OFF THE WALL
(Featured in The Fiji Times, Wednesday 30/07/2008, p7)
I had the opportunity last week to watch a moving and thought-provoking performance. No, not the “Sorry I confused you by switching cars on the way to the office;” or “Sorry to disappoint you but I’m not resigning,” performance. The performance I refer to had amateur performers. And they didn’t change their tune even once until the song was over.
I am of course referring to the Suva Secondary Schools Music Festival, held at what I’ve always known to be the National Gymnasium (not that I’ve ever seen a gymnastic performance there) which is today almost the ignored older brother (or sister) of the larger Dome/Arena of Sports City in Suva. As an International School Student, I remember performing many a strange display of contemporary dance at this venue; or sitting high up in the back (in theatre-speak those seats are often referred to as the “God’s”) trying luck on whichever poor girl was the object of my obsession at the time. More recently I remember being a ring-announcer to one of those boxing nights when “Joy-the-leaving-on-a-Jetplane” never showed up. “Let’s get ready to rum-ble!” Or maybe not, as the case was.
I was fortunate to get tickets for the family to watch the Wednesday night performance of some 400 young people from schools of the greater-Suva area as well as the Pasifika Voices, wonderful Taiko drummers and of course the arrangement and conducting of among others, the very talented and humble (as only the son of a Samoan Talatala can be)Iglese Ete. For those who never got to watch Malaga: The Journey, or attend the USP’s graduation day, it was wonderful to see an actual musical maestro (as opposed to the 7’s rugby one we know and love) in action. Choreographed movements and song seamlessly flowed to “inspire” at least one member of the audience, who emailed me later.
Some wanted more…well most wanted more music, but one or two wanted more out of the show; but my own experience was sublime, disrupted only by my dear children, who wanted first to go up to the stage and sing, then go up and dance, then go up and play the drums, then go up and conduct. Their mother who is visiting George Bush’s relatives (oh sorry.. it’s only in the Pacific that everyone is related) in the United States (actually on a wonderful history workshop facilitated by the US Embassy here), missed out on the show and the joy of having two children wanting you to carry them and sit on your shoulders, or go to the toilet (not to be confused with the other BOG next door), when your favourite song is about to be sung. Ah the joys of parenthood!
The coming together of rival schools to sing duets of appropriately titled songs got me thinking that instead of all this money being spent on councils to weave better mats could be equally (or better – your choice, this article is democratic) spent on putting together a Choir for Singing about a Better Fiji. Of course those singing about a new day (no offence but I prefer the Stevie J. Heatley version) could be in the back up choir as could all the former, or in-limbo members of parliament and former or current members of the military-inspired Cabinet. There’d even be enough room for the military council and the rest of the other councils. However the stars of the night would be the duet singers. Here a couple of suggestions for songs.
1. Let it Flow (originally sung by Toni Braxton) Mahendra Chaudhry and the Water Bottlers
2. Message in a Bottle (originally sung by The Police) Mahendra Chaudhry and the Cabinet
3. Get Back to Where You Don’t Belong (originally sung by The Beatles) Evan Hannah, Russell Hunter and Viliame Naupoto (okay that’s a trio)
4. Ain’t No Sunshine (when He’s gone) (originally sung by Bill Withers/covered by Skee) Frank Bainimarama and Pramesh Chand
5. What’s Going On (originally sung by Marvin Gaye) Neumi Leweni and Daryl Tarte
6. How Can We Be Lovers If We Can’t Be Friends? (originally sung by Michael Bolton) Frank Bainimarama and Laisenia Qarase
7. Another Brick in the Wall (originally sung by Pink Floyd) John Samy and the TASS singers
8. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (sung by UB40) Tukana Bovoro and Taito Waradi
Next week: “Heroes and Villains.”
Have a week blessed with Love, Light and Peace!
Disclaimer: Rev. Bhagwan is a member of the Faculty of the Methodist Davuilevu Theological College. The opinions expressed in this article are personal and in no way represent the opinion of the College or the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Metatron's Cube
Metatron is the angel of the presence of the Lord... and also happens to be Santana's muse....
