Pacific
continued
In Cook Islands, Polynesia,
Small Islands Voice is supporting an
Island Memories Project. Documenting island memories
– legends, stories, ways of living in the past – before
they are forever lost, is the goal of this project,
being undertaken by the
Taporoporoanga Ipukarea Society. They are working
with communities in Outer Islands – schools, Island
Councils, and other groups – to record island memories
on videotape. Island elders are being interviewed in a
sensitive manner, and young islanders participating in a
previous video training workshop (in April 2004) are
also involved in the project. The video products will be
used for education, promotion of island identity and
pride, as an historical archive and for tourism. Work
has started in Mauke, one of the islands of the Southern
Group.
Ms Maara Murare of
Mitiaro, Cook Islands, presenting a gift of a black
pearl to Ms Sandra Pierantozzi, Vice-President of
Palau, November 2002
“Life in Mitiaro
is very traditional, very Polynesian. The
population is 238 and there is just one
guesthouse. Respect is very important and
local customs such as going to church on
Sundays must be followed.”
Maara Murare, Cook Islands, November 2003 |
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In Fiji, in Melanesia,
Small Islands Voice is working with the
Pacific Centre for Sustainable Development at the
University of the South Pacific to design and implement
a
‘Clean X’ Project in various communities around
Fiji. For example, in the
Navosai community, a rapidly growing migrant
settlement near Suva, public services are irregular at
best, and as a result the community has taken
responsibility for a number of services normally handled
by government – such as road side clearing, planting,
beautification and occasional waste disposal.
Dr K. Koshy of the
University of the South Pacific (far left)
presenting a wheelbarrow and various tools to the
elders of the Navosai community, Suva, Fiji, August
2004
“Having a safe
environment should be everyone’s business.
This type of outreach programme will enable
us to see what wrong we are doing to the
environment and what needs to be done to
correct the abuses.”
Mr Pratap, Director of Health Services,
Lautoka, Fiji, Daily Post, 18 August 2003 |
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