working with Hot Lava
productions; a company that brought Polynesia to
the Las Vegas strip. Hot Lava Productions and
friends donated 100 percent of the proceeds to
Masi Sala and his family, to help alleviate the
mounting costs of medical bills.
For the past three plus months, Masi has been on
his road to recovery; his story is chronicled in
a journal by son Nate at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/masi
Donations to help Masi and his family with
medical costs are being accepted at:
http://tryforothers.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/masi-sala-a-rugby-warrior/
or
http://www.lasvegassilverbacks.com
Photo Captions:
Photo 1 - Masi and Nate.
Photo 2 - Masi's Birthday (L-R)
Yvette, Masi, Mali, and Epi.
Photo 3 - Occupational therapy sit Masi
up with his legs dangling off the bed for the
first time in 2 months.
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(Photo:
Samoalive News) |
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AUSTRALIA: Australia supports Samoa's
agriculture census
Source:
Australian High Commission Press Release
Australia is providing ST$467,000 for Samoa’s
agriculture census which will collect up to date
information on the agriculture sector to improve
planning and policy development.
The agriculture census, which will start next
month and be completed by the end of the year,
will collect information on the level of
agricultural activity in Samoa including the
number and type of land holdings, the type of
crops grown, crop sales and uses, livestock,
labour, income and credit, use of fertilisers,
chemicals and agricultural equipment, as well as
fisheries and forestry.
The data collated will be used to update the
agriculture sector benchmark for national
accounts and assess the food security status for
Samoa. It will also provide up to date
information for sector planning and policy
development.
CEO of Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries,
Asuao Kirifi Pouono said the review of the whole
agriculture sector in Samoa through the census
will help to realise the full potential of
agriculture and its impact in improving the
quality of life for all Samoans.
“The census results will provide the information
on which medium term policies will be developed
for the reinvigoration of the sector,” Mr Pouono
said.
“One of the main challenges we face is how to
accelerate agricultural growth in Samoa, which
increases jobs and provides greater food
resources for communities.
“Samoa relies on the agriculture sector for food
and jobs and it’s never been more important to
take action, especially with the impact of
climate change as well as soaring food prices.”
Mr Pouono said private sector led growth in the
agriculture and fisheries sector is one of the
seven priority policies for the Government.
Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, Matt
Anderson said the agriculture census is an
important first step to ensure the
sustainability of the sector.
“The census is one of the first projects to be
funded under the Samoa-Australia Partnership for
Development, which reflects the importance of
agriculture and fishing to Samoa’s economy and
job creation. The census outcome will help to
provide a clear direction for keeping the sector
sustainable over the coming years.”
Mr Anderson said through the Samoa-Australia
Partnership for Development, Australia is
providing additional assistance to Samoa to
support private sector growth and employment
(including agricultural development and regional
economic integration), manage climate change and
improve health, education and governance.
Australia is one of the largest development
partners to Samoa, providing more than ST$60
million every year to support activities that
deliver benefits to all Samoans.
Photo Caption: CEO of Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries, Asuao Kirifi Pouono.
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(Photo:
Christian Today Australia) |
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PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Wendy Kopelya and the HIV AIDS
program in PNG
Source:
Christian Today Australia
Papua New Guinea's Mt Hagen Baptist Handicraft
group is one of the most amazing fundraising
ministries. Wendy Kopelya who is a nurse, is one
of this team of astonishing volunteers.
This handicraft group has a special focus, as
Papua New Guinea finds itself in a situation
where many of their people have become infected
with HIV and then subsequently become AIDS
sufferers.
A large team of volunteers have joined together
to raise money for this ministry, where
volunteers make a wide range of items such as
baby bags, hand-bags, 'billas' (woven shopping
bag), mobile phone carriers, shopping bags, and
items of clothing.
Wendy Kopelya was one of the Papua New Guinea
delegates at the recent Baptist World Alliance
Living Water Australasian-South Pacific
conference held in Cairns where she gave a video
testimony for Australian Missionary News IPTV.
