SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE 19

Politics, Parity & Participation.

21st July 2022 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DR MERE SAMISONI We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the unselfish and generous contribution to the Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara Education Trust Fund of Dr Mere Samisoni and the Hot Bread Kitchen Foundation. The donation of $5,000.00 annually will go towards the support for education and training in business, accounting and economics. We recognize that this donation is also in memory of Ratu Jone Yavala Kubuabola’s mother who is from Lau. For many years, Dr Mere Samisoni has been an integral part of the education of the people of Lau. Her commitment and unwavering support to learning and quality education serving the Lau community are admired. Her generosity forms an important part in our shared vision in improving the education of all Lauans. We believe that through the support of this kind, it strengthens the health and sustainability of our community and our people. We thank Dr Mere Samisoni and the Hot Bread Kitchen Foundation for joining us in our important journey and look forward to continue working with her. Malo.

The KUBUABOLA SAMISONI EDUCATION FOUNDATION TRUST FUND is contributing yearly to the RATU SIR KAMISESE MARA TRUST FUND to acknowledge the late Ratu Jone Yavala KUBUABOLA’s mother from Lau.

Dr Esther Batiri Williams Chair Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara Education Trust Fund Management Board

SUPPORTS EDUCATION

CONTRIBUTORS Lorraine Foster Fay Volatabu Michelle Neeling PHOTOGRAPHERS Michelle Neeling Vosawale Lesuma Michelle Neeling Asvin Singh Shri Ram Kurt Peterson Photography Political Parties (SODELPA, UNITY Party, NFP, PAP, WUF) Pacific Women In Politics National Council of Women Fiji MARKETING, ACCOUNTS & CIRCULATION Lorraine Foster

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 ISSUE 19

The Untold Story.................. Pacific Focus..................

Politics, Parity & Participation.

COVER Selected Fiji Women Political Candidates (Past and Present) Photography Pacific Women in Politics www.pacwip.org Layout & Design Lynette Lee For more information, please contact Lorraine Foster on 9969024 or email [email protected] I AM WOMAN is published and distributed by Vintage Link Fiji, 7 Matanitobua Street, Suva. All correspondence should be addressed to: GPO Box 17878, Suva, Fiji Islands

International Focus..................

Food...................

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The Real Deal: Speaking her Truth...................

Trending.............

Leisure................ Luscious Lips..................... Climate Change...............

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR/GRAPHICS Lynette Lee

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EDITOR IN CHIEF Fay Volatabu

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PUBLISHER Lorraine Foster

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Redefining Perspectives.....

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Lest We Forget.................

Walkabout...........

SME....................

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DIGITAL PRINT

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At the Precipice

Editor’s Word

I usually look forward to writing my editorials but incidents have happened in the recent past that have made even the simple act of writing about women become a precarious act as I fear being misquoted, misunderstood and my intentions misconstrued. I have watched in pain to see women being stigmatized, being harassed and intimidated as they go about speaking their truth or for not speaking anything at all. Personally, I was even bullied to not publish stories of some women in this issue but I have had to dig deep and realize that what Nelson Mandela believed in is right. “Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all kinds of oppression.” I AM WOMAN magazine was set up with the primary focus of promoting issues pertaining to the fairer sex and promote positive stories so I will continue to use the power of the pen or more specifically, the power of my fingertips to do just that.

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This issue is about POLITICS, PARITY and PARTICIPATION. The cover is supposed to grasp your attention and make you see the faces of some of the women who have stood for elections in the past, and by virtue of their trying, be proud of what we have achieved. In line with the theme, we are also featuring the stories of three women who are standing in the coming election- One an iconic businesswoman, another an administrator of a political party and the third, is a problem solving video blogger who uses media to dissect social issues and offer solutions. We also feature a poster of all the thirty plus women who are standing in this year’s elections, in our Walkabout Column and in our Lest We Forget Column, we highlight women who have stood in past elections and won their place in parliament but have now since gone.

We also talk about Luscious Lips in our Fashion Column, and Michelle, our international correspondent in Beijing, talks about the challenges of COVID isolation in our International Focus column. In our Pacific Focus column we talk to some women who have recently been part of the NEC program as they share their experiences whilst in Australia.

We also have some light reading and have stories of resilient and creative women in our Climate Change and SME columns. We also talk about the evolution of music in Fiji in our Trending Column, we take you for a dance in our Leisure Column and delight your taste buds with our sumptuous diwali delights in our Food Column.

I leave you with a quote from Hillary Clinton “When women participate in politics, it ripples out to the entire society. Women are the world’s most underused resource.”

This issue is a shorter issue but we hope that as you read the issue you will be thinking of the elections, whether you and everyone in your home have registered and whether you are ready to do your civic duty. I wish all the women standing in this elections all the best in their campaigning and all women out there who will vote all the knowledge, wisdom and discernment to do what is best for our nation.

Enjoy!

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Mere Samisoni The Untold Story

Written by Fay Volatabu Photos: Vosawale Lesuma, Sisilia Seavula & Kurt Peterson Photography

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“Remnants of our story are engraved in our identity today.”

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t is not often that I am at a loss for words but to say that I was, when receiving answers to my query, from Fiji’s most successful businesswoman is an understatement. I had requested to have a chat with her and when she finally came back to me with a note for me to send her questions, I did and when I received her answers, I literally had to sit down and take a minute as I was aware of the enormity of what I was going to share about this lady. I have always respected and admired this lady for her business acumen but now I had an even greater respect as she is not only a respected business woman but she is also an academic and now from what I have recently learnt, a lady whose lineage came from one Fiji’s royal families and from ancient, mythical origins. I am a scholar and a teacher of history and to not share this piece of history would be a disservice, so just as it was shared to me, I will now share with you some background and the untold story about who this lady is.

Who is She?

She is Adi Mere Tuisalalo Naulumatua. Many of us know her as Dr Mere Samisoni, the business 10 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

tycoon and force behind the Hot Bread Kitchen brand but how many of us really know her background and lineage? She was born Adi Mere Tuisalalo Naulumatua and is the youngest of six children born to Ratu Keni Naulumatua and Adi Mere Tuisalalo Fonolahi. She is often referred to as Mere lailai (small Mere) and her mother is Mere levu (big Mere). From information shared, I gleaned Dr Mere’s shared connections to Fiji and Tongan royal households, memories of her siblings and her childhood, and it was a breath of fresh air and cause for admiration that at the age of 84, it was crystal clear in her mind, who she is, what her role is, what her values are. I was also privy to her insights, sentiments and reasons for having specific views, which were part of her heritage.

Paternal Connections

Dr Mere Tuisalalo Naulumatua shared that she is of the (sub-clan) Tokatoka Valelevu, (Clan)Mataqali Vusaratu Vuni-ivi Buca, (village) Yavusa Vusaratu Vuni ivi Buca. Dr Mere then identified her totems, and as an indigenous Fijian, my interest was piqued as I could already see the historical links she would have to some of Fiji’s royal households, but I needed to confirm this and as I read on, my suspicions were confirmed. Dr Mere revealed that she, or more specifically her ancestors, were originally from

Bau (the island of Bau, where the seat of Fijian administration was located and where Fiji was ceded to Great Britain) and they were of the Roko Tui Bau (King of Bau) clan prior to the colonial years and the period of record keeping where most of our current history is recorded in documents such as the veitarogivanua records. (Dear readers please bear with me as I share all this history because this piece of information now makes it quite clear why she is always very supportive of indigenous causes and her support for enterprise, education and hardwork.) Dr Mere shared her genealogy and for most women I would write stories about, I would only go as far as grandparents to connect the dots but I realised that this was information that had never been shared so I needed to go beyond and share her family genealogy to you, just as it was shared to me. Dr Mere’s father, the late Ratu Keni Naulumatua was the Turaga na Taukei Vusaratu Vuaniivi from the Mataqali Vusaratu Vuaniivi Buca of the Tokatoka Valelevu, Vanua ko Lomaloma, Vanuabalavu. She shared “My father’s traditional title was the “Turaga na Rasau” meaning na sau ni vanua.” (all power of the land rests with him) Her great grandfather was Ratu Waquila Vakavou and was given the title of Turaga na Tui Daku.(King of Daku) His father was Ratu Waqatabu

Matawaqa the younger brother of Ratu Ravulo Vakayaliyalo who once held the position of Turaga Roko Tui Bau,(King of Bau) from the mataqali Vuani-ivi in Bau. Dr Mere shared that they are the direct lineage from Ratu Vueti the great grandson of Lutunasobasoba, the original head of the Vusaratu and 1st Roko Tui Bau. Her 4th Great Grand Father Ratu Raiwalui was the second installed Roko Tui Bau Vuani-ivi to occupy Ulunivuaka which later became Bau Island. While being the Roko Tui Bau I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 11

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his relationship with his Vunivalu (Warlord) Naulivou Ramatenikutu was not so amiable and as Naulivou gained power he forced Ratu Raiwalui to flee Bau. There were many wars that ensued but as it turned out, Dr Mere’s third great grandfather Ratu Ravulo Vakayaliyalo (1st Turaga na Tui Tuvuca) was the eldest son of Ratu Raiwalui who later went back to Bau and became the Roko Tui Bau after Tanoa Visawaqa (Warlord then) was exiled from Bau and fled to Somosomo in Taveuni. Ratu Ravulo Vakayaliyalo the Turaga Roko Tui Bau held on to the position until he was overthrown by Seru Cakobau (during the colonial era) in 1837. This was when the position of the Vunivalu originally the second in command to the Roko Tui Bau became the overall ruler of Bau. After the successful overthrow of the Roko Tui Bau by Seru Cakobau the vusaratu vuani-ivi together with the sons of Ratu Raiwalui moved back to Lomaloma in Vanuabalvu where they have proudly remained until today. Dr Mere shared “Remnants of our story is engraved in our identity today,” and I am now sharing her background as a precursor to the story I will now write about this iconic Fijian woman.

Maternal Connections

Dr Mere shared “Whilst I am always modest about my background, 12 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

I am proud that my great, great, great, grandfather Dr. Reverend George, Richard Henry Miller (1806 -1854) was a surgeon who came on a Quaker, whaling ship named the ‘Elizabeth’ from London in 1830, later becoming a Wesleyan Missionary and married one of Tonga’s ladies in waiting Chieftess, Mereani Loakau.” She shared that the couple had many children, but one son, named Henry Miller married Tongan royalty and her mother is of that lineage.

Siblings

Dr Mere shared that she was the youngest of six siblings born to Ratu Keni Naulumatua and Adi Mere (Mere levu) Tuisalalo Fonolahi. Dr Mere and her siblings all attended Levuka Primary School and they used Keni as surname because it was easier for the European teachers to pronounce. Most of her siblings live abroad now and her eldest sister, Josephine Vana married Cyril Maynard a NZ farmer and they had three children. A brother, William Fonolahi Keni (Naulumatua) married Alice Miller (from Savusavu) and Jess Waqalekaleka Keni (Naulumatua) the younger of her brothers, married the late Valerie Thomas, and they had three children. Marianne Loakau one of her twin sisters, married Lance O’Neil a qualified NZ builder and bricklayer, and her twin, Tupou Moheofa

Dr Mere with guests at the National Council of Women Fiji Gala night, 2017

married a NZ Lawyer Michael Benefield. Lily Tagici the youngest of her sisters married Apolosi Koroi and they had five children. Dr. Mere Tuisalalo (Mere Lailai) married the late Dr. Jimione Isimeli Samisoni of Malahaha, Rotuma a Health Scientist and Educator. They had four children John Leslie, Phillip Jerone, Selina Helen and Vanessa Ann. She has ten grandchildren and her eldest grandchild is twenty four year old, Hanisi Talei Hodge, and the youngest is ten year old Zacheria Thomas Samisoni.

Education

The young Mere Tuisalalo Naulumatua with all her siblings, had her primary education at Levuka Public School until she attained her New Zealand School Leaving Certificate Level she then

went on to attend the Australian College of Nursing where she attained a Diploma in Nursing Administration. In 1996 she attained her (MBA) Masters in Business Administration at the University of the South Pacific (USP) and in 2009 she was awarded her Doctorate in Business Administration(DBA) from the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), in Mooloolooba, Queensland, Australia.

Her Likes

Dr Mere shared that she enjoys reading, listening to classical music, watching BBC, CNN and the Hope Channels. She also loves walking and swimming with her ten delightful grandchildren whenever they visit. Her favourite foods are fish, seafood, local greens, vegetables, I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 13

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fruits, salads, lentils herbs and spices and she likes playing around with recipes to find new combinations but most of the time she would stick with the basic recipes. Her drinks are mainly made from local fruits to which she adds soda water where, the bubbles remind her of champagne, but more nutritious and certainly less costly. Dr Mere also likes reading true stories and likewise she likes movies based on real life, like biblical classic films of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Ben Hur to name a few. She also loves family musicals, like Julie Andrews “The Sound of Music”.