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Chill Babe, its only Democrazy
The FAME (Fiji Awards for Media Excellence) people still have yet to come up with a category for profound malapropisms... which could be sponsored by the Military Regime's Department of Silly Talks. Case in point, the statement by Military Council's Attorney-General, El Haj Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that we should not obsess over March 2009 election timetable (Fiji Sun 15/7/08). This to a people who are constantly accused, by those from more time-efficient cultures, of following "Fiji-time", moku-siga and my favourite Fiji Islands mantra, "why do yesterday what you could do next week."
I know the Sayed-Khaiyum family, consider Aiyaz and Riyaz close friends and have even celebrated Eid with their family. So this isn't a personal attack. However, I would like to take on this call to be less obsessed with time and take it as far as it goes. Could he then ask FICRA, FEA, Telecom and all those places that we have accounts and dinau to also not obsess about timelines for payments?
And if...oops... I mean...when this Elections, which is taking in eschatological proportions (i.e. almost as big as the Second Coming of my and maybe your Lord) does happen, again if Il Duce/Herr Diktator /Comrade Frank and the Politburo..er..Military Council do feel Fiji (the country), at 36 years old and counting, is eligible to vote; will they kindly not obsess over how long it will take bubu to come from the koro to vote and keep the poll booths open late to allow for last minute vote-shopping, vote-buying and vote casting?
And if we're a bit slow from all the kava we've been drinking while we've been waiting for our chance to vote, will they give us time (and allow us to keep our sunglasses on) to try and make sense of the ballot paper or meditate and reflect on who we should vote for ... or just take a short nap?
Mind you while we're not obsessing over time here, may be they'll tell us not to obsess over the timeline between casting votes and the announcement of who won the lottery and gets to be the next government to be removed at gunpoint.
Well at least there's an upside... we pulpit pounders may not have to worry about people looking at their watches if our sermons are too long... as long as we're preaching about the elections.
I know the Sayed-Khaiyum family, consider Aiyaz and Riyaz close friends and have even celebrated Eid with their family. So this isn't a personal attack. However, I would like to take on this call to be less obsessed with time and take it as far as it goes. Could he then ask FICRA, FEA, Telecom and all those places that we have accounts and dinau to also not obsess about timelines for payments?
And if...oops... I mean...when this Elections, which is taking in eschatological proportions (i.e. almost as big as the Second Coming of my and maybe your Lord) does happen, again if Il Duce/Herr Diktator /Comrade Frank and the Politburo..er..Military Council do feel Fiji (the country), at 36 years old and counting, is eligible to vote; will they kindly not obsess over how long it will take bubu to come from the koro to vote and keep the poll booths open late to allow for last minute vote-shopping, vote-buying and vote casting?
And if we're a bit slow from all the kava we've been drinking while we've been waiting for our chance to vote, will they give us time (and allow us to keep our sunglasses on) to try and make sense of the ballot paper or meditate and reflect on who we should vote for ... or just take a short nap?
Mind you while we're not obsessing over time here, may be they'll tell us not to obsess over the timeline between casting votes and the announcement of who won the lottery and gets to be the next government to be removed at gunpoint.
Well at least there's an upside... we pulpit pounders may not have to worry about people looking at their watches if our sermons are too long... as long as we're preaching about the elections.
Methodist Heretic Lets Loose On Blogsphere
Former Fiji MTV-rocker turned Benny Hinn-impersonator, Rev. James Bhagwan, has launched his first blog since being kindly asked to refrain from writing anti asian and anti media statements on the Asia Communications Network Blog which he who occasionally wrote for. Rev. Bhagwan who was threatened with being put into the same category as Rev. Akuila "red red wine" Yabaki, by the Methodist Church after publicly claiming that Jesus was not a Methodist, launched his own blog last weekend to coincide with the Catholic Mass Mosh in Sydney and the ROC Market in Suva. It has already been criticised by critics for being too serious, with not enough humour. Bhagwan has retorted by claiming that the critics are also not Methodists and reminding people that if they want the funny stuff on a regular basis, then they can jolly well buy “Living in Fiji” (because no-one else will publish him).
Monday, July 21, 2008
Oceania at Risk from Biotechnology Exploitation and Genetically-Modified Food
The biodiversity of Oceania is at high risk of exploitation by Biotechnology companies and Pacific Islanders maybe on the horizon of a major food security risk from genetically modified food
In December 2007, I represented the Pacific Conference of Churches at a Global Consultation on Genetics and New Biotechnologies and the Ministry of the Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I shared my concern that while economic development is important for the nations of Pacific; governments and churches need to examine the possible negative social, economic and health implications of the introduction of farming of genetically-modified crops for export or local consumption.