This IPTV channel is a courtesy of SafeWorlds
IPTV, which provides a Christian channel within
their commercial IPTV network. It is run by
Well-Being Australia's 'Basil Sellers Press
Service International'.
“Our handicraft group bought to the Living
Waters Cairns conference three huge plastic bags
of our crafted items,” Wendy Kopelya said. “We
sold many many of them and so have raised some
money for our HIV AIDS program.”
The Mt Hagen Baptist Church Handicraft Group
also supports widows and orphans because in much
of Papua New Guinea, a widow does not remarry
when her husband dies. This is not well known
outside this culture.
“It is thus very difficult for many women whose
husbands have died and there are children to
feed and educate. Our Handicraft group makes a
very special effort to help these women and
their children as well,” Wendy Kopelya told Mark
Tronson of the Australian Missionary News IPTV.
Wendy herself grew up in a Christian family and
went to Sunday School with the missionary's
children, as her parents were Missionary
helpers.
“I gave my life to Jesus Christ when I was 13
years old, and allowed the Lord Jesus to become
my personal Saviour,” Wendy Kopelya affirmed.
The greatest joy in Wendy’s life is her love of
Christ and that she is able to help so many
others, for this is how she demonstrates her
love of the Lord.
“The Lord Jesus gives me wonderful strength for
living,” Wendy Kopelya explained. “He sustains
my in my busy life as a church volunteer, a wife
and a mother of three children.”
Photo Caption: Wendy Kopelya is part of
the Papua New Guinea Mt Hagen Handicraft group
that raises money for their HIV AIDs ministry.
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SOLOMON ISLANDS: PM Sikua supports new media
school
Source:
Solomon Islands Government Press Release via Scoop
Independent News
The long cherished dream to have a permanent
media training school in Solomon Islands has
moved closer to reality with strong support from
the CNURA Government.
A delegation made up of members of the Media
Association of Solomon Islands (MASI), the
Director of the Solomon Islands College of
Higher Education (SICHE) and a representative
from RAMSI’s Solomon Islands Media Association
Scheme (SOLMAS) met with the Prime Minister, Dr
Derek Sikua on the 10th of June to seek
Government support for the project.
The project involves establishing a Media and
Journalism Certificate course at SICHE,
commencing February 2010. The course will be the
first of its kind in the Solomon Islands and
will require students to complete eighteen
months of fulltime study.
Short term evening classes will also be
available for those already employed in the
media and other businesses in the Solomon
Islands.
Currently students seeking a career in the media
must pursue their training in various South
Pacific countries including Fiji, Vanuatu, New
Zealand or Australia. The prohibitive cost of
such training has prevented many from following
a media career or getting proper training.
The Prime Minister who is also Patron of MASI
strongly endorsed the Media and Journalism
course by agreeing to sponsor 10 fulltime
student places and help facilitate the building
of a classroom at SICHE which would house the
course.
Dr Sikua said he understood the importance of a
strong, independent media in the Solomon Islands
to fully reflect the views of the Government and
the people and to underpin democracy. He
acknowledged that the proposed SICHE course was
a key to producing skilled communicators who
would be employed not just in the media but in
all areas of the government and business in the
country.
The Director of SICHE, Mr Dick Ha’amori said
that the college wanted to introduce the course
from February of 2010. “The Prime Minister’s
support would be vital to ensure success”.
Mr Ha’amori said the course materials were
already prepared as they followed closely on
those currently used in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and
Vanuatu. “All that was needed now was for the
course to be subjected to the normal SICHE
approval process to make it ready for use comes
February 2010.”
“SICHE has approved plans in place to lift an
existing building to create the classroom space
required for the Media and Journalism course but
the cost of this work, approximately $500,000
would require Government support,” he said.
“I am very pleased that the Prime Minister has
now given the undertaking that this will occur.”