Her Passion

“I am a staunch advocate for women and children’s issues and I like to be committed to community projects which my company supports.” Dr Mere is known for her philanthropic work and she supports many projects and some of her work have included rehabilitating schools like Ballantine Memorial School, repairing and refurbishing a private ward at the CWM Hospital in Suva and having it named the Mere Tuisalalo Foundation Trust Room. She shared that her nursing background also played a role in her passions. “I have a background in the Health Industry and as a former nurse,

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this has inspired me to advocate projects for the poor, disabled, single mums, and abused mothers and girls, which is on the rise in little Fiji. Given, our population is less than a million, Fiji ranks 5th in the World at 64% (Ali S, MICS, 2021; FWCC FT, p9, 2022) compared to a global average of 30%. We must take responsibility of this rising violence against our precious mothers and girls, now, as top priority.” Dr Mere’s support in all areas of the community and for women is well known to most, like her support for projects by the National Council of Women, Fiji, in their women in leadership fundraising ball as well as for the leadership walk to support Elimination of Violence against Women. “I do a lot of sponsorship for activities related to such projects, and continue to support the same in my entire life. As a politician I choose to look after those same related areas in my residential turf Lami, to include, Delainavesi, Kauvula, Kaudamu, Kaleli, Nadonumai, Nakula, Qauia, Valenicina, Naisoqowaluvu, Naivikinikini, Kalekana- I have assisted with street lights for their communities, provided water tanks, built a kindergarten, and even donated a piece of prime land in the middle of Lami town for a church named Lami Oceania John Wesley Church (LOWC) which was redesigned, and has since

At the National Council of Women Gala Night.

been a main church for those who live around main Street, Lami and surrounding vicinities.” As an avid learner, Dr Mere also supports education programs and currently she supports a program that is dear to her heart called the Beacon Media Ministries which helps teach children around the country grasp arithmetic and language skills better. The program is run by Principal Patrick Bower and has the endorsement of the Ministry of Education. She is also currently involved in the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Lau Education Trust which supports the education of the youth of Lau province. Dr Mere’s passion for education and helping the community is one that is heartfelt and she does it as an act of service to those in need.

Her Work

When I asked Dr Mere about her work I was expecting her response to be parliamentarian but her response spoke volumes of how she viewed her role in the highest office of the land. She saw it as one of prevention, not reactive and it was a role of SERVICE. Her response on the matter of current work was short. “I am the Chairperson for my seven, Companies CMSPL; THBKPL; SEPL; SPF AD; SEPL AD KT; WF; VOTH.” She then went on the explain her work. “I was a registered nurse and worked as one in NZ & Australia. Then came to Fiji and worked as a Program Manager for the United States Peace Corp before I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 15

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I established the Corporate Management Services Pte Limited (CMSPL), trading as the Hot Bread Kitchen Pte Limited (THBKPL); I also worked for Samisoni Enterprises Pte Limited (SEPL); Solar Pacific Fiji (SPF), AD, Authorized Distributor; SEPL AD, authorised distributor for Karyon Technology (KT); Waisere Farm (WF), which are all subsidiary companies of our parent company the Samisoni Enterprise PTE Limited.” Quite an accomplishment for a lady who started out as a nurse. Dr Mere then went on to share the intricacies of her work which involved directing and leading her companies to respond to Business Acts, Technology, Product, and Service markets according to company visions, missions, business strategies, budgets, policies, management systems and processes. With all her accomplishments I had to ask her the question I guess all of us asks to someone who is very accomplished.

Why did you choose Politics?

In true Dr Mere Samisoni style she spoke from the heart and shared her insights candidly. “I was motivated by seeing how our ordinary people still lack the basic needs of life from sanitation, 16 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

piped water, electricity, affordable housing and employment and I have thus pledged to be of assistance to uplift the living standards of our people through parliamentary representation where I can be their voice to advocate for the things they need and deserve.” I asked her whether she had been involved in other political work and she shared, that she was already involved. “I am interested in research driven service delivery for relevance, added value and productive use of limited resources and capitalism, designed for public service delivery and I use such research to be able to raise awareness on crucial subjects like gender equity and parity, climate change, no violence against women, girls and vulnerable people and the likes.” I queried her on what were some of the challenges she faced and her response was again in her usual straight forward style. “People deliberately lying and offering conspiracy theories to support their proposition. This calls for strict good governance, accountability, transparency, inclusivity and participation. This is happening today before our very eyes as the difficulty to change from the old inefficiencies and wastage to the new economic order and view supported by the Information Communication Technology (ICT)

Dr Mere with HBK staff at the FPRA Music awards.

where the knowledge economy gives real time information for transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.” On what were some of her more rewarding moments, she responded that meeting her democratic mission for UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (2030) which were ratified by Fiji in 2017 and the Blue Pacific (2050). This she was trying to achieve in her seven companies and three Farms. When I asked Dr Mere on what were her inspiration and motivation in politics, her response, did not surprise me. “My faith, as I believe in the principles of democracy, compassion and service for public good.”

What more can be said? She has shown throughout her life what determination, hard work and consistency can achieve. She has lived it, she has shown it and as a Fijian woman, I am proud to have shared a glimpse of this iconic woman. An outstanding business women, an avid learner and academic, a woman of faith and a princess. We need more leaders like her and if her life story is something to go by, a Fiji with her in it is going to be a great one. As I conclude this story I am reminded of John C Maxwell’s quote “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Dr Mere Tuisalalo Naulumatua, the leader who knows who she is, shows who she is and goes to where she needs. I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 17

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Q&A with Dr Mere Samisoni Do you think more women should be involved in politics? Why? Yes...because we have a different style and we do not have to copy the men and their patriarchy power games...like paedophile and poligamy...some political leaders have 4-5 other “kitchens” to pay for, today? Why should women put up with that competition?... and abnormal relationships of codependency. We should participate in decision making to prevent such abuses.

Do you think we in Fiji are ready for A Woman PM or President?

Yes, its time for reform and change because Fiji is way too far behind in it’s development goals… especially violence against women and girls. (Shamima Ali FWCC, Fiji multiple indicator cluster survey (mics), 2021. FT 11th August 2022, & FT/ March 11th p7. statistics on domestic violence and rape alarming 96% known and 76 % related to the victim/survivors). Women leaders are natural leaders, observant, kind, thoughtful and hardworking generally.

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What do you think are characteristics of a good political leader?

At an individual level, what I have seen in my house led by my divorced and single mother of six children, 2 boys and four girls, is plenty of love, empowerment, warmth, order, for food, and cleanliness, hygiene, shelter, education, sports, sharing the workload and being rewarded. The same applies at community and national levels in organizing people for a mission to serve. To build their teams, the leader needs love compassion and good character, that empower from each one’s selfrespect, a trust to form relationships towards working together. Indeed, working together means valuing each other and being willing to share their thoughts, ideas, their space, power, accomplishments as well as being sensitive to the needs of people. Having the true ability to work with people irrespective of differences in religion, age, ethnicity, gender, power, successes or failures.

What do you understand about the terms Politicking, Parity and Participation in relation to women?

While pay equity is pay that’s reflective of a teacher’s gender, pay parity is pay reflective of being a teacher. It means that the pay for one group is aligned to be on par

with another comparable group. So in relation to women participating in politics and political decision making, there is still a huge gap between male and female political representation all over the world including here in Fiji. Women engagement is crucial—and it is important to recognize that women are not a homogeneous group. Depending on whether women are young or older, educated, or uneducated, live in rural or urban areas, they have very different life experiences that lead to different priorities and needs. Moreover, not every woman elected to parliament, or another legislative body will place women’s issues or rights at the forefront of her agenda. Women’s representation is not the

only factor, but it is a critical factor for the development of inclusive, responsive, and transparent democracies. So, WHY women in politics? The positive impact of women in politics is undeniable. Kofi Annan noted, “Study after study has taught us, there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women. No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity or to reduce child and maternal mortality. No other policy is as sure to improve nutrition and promote health, including the prevention of HIV/AIDS. No other policy is as powerful in increasing the chances of education for the next generation.” Further, as Madeleine Albright has stated, the world is wasting a precious resource I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 19

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in the dramatic underrepresentation of women in leadership positions, often resulting in the exclusion of women’s talents and skills in political life.

If you were Prime Minister and had the chance to change any policy in government, what would it be? Explain your reason.

I would allow for race related data to be made public with relation to government programmes and community statistics; for instance on public data to do with diseases, poverty levels, employment, access to education, affordable housing, and other related social statistics that will be able to help us as a nation to diagnose how to address the gaps between the haves and the have not, and the various ethnic groups who have their own needs and influencing factors like their home, community setting, staple, religion that influences diet, etc. These are crucial data that helps a progressive nation to address our community issues rather than

champions discrimination. Secondly, I would move retirement age back to 60 or 65, with optional retirement at 55. There is so much wastage of good intellectual property from human capital when we are asking people to retire at 55.

What kind of world do you want your grandchildren to inherit? Explain A FREE, DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL WORLD WITH CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND JUSTICE, FOUGHT FOR BY OUR FATHERS IN WWI AND WWII OF WHICH USA IS THE WORLD LEADER TODAY SUPPORTED BY GLOBAL ALLIED FORCES.

Do you have any other comments?

ENJOY YOUR FAMILY, LIFE, WORK, VILLAGES AND POLITICAL STRATEGIES FOR THE world to be a better and happier place to pay parity, share natural, moral and spiritual resources modernized by appropriate technology that sustains, Mother Earth.

THE VINTAGE LINK (FIJI) PTE—OUR SERVICES We are a publishing company with a difference. We do all sorts of publications like autobiographies, calendars, brochures and books. With our technical skilled staff, we can do training, project management, consultancy on civic education, gender equality, social inclusiveness etc. Talk to us. We also develop and build websites to your specifications and at cheap rates. We are targeting small businesses. We can also assist you in developing, introducing, and maintaining your social media mediums.

CONTACT US: Email—[email protected] Mobile/Landline—9969024 / 3370373 20 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

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Liliana ParetiWarid The Real Deal: Speaking her Truth

Written by Fay Volatabu Photos:Vosawale Lesuma & Shri Ram Makeup: Stanley Simpson Dressed by: Mademoiselle

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“I believe most women have a natural gift of finding solutions with the added touch of simplicity,” says an independent consultant who is helping people level up.

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he is cool, stylish, chic even and one look at her, you can tell that she is a woman who is comfortable being different, but do not let her easy laid back demeanour fool you because underneath that soft exterior is a woman who has been through fiery challenges and weathered the storms of life, and through her experiences she is now comfortable with who she is and about speaking her truth. Some may view her truths as irksome but if you get to know the real person you will then realise that she is the real deal and what you see is what you get.

Who is She?

She is Liliana Sera Warid, the eldest daughter of Wiliame Pareti and Olivia Pareti. Liliana’s dad was a soldier in the Queen’s army so Liliana and her siblings were born and grew up in England in their formative years. They moved back to Fiji in the late eighties but Liliana’s formative years were going to be an influence in her later life. Liliana’s dad was from Daliconi, a

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village in Vanuabalavu,which is the largest island in the Lau group of islands, and he had maternal links in Sawana also on Vanuabalavu. Her mother Olivia, is from another eastern island of Fiji Kabara, with maternal links in Lomaloma in Vanuabalavu. Liliana shared that one of her three brothers, Sitiveni had gone back to live in England, whilst another brother Julian, resides in Brisbane but the youngest, Jeremy still lives here in Fiji. Liliana has two children, Melania and Gideon and she is married to Edwin Warid. Liliana lists reading, cooking and baking as hobbies and like a good islander, her favourite food is any seafood but steamed mud crab with lemon salt and chilli, tops the list. Sparkling water and cold beer is a favourite after a day’s work and her favourite read is the ‘Way of Life’ by Bill Johnson. Liliana and her family moved back to Fiji in the late eighties and she had her primary education at Veiuto Primary School before moving on to Suva Grammar School, and later the indigenous girls boarding school, Adi Cakobau School for her secondary education. She then attended the Central Queensland University (Fiji Campus) for further studies and shared that her work experience has mostly been in the corporate world.

She worked at the ANZ Bank and the Asian Development Bank but left to do various consultancies so she could have more time to spend time with her family and to travel.

Her Work

When I asked Liliana what her current work was she was direct. “I am an independent consultant, I work with businesses to improve business performance (bottom line) through process re-engineering, strategy development and people.” She shared that her work was focused on problem solving and she worked primarily from home but occasionally she would work at her client’s premises. Previously, she had 15 years experience in commercial and development banking, up to Senior Management level. She worked across operations, projects, risk, retail banking and process reengineering. She had also been based in Vanuatu as Head of Retail Banking and also did a stint in Sydney as Private Sector Development specialist for the Pacific. She shared that she had experience working with the private and public sector across the Pacific in countries such as PNG, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Nauru. She started working as an independent consultant in 2018 since returning to Fiji.

Photo supplied.

When I asked her what had motivated her to do independent consultancy, and she spoke her truth. “Initially, I wanted to be a consultant for the freedom from an 8am-5pm job as I wanted to be more available for my family and travel. The corporate world restricted that.” She realised she could carve her own niche so she ventured out to do just that. “I then found a space in consultancy where I could do what my passion was – helping others level up. In this case it’s organizations. I have also discovered that I have a gift of being able to simplify the complex problems, identify root causes ( to problems) and implementing sustainable solutions which supports my passion perfectly.” The work that she did intersected well with her passion, which was helping

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others “level up” so they could thrive and take a step forward, whether personally or professionally.