Looking at the devastation of communities, local economies and cultures by the actions of Biotechnology companies involved in Genetically-Modified crop farming such as Monsanto, in Mexico, Paraguay and Latin America, but also the impact of large-scale GM farming on small farmers in North America, the Pacific needs to heed the "writing on the wall" and be proactive in this area.
The danger of overlooking the health and social implications and focusing on the immediate economic benefits for a few, when looking to introduce the planting of GM crops, is real.
Already we have heard of the States of Victoria and New South Wales in Australia, not renewing the ban on growing genetically-modified crops. This has direct implications on Pacific Islanders as many of our countries import food products from Australia.
Genetically Modified Foods, Plants, Animals, Additives, Body Products, Fish, Crops and Trees have had their genes manipulated, changed, and put into other species that normally they would not mate with, blend with, consume, or grow in. Incredible combinations have been produced, and have been found to have mutations, diseases, abnormalities and trigger other diseases that otherwise may have remained dormant.
14 South Pacific countries - American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu - have recommended a moratorium on the import of GMOs pending the implementation of appropriate national risk assessment and risk management procedures. However, no firm actions have been taken although, Bhagwan noted, some local consumer councils have called for the labeling of products containing Genetically-Modified material.
As the sugar industry in Fiji continues to struggle, the possibility that the industry may turn to GM sugarcane for increased sugar quantity must be accepted and addressed. With the continuing exploitation of the biodiversity of Oceania and the repeated attempts by biotechnology companies to use Pacific Islanders as research subjects, as in the Cook Islands, and acquire rights to their DNA, as in Tonga, there is a need for Churches to provide ethical and theological advice to Governments in the region.
Churches need to be included in advisory committees within Environment and Agricultural departments and ministries dealing with biodiversity and the implementation of new technology. It is also important that consumer councils, NGOs and CSOs as well as mainstream media recognise the need for the public to be conscious not just about where their food comes from and how it was produced, but who has suffered in the process.
In December 2007, I represented the Pacific Conference of Churches at a Global Consultation on Genetics and New Biotechnologies and the Ministry of the Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I shared my concern that while economic development is important for the nations of Pacific; governments and churches need to examine the possible negative social, economic and health implications of the introduction of farming of genetically-modified crops for export or local consumption.
Looking at the devastation of communities, local economies and cultures by the actions of Biotechnology companies involved in Genetically-Modified crop farming such as Monsanto, in Mexico, Paraguay and Latin America, but also the impact of large-scale GM farming on small farmers in North America, the Pacific needs to heed the "writing on the wall" and be proactive in this area.
The danger of overlooking the health and social implications and focusing on the immediate economic benefits for a few, when looking to introduce the planting of GM crops, is real.
Already we have heard of the States of Victoria and New South Wales in Australia, not renewing the ban on growing genetically-modified crops. This has direct implications on Pacific Islanders as many of our countries import food products from Australia.
Genetically Modified Foods, Plants, Animals, Additives, Body Products, Fish, Crops and Trees have had their genes manipulated, changed, and put into other species that normally they would not mate with, blend with, consume, or grow in. Incredible combinations have been produced, and have been found to have mutations, diseases, abnormalities and trigger other diseases that otherwise may have remained dormant.
14 South Pacific countries - American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu - have recommended a moratorium on the import of GMOs pending the implementation of appropriate national risk assessment and risk management procedures. However, no firm actions have been taken although, Bhagwan noted, some local consumer councils have called for the labeling of products containing Genetically-Modified material.
As the sugar industry in Fiji continues to struggle, the possibility that the industry may turn to GM sugarcane for increased sugar quantity must be accepted and addressed. With the continuing exploitation of the biodiversity of Oceania and the repeated attempts by biotechnology companies to use Pacific Islanders as research subjects, as in the Cook Islands, and acquire rights to their DNA, as in Tonga, there is a need for Churches to provide ethical and theological advice to Governments in the region.
Churches need to be included in advisory committees within Environment and Agricultural departments and ministries dealing with biodiversity and the implementation of new technology. It is also important that consumer councils, NGOs and CSOs as well as mainstream media recognise the need for the public to be conscious not just about where their food comes from and how it was produced, but who has suffered in the process.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)