The Acting Director of the Government
Communication Unit, George Herming who also
attended the meeting in his role as President of
MASI noted that at least 113 media skilled staff
would be required within Government departments
and in outreach areas over the next five years.
“The proposed SICHE course is vital to ensure
sufficient numbers of skilled communicators are
available to meet this demand.”
Fr John Lamani, past President of MASI and
proprietor of the Solomon Star also attended the
meeting as part of the MASI delegation.
Fr Lamani said that the media of Solomon Islands
was a very strong and vibrant force in the
country but it had long suffered from having too
few well trained media professionals.
“Trained professionals are vital to analyze
issues, dog deeply into all aspects of Solomon
Islands society and to provide the community of
the country with information that accurately
reflected events occurring.”
Fr Lamani said that as the country matures
people want to know what is happening at every
level of Government and business.
“They want to know how their lives will be
affected by new policies or decisions and only a
strong media staffed by well educated
professionals can ask the right questions to
deliver this sort of information.”
“We are grateful that the Prime Minister has now
made a firm commitment to support the course not
just in help with student fees but also in costs
associated with buildings to house students.
This is a great step forward for the Solomon
Islands and the Prime Minister will be long
remembered for his vital contribution to the
development of a strong and robust media in this
country,” Fr Lamani said.
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(Photo:
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment
Programme) |
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WORLDWIDE: Pacific adaptation to climate change
Source:
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment
Programme
Press Release
Adapting to the adverse effects of current and
future changes in climate is a reality that a
five year regional project will help Pacific
communities put into action.
The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project
(PACC) will bring a total of US$13.125 million
dollars into 13 Pacific Island countries. This
funding will help start adaptation projects on
the ground in three major climate change
concerns; food security, water and coastal
management.
Next week, the PACC Inception workshop will
bring together the representatives from the 13
different Pacific countries to help prepare them
to carry out this project at the national level.
It will be at this time that all stakeholders
can come together and discuss the implementation
arrangements at both the regional and national
level.
“We will try and get the PACC countries to take
ownership of the project and also understand the
administrative and reporting requirements needed
for the project. We need to address this with
them so that implementation at the national
level would be easier and they can begin work
immediately at the national and community pilot
level,” said PACC Project Manager Taito Nakalevu
who is based at the Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Over the period of a week, the 13 countries
involved in PACC will be better prepared to
ensure that this project will begin smoothly at
national level. During the inception phase
participants will work on communications
strategies, have a finalized annual work plan,
fully understand the reporting requirements and
have established stronger partnerships. These
are just a few of the workshop outcomes.
Nakalevu said that this coming workshop is just
the beginning, and to expect more technical
workshops to assist with the PACC project
coordinators during the implementation phase.
“Hopefully all that is learnt at the coming
inception workshop will trickle down to national
inception or meetings where they can start the
project at national level and flow on from
there. The PACC project will engage the
communities from the word “go!” to the
completion of the pilots whether it is food
security, water or integrated coastal
management.”
Under the project, Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands will focus on food
prosecution and food security. The Cook Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa and
Vanuatu are developing Coastal Management
capacity and Nauru, Niue, Republic of Marshall
Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu are looking to
strengthen their water resource management.
“This project is a beginning towards real
implementation work in the Pacific. Most climate
change projects implemented in the past were
enabling activities and capacity building. There
is a need for other areas and sectors to be
looked at and PACC is a small step towards
addressing adaptation efforts at the national
and community level on the ground”, said
Nakalevu.
The PACC is funded by the Global Environment
Facility (GEF) with the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) as its implementing
agency and the Secretariat of the Pacific
Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) as
implementing partner.
For more details please contact PACC Project
Manager Taito Nakalevu
E: [email protected] T: (685) 21929 F: (685)
20231 W: www.sprep.org
Photo Caption: Along the coast in
Aitutaki, Cook Islands.
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