Her Passion

Liliana’s attempt to help others also spills out into her personal time. “Outside of the professional space, I serve my local church by doing a lot of where my passion is – helping people level up. My husband and I have led small groups doing that.” She does this for groups that she works with on the streets and has helped youths from some neighbourhoods in the capital city, Suva to find a common ground and common interest with other groups and build positive networks. Liliana’s approach is to guide people and help them find their solutions and more importantly look within and find their truths to help them in finding these solutions. This is discussed in more detail in her online shows. Liliana shared that she had started an online show to also continue with this work. “I also created an online show ‘Life with Liliana and friends’ to again help others level up by sharing personal stories of others. The platform creates awareness, particularly on issues that we don’t speak about enough such as abuse, self-harm, blended families in Fiji and intends to encourage and equip others who face similar challenges.” I have since watched the show and indeed have found a lot of interesting insights about how 26 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Liliana views life and through her life story, as well as those of her family members, they have shared their truths about the personal challenges they faced, in their life journey. “Challenges are brought to life through personal stories which is powerful, especially in a small community like ours where everyone knows everyone.” A challenge highlighted was that of trying to fit into life in Fiji when coming in as a child from a foreign country and feeling isolated and alienated in your own country of birth even though you looked the same as others around you. This was a challenge Liliana faced as a child and she had to try and deal with the difficulties of being viewed as different by children when growing up. Another insight was that shared by Liliana’s children who shared their experiences of living in a blended family. Liliana has made use of her unique social media platform, to highlight truths and ensure that people were educated, and hopefully equip them with how to deal with similar situations. However, despite her very open and public life, what is evident in Liliana’s story is her love for her children and she confessed to this when I queried her about what her inspiration and motivation in life was. “My children-I want to do everything I can to make this world just that little bit better so they can thrive,” and this was Liliana’s

how I was able to connect and build into them is priceless. I also feel very humbled seeing those I’ve mentored thrive and excel in their personal and professional lives.”

truth, in as far as her children were concerned.

Reflections about Work

Work life was not all smooth sailing and Liliana shared that some of the more challenging times in her career was when she had to travel. “Extensive travel meant I was home very little and being bullied by my female boss that really forced me to dig deep.” However, there were some rewarding moments in her career and she was able to connect to people in Fiji and across the Pacific and get to work. It was here that she also observed the fact that behind every professional person is a human being that is on their own journey. The feedback from most of her contacts during her travels proved to be lasting positive memories, Liliana reflected. “Having people send me messages about

Now as she is ready to embark on a new chapter in her life journey, I queried Liliana whether she felt that more women should be involved in the work she did and in true Liliana style, she stated her truth. “Absolutely! I believe most women have a natural gift of finding solutions with the added touch of simplicity. That’s what my work is all about. The men are still meeting two months later and we’ve already solved the problem and implemented the solution.” You may or may not agree to it but that is the truth, as Liliana sees it. I hope that she will continue to speak her truth as Fiji needs more women like her. As I ended our conversation I was reminded of a great leader’s views on truth. “Many people especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologise for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time. If you’re right and you know it, speak your mind.Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth” - Mohandas Karamchand GandhiI AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 27

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Q&A with Liliana Pareti-Warid Do you think more women should be involved in politics? Why?

Yes – capable women. Aside from the fact we need strong role models at national level for our young women to look up to, capable women are not only multitaskers but multi thinkers. I’ve learnt that women consider options, understand connections before making decisions or completing a task while men focus on the task itself.

What do you think are characteristics of a good political leader?

There’s so many! Here is what I think are key: • Fundamentally must live their lives (not just in the office) with integrity and authenticity. • Have an eternity mindset – thinking beyond the current generation and the next elections. • A genuine desire to consult and consider broad views especially if they are different from their own views. • Make informed decisions quickly.

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What do you understand about the terms Politicking, Parity and Participation in relation to women? For me, this talks to how the participation of women in politics influences gender parity in communities. We need political will to make real progress towards gender equality. Increasing the visibility (or presence) of capable women in influential positions of government will not only create change but change for the better.

If you were Prime Minister and had the chance to change any policy in government, what would it be? Explain your reason.

(Lots! But I’ll leave that for my party to comment on soon) If I were Prime Minister, one new thing I would implement is a program that teaches the responsibilities and expectations of being a parent. I would integrate this into the education system and make it mandatory for expectant parents/ single parents and those preparing for marriage. This of course will require a lot of support through counselling services and ongoing resources as parents’ journey through the different seasons of parenthood.

Every broken story I have heard of abuse, addiction, depression etc point back to the failure of us parents. Many of us don’t even realizing what we are doing wrong. It’s basic, but families are the fabric of our communities which build our nation. If we could get the basics rights – be faithful in the small things we are given to steward, then our country will really be “the way the world should be”. What kind of world do you want your grandchildren to inherit? I want my grandchildren to live in a world that equips, encourages, and supports them to thrive in every part of their life and have opportunities available to them. This world will not cast them aside if they lose their way but have “safety nets” in place to catch them when they fall or guide them when they fail. Do you have any other comments? I have a request. Please vote and encourage/force everyone you know of voting age to vote, especially your family members that are in the 1835 category. They seem the least engaged, but this election is so important to set our country up well for them. AND when you do vote, please make an informed decision, decide for yourself who you feel will represent your voice well and vote for that person.

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Leba Seni Nabou

Redefining Perspectives Written by Fay Volatabu Photo: Asvin Singh & Supplied Makeup & Styled by Jed Taylor

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“I have learnt to type answers to important questions or respond to queries by party members using my phone, and have mastered that art quite well as I am expected to do that often in my line of work.”

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he does this so seamlessly and when you see her after hours on her phone, chances are that she is not answering a social call but probably doing her work which requires her to be on her toes twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Communicating with her is another level, as she is a walking encyclopaedia and is so well versed with parliamentary processes, hansard reports and you could almost hear her brains whirring when you ask her a question. Yet , she is modest and unassuming about her knowledge and position and if you met her on the street you would be excused if you are not aware of her accomplishments.

Who is this woman?

She is the first woman to be General Secretary of Fiji’s longest operating political party, the National Federation Party, Leba Seni Nabou. Seni is the eldest daughter of Saimoni Lutu of Dakuiloa, Oneata 32 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

in the eastern province of Lau and Seravina Mavoa of Naikeleyaga, Kabara an island also in the eastern island province Lau. Seni reveals that even though her mother is from Kabara she has had more association with her maternal grandmother’s relatives from Rakiraki, Ra, the western province of Fiji’s main island Viti Levu. She confessed that she grew up to the sound of Ra dialect spoken in her home as her maternal grandmother was a feature in their home. “I have an enduring soft spot for my Rakiraki relatives. My maternal grandmother was the grandparent I had the most interaction with while growing up and I was surrounded with the Ra dialect in our house, and I have the fondest memories of aunties from Ra popping in on weekends, in the kitchen, cooking, laughing and story-telling with my mother and grandmother.” She shared that she was raised with a strong influence from the Ra culture and this defined her perceptions of life and worldview. Seni has two other siblings, Volau who resides in Australia and Reginald who lives here in Fiji. She is married to Sakiusa Nabou, from Naigani, Batiki in the central province of Lomaiviti and they have four children. “I am incredibly proud of my kids (as I know my husband is), and by putting this out publicly in your magazine, I hope my children realize that even though I don’t tell them a lot. I’m more of a tough love

kind of mother.” Her eldest daughter is a trained pilot and currently a ground instructor at SPATI flying school in Nausori and her second daughter is studying to be a Doctor through the University of Fiji. The third child, her son, is about to enrol in a video editing programme at the University of Fiji. “He is quite talented and selftaught himself on IT stuff, and basic animations.” She shared that her youngest was more into engines. “My baby boy is showing very clear signs that he wants to do something with engines. He is known in our house to have an uncanny ability to pick up faults in our car by listening to the car sounds, cross-checking with complex YouTube tutorials, and then reporting to his father what he thinks the problem is. If we can’t locate him inside the house, he is surely underneath the car with a flashlight looking at things there, or opening up the bonnet with his flashlight.” While Seni is so proud of his interest, she hopes that her son would be an avid reader like her. “I am, more concerned that he picks up a book more regularly - Oilei!”

Seni is dressed in a fused traditional wear to showcase her Oneata heritage. Styled by Jed Taylor

Reading is one of Seni’s hobbies and she also does a lot of writing and reflecting. “Reflection is a new skill I picked up during those claustrophobic COVID19 lockdowns.” If you read the Fiji Times you will read more of her reflections. Like every Fijian, Seni loves boiled fish with ota (bush I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 33

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from the University of the South Pacific and the University of Southern Queensland.

Current Work

Seni’s late maternal grandmother from Ra.

ferns) and miti (coconut cream) with boiled half ripe vudi (plantain). Hot water with ginger slivers is her drink and if she is with the right mix of people she has a bowl of kava. She has too many favourite books and movies to name but she revealed an interestingly love to hunt for recipes so if you have any new ones she would be knocking on your door to find them.

Education

As Seni’s father travelled a lot in his work Seni had her primary education at Karori Primary School in Wellington, New Zealand before returning to complete her primary education at the International Primary School in Suva. She then had her secondary education at Indian College, the indigenous girls boarding school, Adi Cakobau School before moving to the Kildara Ladies College in Melbourne. She then attained tertiary qualifications 34 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

“At present I am the General Secretary (GS) for the National Federation Party (NFP). The NFP is the oldest political party in Fiji, and probably the South Pacific region too. I am the first iTaukei and Woman to ever hold this position in the NFP’s 59 years of existence so I’m quite pleased about that.” Seni revealed that she was elected to the position at the party AGM in 2019. Prior to that she had worked as a Consultant for the Party. When queried about what her work as the General Secretary (GS) involved, it was heartening to see that she had the pulse beat and respect of her male colleagues. “Being GS means that I need to primarily make sure that as a party we abide by all the electoral laws, especially the requirements in our own party constitution.” She was grateful for the support of male colleagues and senior party representatives and parliamentarians like the Prof Biman, Hon Pio, Kamal Iyer, Dalip Kumar, Ranjit Raju, and the youths who would always keep things light hearted for her. She also had a lot to say about women support. “I have to be honest and say that I am very lucky that I am surrounded by some really

great women like the Assistant GS, Ansu Lata; a very senior member of the Party, Mrs Priscilla Singh, Hon Lenora Qereqeretabua, Viniana Katonitabua (who was also a teacher at ACS when I was there) Pari and Makereta. She also acknowledged women from other political parties who had also become such valuable allies especially in a male dominated arena. “I acknowledge some really outstanding women that I’ve worked with from time to time and from other political parties, like Monica Raghwan, the late Mrs Lavenia Padarath, Taina Rokotabua, Hon Adi Litia Qionibaravi, Hon Salote Radrodro, the late Adi Laufitu Malani, Lai, Luisa Koroi, Asena Tuinasau, Emele Jale, Adi Vuki Qionibaravi, Adi Ulamila Wragg, and Lynda Tabuya. Politics is politics, but women are just so instinctive about rallying together when they need to achieve a common agenda.”

Other Experiences

Seni shared that amidst the heavy schedule of work at the party headquarters she sometimes did consultancy work from time to time, particularly for areas of personal interest to her like climate change, traditional knowledge and technology. “I am a Member of the Pacific GIS/ Remote Sensing Council, having been involved since 2018 as a Consultant.”

Seni’s late father.

Prior to her work as GS for the NFP, Seni also worked at the Lands department, the University of the South Pacific Extension Services (now Distance and Learning Centre), the Fiji Human Rights Commission, The Change Factory and Greenpeace Australia Pacific. All these experiences, Seni realised, were laying the foundation to her role as GS and for her political journey. Seni’s work was experiential and in most cases she was out on site for inspections. “I have sailed on a ship during various Greenpeace campaigns across the Pacific – not usual for an Advisor, but necessary to understand the intricacies and loopholes in fisheries. I have also taken part in monitoring of fishing fleets while on these expeditions where we are sent up on a helicopter to search out illegal fishing, that we may have had

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by supporting Opposition Parliamentarians and taking the wins where she could. Seni shared “Having a good parliamentary week where our Team of Honourables, just keep relentlessly pressing the Government,” would be a satisfying and rewarding moment.

Seni relaxing and wearing a Hupfield Hoerder top.

advanced intelligence on, in terms of location.” Her work with another consultancy was focused on identifying training gaps. “I have boarded shipping vessels in Fiji with the then FIRCA border control, as part of a consultancy with Change Factory, to identify training gaps for new and rotating customs officers who needed to bridge competency needs, as per their lawful mandates.”

educational life. “I have been a Secretary for the Draiba Primary School PTA from 2006 – 2010. All our children attended Draiba, as we felt it important for them to be grounded in their mother tongue in their formative schooling years.”

Coping with Challenges

At the Fiji Human Rights Commission she would conduct training on human rights for police officers, prisons officers, and other stakeholders.

When I queried Seni about what her most challenging moment was, her answer was honest and heartfelt. “Not being successful as a candidate after two elections. No one likes losing, because it’s a major jolt to one’s ego. But I have learned that it’s good to fail. You learn lessons, gain experience and reorient your mind to look for opportunities in everything.”

However all her high intensity work did not deter her from fulfilling her foremost role as a parent and being heavily involved in her children’s

Seni has indeed been relentless in her attempts to reorient her mind and has put her experience and background to good use

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Learning to cope with challenges and celebrate the good times in life was made easier with the love and support from her family. Seni also wanted to set good examples for her children. “My motivation is always my children. I want my daughters to know that they can do anything they put their minds to, and that being a female with a point of view is to be celebrated. I want my sons to know that having a woman with a point of view in the house, should be supported – like my husband does for me.”

Profound words from a woman who is trying to redefine perspectives, for her children, for women and for the future generation. I am reminded of what the head of UN Women said. “For me, A better democracy is a democracy where women do not only have the right to vote and elect but to be elected.” -Michelle Bachelet -Head of UN Women, former president and defence minister

Seni’s desire to change perceptions do not end with her children but she hopes that more women would also be motivated to do what she does. When asked about her perceptions on women in leadership her answer was passionate. “Oh my God – absolutely! I cannot stress this enough. It’s as simple as understanding that men and women think and do things differently. There is value when we can bring this thinking and these approaches together for a common goal. If women are not involved in political parties, politics itself remains static.”

Seni in a Tuwisi Dress to honour her Alma Mater

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Q&A with Seni Lutu Nabou Are you involved in politics and in what capacity? I am. As the General Secretary for the NFP. Right now we are finalising our candidates list and our campaign strategy, even as we await the Writ for the 2022 Elections to be issued.

What motivated you to be involved in that type of work?

biodiversity, whaling and climate change. I never planned for a professional pathway in politics but someone convinced me in 2014 and here I am. It’s only now after 8 years of politics that I realize that politics is in my blood and comes to me naturally. I am the eldest grandchild of the late Jonate Mavoa who is my maternal grandfather and who was an Alliance Minister among many who helped usher in Fiji’s Independence in 1970, with the National Federation Party on the other side, during the Legislative Council (LegCo) days. I am constantly amazed when I read hansards of their debates during LegCo and those early years of Fiji as a new nation, at the admirable dignity and high quality of unscripted debate where across the political aisles, wit, laughter, major developments,

To be very, very frank I had no interest in being directly involved in politics. In a former life where I was a Political Advisor for the Pacific whilst at Greenpeace for 8 years, that took me to visit many Pacific Islands Governments, many Parliaments and many multilateral forums to lobby for environmental recommendations like the Federal Parliament of Australia, the Beehive in NZ, the EU Parliament, the UN General Assembly, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meetings and many environmental multilateral forum such as on fisheries, Seni’s maternal grandfather, the late Jonati Mavoa in the middle with Former NZ PM, Sir Robert Muldoon.

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consensus and compromise was made possible. I now understand that all my work experience in examining and working with text of various international environmental agreements, and writing briefing policy papers was grounding for my current work where I write and make submissions from time to time, to current Parliamentary Committee’s on Bills and Annual Reports, on behalf of the party. I also recognize that the late night analysis of text and punctuation (even a comma can change the whole meaning of a sentence), and monitoring of debates, providing text for speeches at international forums, was preparing me for things like the national Budget debate week, for my party.

Do you think more women should be involved in politics? Why? I absolutely do. I am reminded of a quote by the former female President of Costa Rica, Madam Laura Chinchilla, who I had the profound honour along with the former President of Lithuania, Madam Dalia Grybauskaitė who were mentors to our Vital Voices Engage cohort in 2019.

Madam Laura of Costa Rica, said this: “When a woman enters into politics, that woman changes. I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 39

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But when many women enter into politics, it is the politics that changes.”

What do you think are characteristics of a good political leader

A good Leader is one who can share their vision so that its collectively owned and effected.

What do you understand about the terms Politicking, Parity and Participation in relation to women?

I’m afraid I am not familiar with that?

What is your passion? Creating change.

If you were Prime Minister and had the chance to change any policy in government what would it be? Explain your reason.

I would amend the laws to institute temporary special measures and reserve quotas in Parliament so that women’s representation of 30% of MPs, as a goal committed to by Fiji way back in 1995, is realized.

What kind of world do you want your grandchildren to inherit? Explain A peaceful one! Hands down.

Do you have any other comments?

Seni wearing a Hupfield Hoerder top, engaged in her favourite pastime.

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Thank you!! May your magazine continue to scale greater heights in what it does to exemplify women and all that we do to raise the bar, in whatever fields are are. God bless you!!

PACIFIC FOCUS

A life of sacrifice

Part of the Aged Care group at Nadi, Leaving Fiji for Australia. Photo supplied

“I think we would like to stay here and bring our family over for better living standards, better education, a lot of work opportunities and better salary. There is opportunity for professional development and growth in career path.”

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hese were the sentiments of the three women living in Caloundra, in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. It was a Saturday afternoon as I spoke to the women, and as I chatted to them, I heard laughter and could see their relaxed demeanor, and gathered that they were comfortable and happy. I had heard many stories of how hard life is for those who have gone on the Fiji NEC (National Employment Center) work placement programs to Australia so I wanted to talk to women who were part of the first Aged Care program and hear of their experiences. 42 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Women from the Aged Care Pilot programme sponsored by the Australian government through APTC have been placed all over Queensland in Mackay, Yepoon, Gladstone, Gimpie, Melanie, Twooba, Warana, Bunderberg and Caloundra. For the three friends, Pasemaca Temo-Drala, Emily Yalati Ledua and Dominique Bulivou they were part of the group in Caloundra and they all agreed that going to work in Australia was the best decision they had made.

about the program on social media and the APTC face book page. Their diligence and perseverance was rewarded as they were blessed to be part of the initial group of 40 who were given scholarships and had paid tuition, learning materials and allowances for the duration of their twelve weeks of training. The women had to initially pay for their medical fees and Police Clearance fees but after being informed and paying for the two clearance checks, everything was paid for in the scholarship. However since arriving in Australia they have had to pay back their airfares and visa as agreed to in their contract. Their accommodation was arranged for by their various work places and the three that I spoke to were sharing a house. They live 15 minutes away from their work place and can either walk or catch a cab if they need to.

Life in Coulandra

For Pasemaca Temo –Drala a 38 year old mother of six, from Daliconi, in Vanuabalavu married to a man from Kiuva, she said

“Living in Australia is an eye opener with diverse groups of people, good quality of life, good wages, good education and health care services and decent work benefits.” She loved it but one of her initial challenges was getting used to the time difference and coordinating time to talk with her family. On the whole though she loved the new experience when she was not missing her husband and her girls. For 39 year old, divorced mother of three, from Biaugunu in Saqani, Emily Yalati Ledua, she shared how she much she missed her three children but social media has helped. “We miss home and family members but we get to talk to them everyday using social media platforms. That’s the beauty about it even that though we are far apart we can still talk to them using our smart phones.” For Yadrana, Lakeba islander, and mother of three, Dominique Bulivou, who is married to a man from Naitasiri , she was very modest and

The women shared that they all missed their families terribly but they were hoping that their sacrifice would mean that one day their families would join them too.

The Program

When I asked the women how they had found out about the program they revealed that they had read

The Aged Care Pilot Group with The Australian PM and lecturers at APTC. Source: APTC

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did not talk much but she agreed with the two ladies that they all had to sacrifice everything ( being apart from children and leaving them back home) so that they could come and meet their needs and do what a mother would do, to provide a quality life for her own children.

Challenges

The trio agreed that life down under had its fair share of challenges but the most challenging thing they had to do was leaving their family behind and having to adapt to the new environment, with new life experiences, food and changing climate. “Working in a foreign land for the first time with diverse people of different races, languages, culture and lifestyle is a challenge.”

The women also had to adapt to time difference and manage their time well in the first couple of weeks, and trying to balance time communicating with their families as they all communicate daily with their children. Another challenge was having to find their way to work which is only 15 minutes away, by walking to and fro and finding the best shortcuts and easiest ways to get to work which also included calling a cab, which you could only get by downloading an app. Unlike in Fiji where you would just call a cab. The three women shared that everything has its challenges but the pay they received was more then they would ever get in Fiji and

Part of the group in Caloundra & Melanie relaxing. Photo supplied

made it worth the sacrifice.“Earning so much and being able to meet family needs back home is something that we love to do while being away from them.” The three women are hopeful that all their sacrifice to provide better for their children and their families will eventuate in them all being able to live together with their families in Australia in the not too distant future. The women had to overcome personal challenges and some almost didn’t go but now they and all forty of the first Age Care workers are there, their advice to women

is to never give up, believe and trust in yourself and know that you can overcome challenges that life throws at you. The three women I spoke to shared they all have personal stories of how they had to overcome their own challenges and struggles to make their goal of working in the Age Care Program a reality. I AM WOMAN magazine wishes Pasemaca, Emily, Dominique and all the other 40 women in the Aged Care Pilot Program as well as all other women working abroad to provide for their families all the best in their efforts. May all their sacrifice reap the best rewards.

“ A beautiful life does not just happen, it is built daily by prayer, hard work, sacrifice, and love”- picture quotes Dominique, Pasemaca and Emily at Caloundra. Photo supplied 44 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

COVID Diaries by Michelle Neeling Photos by Travelling Light Photography

At the end of April, a fellow member of the Tayuan Writers’ Group here in Beijing suggested that we all start to keep regular diaries to document these ever-changing covid days, which are unpredictable in the extreme. It turns out to have been an interesting exercise. When you’re living through a pandemic in a country with a massive population and a “dynamic zero” approach to the virus, you must accept that there will be ups and downs… We’ve had some amazing times since we arrived in China almost a year ago, and we’ve had some more challenging ones, like the month I’ve written about here. We’ve been locked down but we’re still smiling and things are slowly looking up! Mike, Keir, Viggo and I are sending all our love from Beijing. x

2 May

Image by stockimagefactorycom on Freepik

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It’s a bank holiday Monday in Beijing and the sun is shining. In normal times we’d have planned an outing to make the most of the time and the sunshine. But right now we’re a little worn down by the uncertainty and the restrictions. Restaurants are closed so if we go out we have to pack our own food. Gyms are closed so we can’t take the boys for a swim. Anywhere that is open – shopping malls, maybe? – requires proof of a negative covid test within the past 48 hours, and although we’ve been tested every other day this week, we haven’t figured out how to view the boys’ results in

the Health Kit, so we don’t want to venture too far only to be turned away when we get there. So this weekend we’ve mostly stayed on the compound. The boys have made new friends, we’ve put up their Fijian tent and laid out our Fijian mat on the communal grass, and we’ve got through the days by focusing on the moment. While the kids played I sat with the other parents and watched the holiday goings-on. The breeze carried the music over from a big party of European sunworshippers on the other side of the garden. Chinese ayis played with their tiny western charges. Kids climbed trees. Parents walked back and forth to the compound convenience store, Lucky Chain, carrying empty Tsingtaos there and full ones back. I wore my favourite Fijian bula dress – the one with pink flamingos and frangipanis on it – and noticed that my chipped red toenails were crying out for a pedicure. When we came inside I hung the picnic basket and the summer hats on the hooks by the door next to the winter coats, which we were still wearing as recently as last week. I fed our two cats, who we rescued about ten months ago, then one of them sat on my desk trying to play with my pen while the other perched itself on the slender back of my office chair. One swivel and she’d be off, so I had to be sure to make no sudden moves.

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3 May We were up at 6:15 this morning. Mike made the boys pancakes, then Viggo strapped on his roller blades and Keir grabbed his scooter and by 7:30 we were outside and ready to join the queue at the gate of our compound for my covid test. The testing centre, however, was not yet open for business. It turns out that they’re switching today from a system of individual testing, where everyone gets a vial with a barcode connected to their passport number, to batch testing, where ten tests are put into one vial and if any one of them is positive, those ten people must return to see which of them has drawn the covid short straw. The system changeover has not gone smoothly and the queues are chaotic. We had to leave before I was tested to get the boys home in time for their Morning Meeting at 8:30. The boys had to do their covid tests at school today. We’d been told that there was a possibility that the school would reopen on Thursday, but onsite testing 48 hours prior was a necessary step in making that happen, so we took the 30-minute Didi ride out to the school and back during a break between online classes. After the test we scooted along the lake at the Western Academy of Beijing – yes, the boys’ school has a lake! – and stopped by a favourite local restaurant. Restaurants are 48 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

only allowed to do takeaways under this week’s very strict covid rules, so we ordered on my phone from outside and our juices and fries were brought out in a takeaway bag, and we ate sitting on the restaurant’s front steps. At about 6pm, my phone buzzed with the news that the trip out to WAB had been futile. Remote learning will continue until at least next Thursday. As of this moment I’m officially not chasing those dangled carrots anymore. They seem to just be an incentive for us to keep sending the twice daily temperature checks and queuing for covid tests every other day. Then when we’ve done all the things we’re supposed to do and almost reached our goal, the carrot is tugged upward by a laughing giant who never had any intention of letting us get to it in the first place. I’m done. These times are testing my eternal optimism and the effort to stay positive is exhausting.

4 May Another day of online learning. It was tough to get motivated when the alarm went off at 6:15 this morning. But coffee and a shower revitalized me and my annoyingly irrepressible optimism returned. The boys are supposed to be participating in online Morning Movement every day, but they hate forced exercise in front of a computer screen so instead we go out into the compound gardens every morning and scoot and skate out some energy under the beautiful blue spring skies. Most of the blossoms have been replaced by leaves now, and the air is constantly filled with catkin spores that make me cough and sneeze. But even between my sneezes, the world and our urban residential compound with its high-rise apartment buildings still manage to look strangely beautiful. Having said that, things are now ramping up, covid-wise. Today 40 subway stations in Beijing were closed - can you believe that’s only

10% of the total number of subway stations?! – and 158 bus routes were suspended. Schools remain closed and as of tomorrow, anyone who can work from home is obliged to do so, so our two-bedroom apartment will now serve as Mike’s office and our two boys’ school. I started a writing course last Monday. So much for that.

5 May Mike worked from home today, along with the majority of Beijing’s 20 million inhabitants. In the morning he took a break from work to walk to the hospital down the road to see a doctor about his knee. Health care here is amazing. It’s wildly expensive – our health insurance is taking a battering – but any treatment we could possibly need is available immediately and almost literally on our doorstep. Good health is a national obsession here, which is maybe one of the reasons why the country refuses to allow a pesky virus to get the better I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 49

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and grocery deliveries would be suspended. I did an online shopping order to top up our already quite significant supplies – they didn’t arrive – and Mike went to the supermarket, where the queues went out the door. We later learned that the rumours were unfounded – the woman who started them has been arrested – but the feeling of panic remains.

of its collective immune system. Tonight we ordered dinner from a nearby restaurant. It’s just as well we like eating at home as this afternoon the government banned street food and outdoor dining. Another freedom bites the dust.

6 May It was rainy and cold today. The boys and I went out for our morning exercise at 7:45 and had to run around the compound a few times to warm up. While we were out we saw the covid clinic folks setting up on the compound’s football pitch. It’s a change of clinic and a change of venue, and we’ll all have to register anew to be tested there. It’s strange 50 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

how normal the sight of crowds of people in full PPE has become. The boys barely comment on it anymore. It’s just part of their seven-year-old landscape. This evening the authorities announced that as of tomorrow all non-essential services will be shut down. All that we can expect to find open is supermarkets and pharmacies, just like in Fiji at this time last year. They also announced today that you must now scan the Health Kit to use a public toilet. There are so few freedoms left.

7 May This morning before the alarm went off I lay in bed with a million

thoughts swirling around in my head – Roe v Wade and the fight for reproductive freedoms, the gradual loss of our freedom of movement in China, and the fact that nature documentaries on Netflix are the closest my boys ever get to the great outdoors.

It’s so hard watching other people travel right now. Social media shows that friends are travelling from Europe to South America, from the UK to Fiji, and right across Australia.

So many people are leaving China now. International schools are finding it hard to recruit teachers as people are reluctant to move to a country that it’s difficult to travel to and from. Our boys cried when we first told them that we’re going to Australia this summer, as travelling here in the first place was so traumatic. How terribly sad is that?

13 May

9 May

14 May

Today the government declared that there will be no return to schools in the foreseeable future.

Such a change in my state of mind overnight! I’ve deferred my novelwriting course until September, when hopefully things will be back to normal a little, and this morning I started a weekend writing workshop with Cheryl Strayed! From 7:309:30 I wrote in a workshop called The Story You Have To Tell. When it

12 May This afternoon there were rumours that Beijing was going into lockdown

And I haven’t left our compound in two weeks or our city in 322 days.

Last night I wrote to Oxford University to ask if I could defer my writing course. I just can’t give it the attention it needs right now. Nothing I’ve signed up for in the last year has worked out. My eternal optimism is starting to look like naivety.

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was over I cried my eyes out. This is exactly what I need to be doing right now. This afternoon I had another incredibly rejuvenating adventure. Because of the circumstances here some friends of ours have decided to bring forward their planned departure date, and today I did a photoshoot with them to document some of their favourite Beijing things. We cycled to the hutongs, they played jianzi between the Drum and Bell Towers, we ate jianbing pancakes to go, and I took photos of them hanging out by the Liangmehe River in the afternoon light. It was such a thrill to be doing what I do again!

15 May Today was filled to the brim with beauty and friendship. Some friends who work for an embassy here invited us for a swim and a little farewell party for our friends who are leaving. We’re so lucky, in this lifestyle, to have opportunities to meet beautiful people from all over the world, but the goodbyes are hard.

16 May I feel so rejuvenated after such a lovely weekend, two days that made me feel like life was normal and endlessly lovely once more. A new week of remote learning is underway, but I’m OK. The sun is shining, our ayi has been allowed 52 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

to return to work so our apartment is going to be sparkling again, and the stress of trying to find the time to study has been lifted. I feel better.

20 May This week has been intense and beautiful. The boys have skipped classes and I’ve skipped writing sessions and instead we’ve spent the gorgeous sunshiny days eking out more time with the first family in China to become our friends. All the adults cried we all said goodbye to each other yesterday. We watched the kids hugging and felt all the emotions for them as well as for ourselves, as they laughed at our sentimentality and stored the incomprehensible feelings away for a time when they’re old enough to process them. This lifestyle is beautiful and brutal and becomes more so with each year that passes and every goodbye that’s said.

22 May We reached a new level of lockdown today when it got so hot here – 35 degrees – that we were forced to close all the windows and switch on the air conditioners. I have no idea, now, what the air outside feels or smells like, or what sounds it might be carrying into the Beijing skies.

24 May This afternoon the boys and I got out on the compound just as a storm was breaking. All the other residents of the compound scuttled inside as though they might melt in the rain, but the boys and I stayed out and jumped at the thunder and danced in the puddles, just as we used to do in Fiji. How we miss the Suva rain! When Mike got home from work I jumped on my bike – the skies has cleared miraculously after the brief and delicious downpour – and headed out into the streets to clear my head. Beijing was busier than I’d expect of a city that’s essentially in lockdown. There were people sitting on the sidewalks with takeaway drinks in plastic containers, waiting for their food orders. Families played badminton in any available open space, some with astonishing speed. On the way back I cycled past a row of hawkers on a bridge, calling out to me to stop and buy their fresh flowers, caged birds or cicadas in small woven boxes.

29 May

jumped on my bike and headed to Chaoyang Park, which was open for the first time in weeks.

What a day that was! Just before we went to sleep last night, I saw on my phone that things were due to open up a little from today. There’s no sign of school going back, but shops and parks can open to 50% capacity. Mike and the boys and I took a walk along the river this morning in celebration, then this afternoon I grabbed my camera and

There weren’t that many people in the park, but the sun came out and a cool breeze blew for the privileged few of us who were there. Grass and tall trees have never looked more beautiful. There was a very strange vibe – the amusement park rides were deserted and the cafes all still boarded up – but being there was a sign of better things to come. I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 53

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Diwali Delights by Lorraine Foster

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very country has it’s own distinct type of food or dessert and certain types of food are made for specific celebrations or festivals. Any country that has an Indian diaspora, like that in Fiji will most certainly celebrate the beautiful and colourful festival of lights, called Deepawali (Diwali) annually. The Festival of Lights is the celebration of good over evil or light over darkness. In Fiji it is a public holiday and most Indo Fijian Hindu households clean their homes and decorate the surroundings with colourful lights, lamps and candles. In recent years other races celebrate by coming to work dressed in Indian traditional clothes and there is a often a shared meal of Indian delicacies and sweets. Deepawali is synonymous with prayers, fireworks and sharing of traditional Indian food and sweets. There is often a huge variety of sweets which is shared with family, friends, neighbours and visitors. Last year 2021, as COVID slowly subsided, it was a chance for our Indo Fijian citizens to celebrate Deepawali. Despite the financial struggles, families still tried to celebrate this important Festival. It was sad to hear a few citizens harassing the Indian households for food but we hope that this year there is a show of mutual respect between all citizens.

Image by stockimagefactorycom on Freepik

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As a Diwali special I bring you my take on Diwali and my favourite sweets

Variety of Indian Sweets and Confectionary

In Fiji, there are various Indian sweets that are popular amongst all citizens and are readily available at various sweets shops, the bean carts, can be ordered online or at Indian restaurants. Below are various popular sweets and snacks that are readily available and made during Deepawali: Murruku – this snack is a fried roundish shaped snack made of rice, chickpea flour, cumin, sesame and carom seed. It looks like a coil and is crunchy and is a tasty snack which is readily available at sweets shops around Fiji. This snack is a popular Deepawali item and one must have strong teeth to crunch into it for digestion. Barfi – there are a variety of the barfi sweets and different flavours range from chocolate, lime to coconut. This sweet is timeless and is a must for Deepawali. I fondly remember when I was in primary school and we used to run down to the bean carts to buy these creamy delicious sweets. Barfi is made of evaporated milk and sugar and is definitely one of the favourite confectionary in Fiji. Laddoo/Ladduu – is a roundish Indian sweet made from flour, ghee, sugar and in some cases semolina. It is another popular Indian sweet that is made for festive and religious occasions. It is sweet in taste and is a bit crumply when you bite into it. It I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 55

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Source: foodienationtt.com

Source: anthonycaudds.blogspot.com

Source: originaltravel.co.uk

Source: ijunoon.com

is nice to have with a hot cup of tea (Chai).

and dried fruits, and fried in ghee. The gujiya dates back to the 13th century, when a jaggery-honey mixture was covered with wheat flour and was sun-dried. Shaped like a half moon, the gujiya is filled with a sweet mixture of grated and roasted dried fruits, khoa, grated coconut, and a hint of suji to lend it a grainy texture. As you bite into it, there is a grainy sweet texture that explodes in your mouth.

carts around Fiji and served in restaurants as a snack. It consists of sliced vegetables such as potatoes and onions, rourou and coated in seasoned gram flour batter and deep fried. This snack goes well with a hot cup of chai (tea).

Indo Fijian families have curries as well in their households and the curries are mostly eaten with Indian bread like the roti.

Halwa – I have a friend who makes excellent Halwa which is made from semolina, ghee, milk and sugar. You can add in spices for flavour and sultanas for more added ingredients. Packets of semolina are readily available at the local supermarkets with recipes on the pack, and it is not that difficult to make. Halwa is an excellent dessert for the whole family. Jalebi – We used to call this sweet “mosquito coil” and is a favourite amongst the children. Orange, red or yellow in colour, it is made by deep-frying flour (plain flour or all-purpose flour) batter in circular shapes, which are then soaked in sugar syrup. I sometimes find jalebi a bit too sweet but it is an excellent dessert after a hot curry meal. Gujiya - is a sweet deep-fried dumpling made with suji (semolina) or maida (all purpose flour) stuffed with a mixture of sweetened khoa  (milk solids; also called mawa) 56 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Samosa – When I eat samosa it is as if I am eating a meal. It is quite filling and is very tasty. It is a fried or baked pastry with a savory filling,that includes ingredients like curry spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. Some fillings also include various spicy mince meats or tin fish. It is usually triangular in shape of a cone and is often accompanied by tamarind chutney. Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack and readily available in our Indian Restaurants in Fiji. Pakora - is a spiced fritter originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are sold in the Indian sweet stores and

Gulab Jamun – is one of the more favoured Indian sweets in Fiji and Wikipedia claims it is the national dessert of India. It is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally from khoya, which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. Modern recipes call for dried or powdered milk instead of khoya. It is often garnished with dried nuts such as almonds and cashews to enhance flavour.

Varieties of Indian Bread

Most households eat curry and roti as it is one of the most popular dishes in Fiji. It is a known fact that a lot of households in Fiji are experts in cooking this popular dish. Most Sundays, it is tradition that most homes have big family lunches where the whole family eats together after church service. Curry is always on the menu. Most of our

Roti and puri are round flatbreads that are normally eaten with curry. They are mainly made of flour and water combined into dough. Small dough balls are then rolled into flat circular bread and then cooked over a tawa (hot plate) with ghee, oil or butter. This type of bread is mainly available at restaurants and easily made at homes. It can also be ordered online on social media. A few days ago I wandered into the Damodar City Food Court at Laucala Bay, Suva to get lunch and found an Indian Restaurant that sold naan. So I ordered garlic flavoured naan and butter chicken to go with it. This was a perfect combination where I dipped pieces of naan into the sauce of the butter chicken. Naan is another Indian bread that is now becoming popular around the world and Fiji. It is available at most of the Indian Restaurants here in Fiji. I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 57

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bad mannered and primitive. But there is an old saying that says “Eating food with your hands feeds not only the body but also the mind and the spirit.”

Source: thatfijitaste.com

Source: Pinterest

Paratha is another Indian bread that is made of whole wheat dough and is cooked on a tava. Parathas are thicker than rotis and abit more wholesome as it was once a popular breakfast dish or tea-time snack. It is layered by coating with ghee or oil and folding repeatedly and ingredients such as mixed vegetables can be mixed in with the dough, such as potato or cauliflower, green beans, and carrots. The most common stuffing is mashed, spiced potatoes and perhaps dhal (lentils). A stuffed paratha can be eaten with butter or with chutney, pickles, or with meat or vegetable curries.

bread. The most popular curries are chicken, lamb, goat, duck, grab, fish, kai (fresh water mussels). There are also various vegetarian curries that are popular like rourou, cabbage, bhindi, potatoe, bean, green pawpaw to name a few. Even eggs can be curried.

Other Popular Indian Food

Dhal – In Indian cuisine, dhal is a popular lentil that is cooked as a filling, stew or a soup. It has healthy factors like protein and is always on the menu in Indian Restaurants in Fiji. Dhal can be poured over rice or served with curry as a side dish. Curries – Curries are a category of food in Fiji that almost everyone have eaten. All meats can be cooked into a hot, spicy curry which is eaten with rice or Indian 58 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Palau/Biryani – This is a rice dish where rice is cooked with meat, spices and vegetables. It is a common dish at Muslim weddings and is eaten with various chutneys and salads. Palau is also available at Indian Restaurants in Fiji. Trinidad calls their rice dish pelau and most European countries, the rice dish is called risotto. Afghanistan call their rice dish palaw. Biryani rice dishes are similar to palau and originates out of the Muslim countries. Biryani like palau is cooked with meats, vegetables and in some cases eggs and potatoes. It has been said that Indian food is best eaten with your hands as the food is tastier. In our western society today, it is said to be unhygienic,

In the Indian culture, when eating with your hands, the right hand is preferred as your left hand is considered unsanitary. Use only your fingers when picking up the food and as you put the food in your mouth ensure the food is at the tips of your fingers. When I eat roti and curry I definitely use my fingers as it is easier to wrap the piece of roti around the curry and put the food in your mouth. I haven’t quite mastered the art of eating curry and rice and so I use cutlery. In Fiji we are lucky to have excellent Indian Restaurants that serve vegetarian dishes and the popular ones are Govinda and the Hare Krishna Restaurants. There is also Ashiyana and Curry House that sell meat dishes as well and a few tandoori inspired restaurants in

the western side. Another notable Indian Restaurant that is causing a sensation here in Suva is Zamzam Restaurant in Samabula. The surrounding atmosphere is excellent and the menu is out of this world. Compliments to the chef on the various dishes he or she cooks. For Suva workers around Albert Park, there is a small restaurant under the pavilion which has been around for a very long time. Their chicken and mutton curries always run out and you have to be there early to get your lunch. While browsing on Face Book recently I came across a catering business called Chaiwala Fiji. They are a catering business and their graze boxes are exceptional where there is a variety of Indian snacks, sweets and little eats. Besides looking interesting, the various snacks and eats are tasty and cooked with love. If you are having a party and want variety, we highly recommend Chaiwala Fiji.

“As a Fijian, I am sure that I speak for other Fijians – Curry is a cuisine we must eat, have eaten and will continue to eat throughout our life journey. It is an endless feeling.”

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The Evolution of Fijian Music by Lorraine Foster

Image by pvproductions on Freepik

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here is a saying “Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence” – Robert Fripp. I have never known of anyone with hearing, who has never listened to music. As I did my research on the origins and history of music, I was not surprised to see that the origin of music is UNKNOWN. Some historians suggest that music happened before human beings. Music has a powerful influence on human beings and I will dare to say that it is an essential part of our lives. It is everywhere and one may dare to say it is every sound we hear.

Benefits of Music

There are many benefits of having music in our lives and one of them is the social connection music provides to all of us. National Anthems are a major emotional connection that citizens of a country feel. In Fiji, at sports events whenever the National Anthem of Fiji is played, it is a tear jerker for the players as well as the citizens of Fiji. Hymns are another social spiritual connection for church goers as they worship. Fiji is known to be a predominantly Christian country and it has been noticed that Fijians can sing. Most Fijian Christian households are known to either sing or listen to hymns or Christian music. It is believed that hymns are a spiritual connection between us and God.

When some of us were little children we would have remembered our parents and grand-parents singing lullabies to us.Music invokes social connections and as we grow older, the good memories remain and sometimes this habit continues on with the new generations. Some of these are love songs that create romantic feelings between people Research has also shown that music decreases stress and depression as it has a direct effect on our hormones. If you listen to music you enjoy, your hormone cortisol levels decreases, and this decreases stress levels. So it might be an idea that if you’ve had a stressful day to listen to soothing music. Music is a method of expression where you have sad music, romantic music, entertaining music and dancing music. The list is endless and when you listen to different types of music, different feelings are invoked. Music also enhances exercise and you can see people listening to music while at the gym or exercising at home. Every country has its own style and sound of music and in most cases their own type of musical instruments. Music in most countries is quite distinct and you can tell when listening, what genre it is and where the music originates from. A perfect example is Reggae which is traced back to Jamaica and today it is one of the popular music genres in the world. I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 61

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Source: FIPRA

Source: NCWF

Source: FIPRA

Source: I AM WOMAN MAGAZINE

Influence of Music

The Evolution of Fijian Music

more modern musical instruments and music mediums, it became apparent that music was a huge money making industry. Fiji got on the band wagon and music bands, and solo artists started to emerge. In the 1980’s prominent singers like Laisa Vulakoro and Lagani Rabukawaqa became household names and today there are many more artists who have worked hard to write and compose their own songs.

Like the rest of the world, Fiji has seen music mediums evolve, from the vinyl record to the cassette, to the disc and now to the digital world. The Fijian music industry has progressed greatly but the question we ask is are the hard working artists benefiting from their hard work in this industry?

Music does not discriminate and almost every age group listens to music. It has been said in history, that the bagpipes of Scotland were regarded as instruments of war and many of their war heroes would feel courage, and be inspired by the sounds of the bagpipes as they marched forward and defeated their enemies in many battles. In African history, music was important and during the period of slavery it brought inspiration, hope and survival. Songs were passed down from generation to generation throughout slavery and helped the enslaved to endure hardship and survive. In Fijian history, the sound of the lali [Fijian Drum] was a communication to make announcements about deaths, wars and other important events. Today the lali is still used as a communication signalling the starting of church services or for the calling of people. The miniature lali is now used mostly to keep beat for mekes [Fijian Dances]. 62 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Fijian Music is quite distinct from other South Pacific countries and there is a mixture of old and new musical instruments being used. Traditional Fijian music like Sigidrigi (a genre of singing around the grog bowl) is still being appreciated by some people in Fiji and abroad and some of the favourite songs are from groups like Voqa Ni Delai Dokidoki, Malumu Ni Tobu kei Naivaukura, and Cagi Ni Delai Yatova to name a few. However, Fijian music has evolved with the times as there are now a variation in sound and style. In the old days, the sound of the lali ni meke [small Fijian drum], guitar and ukulele were prominent in Fijian sigidrigi and these familiar sounds originated around the tanoa (bowl) of yagona(kava) most of the time. The focus then was meeting with people, the enjoyment of singing and listening to music. As time evolved and the music entertainment industry introduced

Recently we have been introduced to opera music through our very own Sunia Soko Loga who was trained in Korea and has won international singing awards. He is now back home and sharing his musical talent and singing genre. In recent years Fiji has also seen the emergence of “remixes” where original songs have been changed or altered for alternative music enjoyment. Some people do not like “remixes” while some people do as it adds more diversity and flavour to a song.

Fiji Music Producer and Critic,Epi Nasaroa says “Fiji Music in terms of sound has progressed very quickly in the past five years from the popular sigidrigi and reggae genre into the commercial pop sphere. This is where we are at today and we hope to keep developing towards new sounds and trends. Examples of this new modern sound can be heard through the works released from VT1s, Natalie Raikadroka and Josa to name a few.” “Also music video production has evolved in terms of creative concepts, fashion and choreography. They’re becoming more complex with artists spending more money on their production. I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 63

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songs from the Internet for free. Piracy or illegal downloading of songs for free has cost artists globally an estimated loss of over USD$12.5 billion. It is no different in Fiji where popular Fijian songs have been downloaded from social media mediums and the Internet for entertainment. As laws become more stringent, it is encouraging to see the law upheld in cases of copyright. In Fiji, laws exist but there is an issue of ensuring that these laws are followed. There are shops that still sell videos and illegally recorded music and it is time to start enforcing copyright laws.

Laisa Vulakoro at NCWF Gala Night.

Budgets range from $500 to $5,000. Artists are collaborating with Fiji fashion designers and stylists together with local hair and makeup artists to achieve the looks that they want.” It seems that the entertainment industry and the music market, now places special emphasis on looks, specific sounds and styles and if this generates income for the artists – then why not.

Digital Music Platform

The entertainment music industry globally is a huge and lucrative market and it is so easy to download 64 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Epi Nasaroa says “We would like to encourage Fijians everywhere to buy Fijian Music from legitimate platforms like ITunes, Amazon and Serenade locally. Also they can stream music via STREAMING platforms like Spotify and Apple music which is the current trend now in music consumption. More people are streaming now as compared to buying.”

Fiji Performing Rights Association Limited

In Fiji, we have the Fiji Performing Rights Association [FPRA] that governs the performing rights of composers and song-writers members. It was established in 1993 and today, the association also represents the rights of over 2 million foreign composers whenever their music is performed in Fiji. This was made possible through

FIPRA Awards – Operatic Group.

a license agreement with the Australasian Performance Rights Association. Annually the Association organises a huge awards night for singing artists, composers and songwriters. Awards are given for various categories and all artists look forward to this event. Commercial companies in Fiji contribute financially through sponsorship to make this night possible. In Fiji, any business that plays music is required to get a license from FPRA and the following categories are as follows: • General business background music – for performances occurring by CD, radio, TV, jukebox • Hotels/Resorts – for performance in public areas and

guest rooms of hotels/resorts • Music on Hold – for performances of music over the telephone as music on hold • Live Artist Performers – for performances of live music by bands, groups, soloists or dancers As Fijian music evolves with the times, there are still remnants of the “old” music that have not disappeared. Every now and then a modern version of a song is created and good memories are recalled making us more aware of the universal chord of music that transitions us through time. I leave you all with this quote – “Without music, life would be a mistake.” – Friedrich Nietzsche. References: www.healthline.com www.liveforlivemusic.com

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Do you dance? by Lorraine Foster

“Have you ever danced?” This was a question that I asked a friend the other day and she told me she had never danced before. I was quite shocked. My ignorant understanding is that everyone danced sometime in their life whether publicly or privately. It seemed that my friend’s life journey from childhood to now as an aging woman was full of sadness and trauma. I was sad for her. So I put on some music and we danced. There was an instant transformation in her behaviour. She became happy. Despite the fear of an imminent and potential heart attack due to lack of fitness, she felt “lighter” and mentally recharged to keep moving forward. Yes Dancing is good for you physically, mentally and spiritually. The researched definition of dance on Wikipedia is that “Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire of movements, or by its historical period or place of origin.” This meaning was a bit too intellectual for me as like music, dancing to me is an expressive form of effective communication.

Image by master1305 on Freepik

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History of Dancing

The history of dancing is difficult to trace as it was not clearly visible in archaeological artefacts but there was an existence of dancing from 9,000 year old cave paintings found in India. In the third millennia BC, dancing was an integral part of religious ceremonies for Egyptians. The evidence was on tomb paintings where the Egyptian priests used musical instruments and dancers to celebrate important events. Ancient Greece also used dancing regularly in public and the famous Greek theatre opened in the 6th century BC. Other countries like India also used dance in their religious ceremonies and some of these dances are still being used today. Not all dances were for religious purposes as the ordinary people used dance for celebration, entertainment, romance etc. In 1400BC, old Egyptian paintings showed scantily dressed girls dancing with wealthy males and supported by many musicians. Dancing was now beginning to be an important part of entertainment. As dancing became prominent in entertainment, some dancing were refined in medieval times and ballet became a vital dance for the wealthy class. After the end of the French Revolution, many new types of dances emerged and became more energetic and in 1844 the “Polka” and “Waltz” made an appearance. I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 67

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The “two person” act started with ballroom dancing and the early years of the 20th century more modern dances were introduced like the Foxtrot, Tango Hip-hop, break dancing etc. Today there is dancing that involve jumping, spinning on your head, hanging from the ceiling, using skates on ice and tapping. The list is endless.

Cultural and Traditional Dancing

Almost every country has it’s own cultural and traditional dancing. In Fiji we have the meke [Fijian Dance] where both women and men can participate. Some mekes are specific to the province as well as their costumes and the music. Fiji also has excellent singing artists whose music are modern and these songs are popular in nightclubs and over the air so they usually motivate people of all ages to dance. In the South Pacific region, there are specific dances that are associated to specific island countries. The hula or tamure is a Polynesian dance and Hawaii, Tahiti, Rotuma and even Samoa perform these dances. India has its own distinct dances and it is known for classical and folk dancing. With the introduction of Bollywood, there has been a fusion of classical with modern dancing. All Bollywood movies have dancing as a major part of the movie and the music, the costumes and the many 68 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

dancers also play an important role in this huge entertainment industry. African dance is embedded deeply in culture and dancing is a communicative visual expression of communal and social values. Historically like music, dancing is an expressive source of spiritual vigour and even a motivational source during wars. But today African dancing is popular around the world and the energetic rhythmic moves are quite popular in fitness routines.

Benefits of Dancing

Dancing is not discriminative and almost everyone can dance irrespective of age, size, shape, colour, disability, level of Income etc. One of the main benefits of dancing is your physical being. It keeps you fit, tones your muscles and improves your heart beat. Today dance exercises like Zumba are very popular and most professional gyms have dance exercises for their members. As dancing involves mostly movement of your body, it improves your balance and strength and depending on the intensity of the movements, it is gentle on your body. Dancing for entertainment and pleasure is always beneficial physically for your body. Dance is very inclusive and if you are able to move any part of your body to music, you are dancing. It is good for your social and emotional being. Movement in dancing comes

from within where you feel the music and dance thus expressing your mood. Without your knowledge, dance helps improve your mental and emotional health by reducing stress, anxiety and depression and boosting self-esteem. Dancing is a popular social activity around the world. It is a great way to socialize and meet people. Wherever there are night clubs, celebrative gatherings and parties there must be dancing, as it is an expressive way of celebrating and being happy.

Tips for Dancing

Those of us who can dance are quiet often seen as “judging” the bad dancers. Our main criticism is that the bad dancer would have no rhythm and not dance in time with the music. My poor dad was always criticized for being a bad dancer as he would often step on mum’s toes if they were having a waltz. No one is a bad dancer and it is about letting go and letting the

music take over your mind and body. Dancing is not be feared and if you are strong enough to stand up and dance publically because you want to – then WHY NOT. Dancing in public is not the only option. If you are shy then dance in the privacy of your own safe space. Everyone must dance with joy at least once in their life. Turn on the music, feel the rhythm of the music and let yourself go. It is as simple as that. Some may decide to take dance classes and in Fiji we have one or two dance companies who give classes for different types of dances. Another idea is dancing in front of the mirror or asking a friend or your partner to help you. Dancing is a good vibe activity and is fun to learn by yourself, with a group or with your family and friends. Try it. If you have not danced – then you must dance at least once in your life!!!!!

To conclude I leave you with this quote – “Why Dance? To feel, relax, escape, empower, enliven, express, create, be free, transform.” - Insbright

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FASHION

T

he face is one of the first things we humans look at when we first meet one another. It is natural to like someone with a pretty face. So when I asked a young gentleman what he found attractive in a young girl, he said “She has to have nice full lips.” I was pleasantly surprised as he did not mention any other part of the female anatomy. It was then that I decided to write about lips in our fashion column… and my research provided interesting facts about lips.

Facts About Lips

Luscious Lips

Image by asierromero on Freepik Image by stockimagefactorycom on Freepik

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One of the main benefits of having lips is that it acts as a barrier to stop bacteria entering the mouth. The lips seals off the mouth preventing bacteria from entering when you breathe, eat or drink. Lips also help form sounds and is critical for speech as they help produce sounds that form words. They may be compressed, brought into contact with the teeth, or rounded to produce vowel lip forms.

face which includes the lips. It seems that full lips is associated with youthfulness and is considered more attractive. Many women undergo cosmetic surgery to make their lips fuller. This is an indication of how vital the look of lips are as a measurement of beauty to some. Each person’s lips are unique as they are caused by chemical formulas in your DNA. They are like finger prints so each individual has her/his own uniqueness. These chemical formulas are able to provide information about your health like infections or allergies. The lips are also said to be an erogenous zone because of their high concentration of nerve endings. They are a very sensitive part of the body and can produce pleasurable feelings when stimulated. Lips have amazing strength in comparison to their size – they are considered the finest muscles in the entire body because they consist of only one muscle, the orbicularis oris.

The human lips also have a large number of nerve endings that makes them sensitive to touch, temperature and pain. The nerve endings provide detailed information about the surrounding environment. They are connected to sensory neurons under the skin surface, which is why pain or injury can be transmitted so quickly.

Your lips can tell you about your overall health status. Healthy lips are moist, full, smooth-textured, and evenly colored. They can be an indicator for certain diseases. For example, excessive dry lips could indicate a problem with your oil glands or even diabetes. Lips that have discoid lupus can show up as butterflyshaped lesions of the lower lip.

As beauty is important to humans, a person can be judged by their

Lips are also one of the most flexible organs in your body. You can I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 71

FASHION

Source: Pinterest

Source: debramiller.com.au

Source: mobile.twitter.com

Source: pinterest.com

make all sorts of shapes with them, from a thin line to a broad smile and everything in between. Lips convey emotions from happiness to sadness through many different facial expressions, and their color indicates levels of arousal of the nervous system.

Heart-shaped lips – This is the most desired lips shape that is characterized by a well-curved cupid’s bow on the upper lip. There is a considerable dip in the upper lip that looks stunning even if you are not using any lipstick. The lower lip is not heavier than the full lips.

Tinted Lip Balm These coloured lip balm serves as a tint and gives the most natural result. It is ideal for dry winter lips and humid weathers like Fiji.

Types of Lips

Top-heavy lips – In this lip shape, the top is heavier than the lower lip and the curve of the cupid’s bow is not as prominent as heart-shaped lips. With the right use of lipstick and lip liner, you can balance the lips and develop an attractive style. Makeup experts often advise using different lipstick shades for upper and lower lips with brighter shades at the bottom and darker shades at the top. Otherwise, you can also underline the top lip leaving a slight space above, and then filing the left space adjusting your skin tone.

Thin lips – These types of lips are quite common across the globe. Thin lips consist of less space in both upper and lower lips. These kinds of lips look great with a little touch of lipsticks. To look natural, many makeup users just apply only lip gloss. However, you can use outliners to add some space for heavy makeup.

All humans have lips unique to ourselves and since it is a prominent part of the face, most women tend to accessorise their lips with various make-up and other products to create a stylish, sassy and classy look. Below are the different types of lips that each and everyone of us may have: Full lips – These are well-balanced lips with accurate shape and size of both upper and lower lips with lower lips slightly protruding. You can balance the lips with the rest of the face makeup or make them the focal point of your look.

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Bottom-heavy lips – Bottom-heavy lips are famous for pouts. Such pouts become more prominent when you apply balanced makeup to enhance the look of the bottom or lower lip.

Wider lips – Not much visible, wider lip owners seize attention when they smile. If you have wider lips, the lips are dominating your facial features. Rather than hiding this, use makeup to make the lips more prominent.

Lip Make Up Products

Lips are one of the most attractive and sensual features of your face. They can make you appear stylish, chic, or even dull and bored. There are different types of lip makeup products available in the market that can make your lips look how you want it to. Furthermore, lip makeup has a key role in face makeup. Below are a few products used to create lovely lips:

Lip Gloss Is a liquid formula that instantly gives your lips shine and glam. Color choices run from clear to black. It’s applied to bare lips or on top of already applied lip makeup (lip liner alone or lip liner plus lipstick combination). Application can be from the tube with its own applicator or a lip brush. Sheer Lipstick Gives a natural moist result and is ideal for everyday use. No lip liner is needed. To apply, tap on with a lip concealer brush or your finger. Semi-matte lipstick Gives more coverage as it has more color pigments than sheer lipstick. Lip liner is optional. Apply with a lip brush or concealer brush.

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FASHION

Cream Lipstick The color pigments are tight and give full coverage but still a beautiful smooth, satiny feel. Lip liner is needed. Apply with a lip brush. Matte Lipstick They show no signs of glimmer what so ever. They are colour intensive and last longer than most other lip products. They also gives the most coverage but have a slightly drying effect on your lips as they do not have much of a moisture content. Lip liner is needed. Apply with a lip brush. Lip Satin Lip satins are the newest in the line of the lip colour range. These are more like markers with a more fluid composition. They have a alcohol content which is why they dry out faster than the other lip products. Gives a long-lasting result but might dry the lips. With these products of course you will need to moisture and exfoliate more often. Apply with a lip brush.

Lip Liner Liners are what we use to demarcate the outer line of our lips. Your liner is to be as close as possible to the color of your lipstick. Don’t over line lips with dark liners because they look unnatural. Line your lips, fill your lips with lipstick. The perfect liner is one that glides perfectly onto your lips and is not very rough when using. In this ever evolving world, it seems that beauty plays an important role in everyday life and it starts with how you look. Therefore lips are one of the major show cases of faces and today lips are accessorised to look a certain way. In some cases cosmetic surgeries are done to alter the shape of lips. With the many evolving lip products available in the market, it is now evident that LIPS are simply important for our beauty and also for the many physical benefits it gives us. Look after your lips it is a crucial part of you.

TINA JACKSON Aircraft Engineer

Value Health Care

References: curiousdesire.com stylecraze.com

BSP Health

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I leave you with this quote “Give a woman the right lipstick and she can conquer the world”

“ I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease), it is cancer of the lymphatic system. I was fortunate that my company, Kokomo Resorts had all our staff covered by BSP Health Insurance. If it was not for the coverage by BSP Health Insurance, I would not be here today. ”

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change by Lorraine Foster Photos Supplied

C

limate change is one of the major challenges for Fiji and the other South Pacific islands. Being surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the islands are one of the most vulnerable in the world. The problems due to our vulnerability are all caused by humans and we must urgently take a collective stance in adapting to the negative effects of climate change in the Pacific. Governments from the vulnerable countries must also scream out louder to developed countries about the rapid pace that the effect of climate change is having on our small South Pacific Islands. The developed countries must also do their part and ensure that industries control their pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are many urgent actions that can be taken and we are hopefully that COP Meetings are effective agents in enforcing all countries not to just sign agreements but do their part in reducing effects of climate change.

In Fiji, there are many adverse effects of climate change, and the maritime islands and the various coastal areas around Fiji are now suffering the consequences through rising tides, increased cyclones, droughts and warm rising oceans to name a few. Fiji as well as the other South Pacific islands have an increasing number of young people who are passionate about being part of the solution to climate change through their daily work. Asinate Namuaira is one such person and she is a young woman advocate who has entered the work field of fighting climate change. Here is her story.

Meet Asinate Namuaira

Asinate Ratu Baleitagova Namuaira is a young climate change advocate who was brought up along the coast of Viseisei, Ba(coastal province in Western Viti Levu on Fiji’s main island) where her paternal link lies. Her maternal link is Serea in Naitasiri( central highland province in Viti Levu). She is an only child and attended Adi Cakobau Secondary School. Her academic qualifications speaks for itself as Climate Change is the main focus. She has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in Climate Change and is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Climate Change.

Image by user6702303 on Freepik

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Her hobbies include baking, hanging out with family and friends and exploring the outdoors. Asinate’s favourite food and beverage is curry chicken and potato salad with her favourite fruit juice. Her favourite music is Tauren Wells – Hills and Valley and her favourite TV series are Grey’s Anatomy and Friends. With loving parents as her mentors and her strongest support system, Asinate went straight to University after leaving Secondary School to study for her degree and she completed it successfully. While doing her post graduate diploma, she did part time work as a Weather Content Developer for Na Draki Weather( a local weather forecast organization). She then applied as an Intern at the Geospatial Division at the Mineral Resources Department and moved up to Project Technical Assistant and also acted on the position of Technical Officer for a period of 3 months at the Mineral Resources Department. This year 2022 Asinate has a new job position as Environment Manager at the Icon Group which is an Australian Construction Group. Based in Denarau, the Icon Group is serious about the surrounding environment in which they construct in and Asinate ensures that all environmental policies are met.

Interest in Climate Change

Asinate’s interest in climate change grew when she watched a documentary on Kiribati where the then President of Kiribati addressed 78 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

the issue and seeing how this related so much to her community. She says “As someone who grew up in the coastal community of Viseisei I have witnessed the impacts of this issue in my very own village. Coastal inundation and storm surges occur in my village during extreme weather events like tropical cyclone seasons or king tide events. I aim to help my community in adapting and being resilient to these issues. I am working on my thesis which focuses on assessing the Impacts of sea level rise and storm surges on a coastal community in Fiji: Case study of Viseisei Chiefly Village.” “I believe Fiji is doing a great job in raising awareness on the effects of climate change regardless of the fact that we contribute the least to carbon emissions. I commend our leaders and reputable organizations on their effort in working with communities in identifying the gaps and addressing them.”

Challenges in Life Journey

In April 2021, Asinate lost her mother to Cancer. It was a challenging period for Asinate as she felt she had lost her best friend who had taught her everything she needed to know about life. Asinate says “My mum was always driving me to pursue greater things and made sure I succeeded. Her teaching is something I hold on to dearly in life and I hope to teach my kids in the future. I overcame

grief by having the mindset that she wouldn’t want me to fail in life and she would want the best for me. I was blessed to have surrounded myself with friends that kept me company during this time.”

Advice to Young Women about Careers

Asinate is a strong believer in her Christian faith and says “My number one advice would be to pray about your future and seek guidance. To be honest, before deciding on something I pray about it and I’m

rest assured that if it’s God’s plan for me, things will work out. Secondly, I’d suggest taking up a course or programme that you are interested in whether it be academic or showcasing your talents in the form of art and/or entrepreneurship. “Go slow and steady. There’s no rush. Even if you have to take one or two units in a semester, that’s ok. What matters is that you have to keep moving forward. Once you put your mind to it, you can achieve it. With the right mindset.” I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 79

CLIMATE CHANGE

Effects of COVID

COVID affected everyone in Fiji and globally and Asinate shares her experience “COVID taught me to value some of the things I took for granted before. Professionally, it had a great influence because we worked from home, and it helped me manage my time more effectively because my work was completed on time and submitted well before the deadlines. Personally, it allowed me to spend as much time as possible with my loved ones.”

Opinion on Social Media

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where almost everyone that knows how to read, has access. Asinate’s opinion about social media is “Social media is a fascinating and spectacular creation and it is without a doubt the most amazing of modern wonders. While social media has its benefits and drawbacks, it is a powerful tool when used constructively.” It’s a fantastic place to meet new people, network, and share ideas.”

Opinion on Domestic Violence Domestic violence remains a concern where Fiji has an average rate of 64% of women being in an intimate relationship and suffering from physical and sexual violence.

Asinate says “It is important to educate people on this topic as society continues to regard domestic violence as normal, or to dismiss it as a private or cultural matter. Domestic violence should not be condoned in society, and the protection of victims and survivors must be prioritized. This issue must become intolerable to all of us, and we must all believe that no one deserves to be assaulted in any way whether physically or psychologically.” I AM WOMAN is always happy to see young women advocates be passionate about climate change and strive towards learning about

it and doing something about it in their daily work. Asinate cannot do it alone and we all must, as a community and a country come together to learn about what can be done to slow down climate change and DO it. I leave you with a quote that must be taken seriously “The time is past when humankind thought it could selfishly draw on exhaustible resources. We know now the world is not a commodity.” – Francois Hollande, Ex-President of the French Republic.

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WALKABOUT

Elections Special

We All Have a Part to Play! For the last couple of weeks, there has been so much upheaval in the country. Mobs in the capital, investigations, people being labelled and referred to legal authorities, drug wars, missing teenagers, near abductions of teenagers, and people giving their running commentaries about events on social media.

Maca Finau

We are bound to ask what is happening, or what has caused all this to happen. I am inclined to believe Canadian psychologist Steven Pinker who once said “Societies that empower women are less violent in every way.” I am also inclined to dwell on the ‘what ifs’.. If women were more empowered and if we had more women in crucial leadership positions, would they have handled things differently? Would all these things that we are facing now have even happened or spiralled into what it is now?

Mereani Saivalu

Milinia Vaqa

Milika Nasilivata

Helen Vena Chandra

Shaireen Nur Nisha

Monica Raghwan

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WALKABOUT

How would they have handled the problems differently? What if we had a woman as Commissioner of Police, What if we had a woman as Commander of the Military Forces, What if we had a woman as Supervisor of Elections, What if we had a woman as Attorney General, What if we had a woman as Chief Justice, What if we had a woman as Governor of the Reserve Bank, What if we had a woman as Prime Minister, What if we had a woman as President. I can hear some of you saying yeah and dreams are free.. but the question I put to you is why not? We have an elections in a few months time and we have nine political parties and for the seven parties that have named proposed candidates, they have announced women in their proposed list of candidates. Mind you, women candidates are still below the 30 percent threshold but what if we have at least fifty percent of all these women elected into parliament, what if we have fifty percent of the elected candidates in cabinet as women. Would they effect change? Would they have a profound effect on laws passed, would they ensure that there is gender parity in all spheres of leadership? Would they ensure that we have more equal budget in all sectors, more scholarships, more leadership positions be given to women. As Michelle Obama once said “ No country can ever flourish if it stifles 84 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

the potential of its women and deprive itself of the contribution of half of its citizen.”

How do we do that?

That is where you and I come in. We have to ensure that the women standing for the elections are not doing it in vain. For years we have cried for Temporary Special Measures and lobbied for more women to be in parliament but never before have we had so many women standing in the elections from so many parties.

Miriama Rayawa

It is our duty to vote them in. We must register and vote them in to effect change. They have done their part and put up their hand to stand in the elections for which we applaud them. You and I now have to do our part and vote them in. Some parties still have not listed their line up but those who have, we applaud them for selecting women in their line up.

Taina Rokotabua

Basundra Kumar

We were able to get names and photos of some of the women. We are sharing photos of those below, but for those who have not, we will continue to update names on our social media pages .

Kirti Patel

We wish all the women the best of luck and may they all get in to parliament. Fiji Labour Party (FLP) Maca Finau Hill

Leba Seni Nabou

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WALKABOUT

Monica Raghwan Miriama Rayawa Milika Nasilivata Taina Rokotabua Mereani Saivalu Shairen Nur Nisha National Federation Party (NFP) Seni Nabou Lenora Qereqeretabua Basundra Deo Kirti Patel Vinay Vikashni Lata People’s Alliance Party (PAP) Liliana Pareti Lynda Tabuya Mereseini Baleilevuka Lavenia Gonerogo Jessica Naevo Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Mere Samisoni Ro Teimumu Kepa Tanya Waqanika Temalesi Dinati Mereoni Rakatia Lydia Elana Lazel Ana Rokomokoti Shweta J Singh Faith Grace Ana Naivou Unity Fiji Adi Sivia Qoro

Fane Kacimaiwai Litiana Bulivou Mereoni Taginadavui Noleen Billings Adi Fane Kacimaiwai Tipo Sagaitu Salacieli Wong We Unite Fiji (WUF) Milinia Vaqa Acalia Dokonivalu

Lenora Qereqeretabua

Fiji First Zarina Begum Reece Helen Veena Chandra Freedom Alliance No announcement New Generation No announcement

Acalia Dokonivalu

Vinay Vikashni Lata

Liliana Pareti

Lynda Tabuya

Zarina Begum Reece

Lavenia Gonerogo

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WALKABOUT

Mereseini Baleilevuka

Hon. Tanya Waqanika

Hon. Ro Teimumu Kepa

Hon. Mere Semisoni

Temalesi Dinati

Lydia Elana Lazel

Shweta Singh

Jessica Naevo 88 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Faith Grace

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WALKABOUT

Mereoni Rakatia

Litiana Bulivou

Adi Fane Kacimaiwai

Salacieli Wong

Mereoni Taginadavui

Ana Rokomokoti

Noleen Billings Hazelman

Tipo Sagaitu

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SME

I

n Fiji there is so much talent in art but COVID has somewhat spurred this industry forward with the use of social media as one of the main media medium for showcasing these local products. Today we have small business owners who dabble in arts for the love of it and some have also realised that it has become their main source of income.

Ledua’s Art Collections by Lorraine Foster Photos Supplied

There is an amazing array of artforms taking on their unique identities and visualised through various products. In this Issue we look at an exceptional mother of three, a woman called Tikosaya Vere Ledua.

Who is Tiko?

With an educational background in Arts, this woman entrepreneur has found her niche in Arts. She has been a painter and interior decorator for over ten years now. Her work experience in various industries urged her to start her own business.

array of products she creates, by checking out her facebook page of the same name. When I asked Tiko what motivated her to start her own business. Her response was instant “I’m a crafty person by nature, and jumping from company to company was a waste of time for me, so beginning my business was always a dream which came true in late 2018.” “During my free time at work back when I was with APCO, I was mostly on Pinterest scrolling away and looking at art painting videos.” From the many videos she watched, she finally convinced herself that she needed to do something for herself. She wanted to leave a legacy behind for her children and she says “When I’m gone someday, the

Her hobbies are crafting and painting and anything crafty. She is one of the few people that don’t really like chicken and she says her favourite food is “anything but chicken” and her favourite beverage is lemon juice. Her favourite music is gospel and it reflects her personal relationship as a Christian, to God.

Ledua’s Art Collections

Tiko’s business is called Ledua’s Art Collection and you can see the wide 92 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Tiko Ledua At the Markets.

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SME

project, she then hires outsiders. As she continues to work hard for her business, her future plan is to expand her market and getting her Art recognised both locally and overseas. Personally I think her business is beginning to expand to overseas markets as recently her textiles were purchased by an organization in the United Kingdom.

Challenges Faced business is there for my tiny little family.” Ledua’s Art Collections started in 2018 and was called Loinaca’s Art Collection which was initially named after her two children. She found it difficult to register under the original name but the new name was registered. Currently Ledua’s Art Collection sells abstract artworks for home interiors, textile art and recently Tiko has diversified to upcycling artworks and furniture as she is now turning her business to a “green one” where the environment is important. Her business is advertised mainly through Face Book and word of mouth. You will never miss Tiko at most of the popular markets we have in Suva. She is at the ROC Market and other markets that are available. She is certainly a gogetter. So if you by any chance pass her stall, have a look and you will be tempted to buy the unique products she sells. 94 I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19

Her popular products are her art pieces, tyre styling couches and newspaper baskets. It is good to see companies like Holiday Inn use her newspaper baskets. They make excellent holders for food and other knick-knacks. So we encourage you to take a peek online and order yours today. When I asked Tiko what makes her business different from others, she humbly said “I guess it’s how we solving our environmental issues where we minimize rubbish that normally goes out to the landfill, add value into it and sell it to generate revenues to my business. And the authenticity of products that are advertised, because our raw materials are locally available, environmentally friendly and promote sustainable living in the Pacific.” Wise words from a “greenie”.

Tiko’s major challenge is finding bigger space to do her big art work that ideally are for Resorts, commercial companies or private collectors who collect big art work. She says “God’s time is always the best.”

Opinion on Arts in Fiji

“It is amazing, there’s so much competition out there, and I’m glad I’m in a creative space, where I am inspired by so many talented artists out there, to continue on doing me, and always find room to improve on how to always being a “Purple Cow” out there in the business world.”

Opinion on Effects of COVID

“I believe many SMEs were truly affected by COVID, and I thank God for COVID. It helped me put on my thinking cap again, which helped my business diversify into making sarongs and other fabric art, which I noticed people were willing to spend money on, rather than wall decors.” I was truly amazed with Tiko as there was so much positivity that emanated from her. She ended her story with these amazing words “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for God. I personally thank God and the Holy Spirit for being my inspiration every single day when I wake up, from gazing at sunrise to sunset. All His creation was and still is my biggest inspiration and I will be always in awe for that, and to my husband who is always there when I needed him.” It is good to have friends who promote so much positive vibes and I leave you all with this quote – “Nothing Will Be Done Unless you Do” – Maya Angelo.

Tiko’s husband and her children are her helpers and help their mum in the weekends and if Tiko has a big I AM WOMAN ISSUE 19 95

LEST WE FORGET

I

n this Issue we remember women who had contested elections, won their various seats and been elected into government in the past. We have selected the women below as they had been candidates and were not nominated. The women represented the

diverse parties existing in the early period of Fiji’s history. The earlier candidates would have been elected from a constituency which is beside their name whereas the latter candidates would be contesting on one constituency under the proportional representation.

Lavenia Kau WainiqoloPadarath (July 13th 1944July 14th, 2019)

Dr Jiko Fatafehi Luveni (1946- 22 Dec 2018)

Bulou Akanisi Lagilagikobau Koroitamana (11th April 1945- 20th Feb,2022)

Adi Kuini Teimumu Vuikaba Speed ( Dec 23rd 1949- De 31st 2004)

Irene Jai Narayan (23rd Feb -29th July-2011)

FIJI LABOUR PARTY 1999: Won the Nausori Naitasiri Open seat 1999: Served as Minister for Women, Culture and Social Welfare in the government that was toppled in a civilian coup a year later. She was imprisoned for 35 days following the 2000 coup in parliament in the mutiny 2006: Senator in the Upper House 2011: Appointed President of Labour Party after death of leader 2015-2019: President of the Labour Party Founding member of the Fiji Labour Party

FIJI FIRST PARTY 2008-2014: Was invited to be Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation after military coup of 2007 2014-2018: Elected into parliament then appointed as Speaker of Parliament First Woman to be Speaker of Parliament First Fijian woman to graduate as a dentist from the Fiji School of Medicine

PARTY OF NATIONAL UNITY (PANU) 1999: Won the North West Urban seat. 1999-2000: Government backbencher but was imprisoned for 35 days following the 2000 coup.

FIJI LABOUR PARTY/FIJIAN ASSOCIATION PARTY A Fijian high chief and politician, 1989: Leader of Labour Party after the death of Dr Bavadra 1995-98: Fijian Association Party (FAP) Vice President 1999: FAP Party Leader won 11 of the 71 seats in Parliament 1999-2000: Served as Deputy Prime Minister but in 19th May were ousted in a civilian coup by George Speight

NATIONAL FEDERATION PARTY First Indo Fijian Woman Member of Parliament 1966-1972: Nominated as Member of the Legislative Council (Suva Indian Communal seat) 1972,1977,1982: Member of the House of Representatives. Won Elections (Suva Indian Communal seat) 1976-79: President of the Party 1977-1979: Opposition Whip 1979-1985: Deputy Leader of Opposition 1987-1992: Minister of Indian Affairs 1994-1999: Senator

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(widow of the late DR Timoci Bavadra who was PM in 1987 – then married Clive Speed)

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