Pacific Notes
Pacific Notes
Fiji Descendants
Apology For Missionary Meal
The highest form of native Fijian apology, i soro, was given on Nov. 13 in interior Viti Levu to descendants of Wesleyan missionary Thomas Baker. Baker and eight Fijian followers were attacked with axes and clubs, then cooked and eaten 136 years ago.
In 1867, the Nabutautau chief received the whale’s tooth, a traditional form of requesting Baker’s death, from neighboring chiefs. They were hill tribes, whose reputation as ferocious warriors was feared even by the colonial British constabulary.
- ADVERTISEMENT -
For years, Baker’s shoe soles (which were apparently unpalatable), his diary, his Bible, and a cannibal fork and bowl used to share his flesh have been on display at the Fiji Museum. The isoro was held at Nabutautau village in Navatusila district of the Navosa province. The village has thought itself cursed ever since Baker’s last supper. Nabutautau has little modern infrastructure and the village children generally do not do well in school.
Baker was an Englishman born in Playden, Sussex. He arrived in Fiji with his young family in 1859 and he was the first to attempt to evangelize the hill tribes. Baker’s great-great grandson, Geoff Lester of Australia, attended the ceremony with other Baker descendants. Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase was in attendance along with members of the Great Council of Chiefs and an estimated 600 onlookers.
Addressing the descendants of the Baker family, an emotional chief Ratu Filimoni Nawawabalavu said, “In the past, we had asked for forgiveness from two churches, but we knew that our hardships never went away and we were always at debt because there was no one from your family or the families of the local missionaries who were with them.”
Nawawabalavu is a direct descendant and namesake of the chief who agreed to Baker’s killing. He was laden with whale’s tooth pendants and dressed in traditional masi (bark cloth). His emotions resulted in tears flowing easily. His voice cracked, hardly audible as he spoke of his people’s remorse and their need “to be free of the bondage.” More tears flowed as the Baker family and Nawawabalavu embraced before the symbolic Holy Communion and wreath laying at the site of the Baker’s death.
GCC members, Naistairi chief Ratu Inoke Takiveikata and Bau chief Ratu Epenisa Cakobau, also apologized, since their ancestors had requested Baker’s killing.
“This is history for the village and the country and it came at a right time when we are working towards reconciliation,’’ Qarase said after the ceremony. The Baker family intends to build a school for the Navatusila children. A spokesman said the villagers’ remorse was felt and that their ceremony now sealed everything.
Not everyone agreed that the apology was necessary though. The International Raelian Movement declared there was no curse. In a message to the Navatusila people, the Movement leader says on its Web site that Baker’s killing was nothing compared to the “crimes of Christianizers and missionaries, slave traders and others who committed genocides all around the world against the Incas, the Aztecs, the American Indians, the Muslims, the Jewish ... and many other minorities. Actually, if all those people would have done the same thing and their ancestors had eaten the first Christian missionaries, they might have avoided their own disappearance.”
—Matelita Ragogo
The Region
Deputy Sheriff’s Shield
“Australia has decided in principle to participate in the U.S. missile defense program and will be working with the United States to determine the most appropriate form of participation by Australia.” This, according to a communiqué released by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The announcement provoked renewed comment in the regional press about Australia’s deputy sheriff role in the region. Opposition politicians complained that the plan represented great expense and great damage to Australia’s foreign relations as the Howard government increasingly aligns itself with the U.S. Bush Administration.
“In taking this decision,” the release continued, “the Government was guided by its assessment of Australia’s longer-term strategic interests in a global and regional environment made less certain by the threat from WMD and ballistic missile proliferation. The Australian Government believes that taking part in the missile defense program will serve Australia’s strategic and defense interests and make an important contribution to global and regional security.”
Defense Minister Robert Hill told The Australian that, “The technology is already there to do it.” Hill said he was hopeful of signing a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. by mid-2004. Australian military analysts, however, told The Australian they are doubtful, that the technology is there and skeptical about the strategic outcome of the plan.
The Indonesian government has reacted with concern to Australia’s decision. A government spokesman, Marty Natalegawa, says the system risks destabilizing the region. “Indonesia’s belief has always been the introduction of such a system risks creating destabilization here in the region, in the sense that there may be an arms race that would follow as a result,” Natalegawa said.
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer dismissed claims the defense program will cause China to start a regional arms race as absurd. “They’ve been very moderate in their response,” Downer says. “I don’t think you could say that they’ve been supportive of this particular proposal. “But I think they increasingly understand this isn’t directed at China, or isn’t designed to intervene in the China-Taiwan issue, which is, of course, their great area of sensitivity.”
—Scott Whitney
Northern Marianas
Republican Party Upset
In an election that could have major implications for the 2005 general elections, the Covenant Party, led by former House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial captured the mid-term elections by putting nine of its members in the 18 seats of the House of Representatives.
The dominant Republican Party, which two years ago won a landslide election in the gubernatorial, Senate and House races and the Washington Representative’s office, lost seven seats in the lower house and now appears to have lost the leadership posts. In the upper house, incumbent Senate President Paul A. Manglona built a coalition with the Covenant party senators to form the majority. Manglona is a staunch supporter of Gov. Juan N. Babauta. About 85 percent of the electorate cast their votes.
The bi-cameral legislature consists of 16 House members from Saipan, and one each from Rota and Tinian. The Senate has nine members, three each from Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
The result could mean tougher times for the Republican administration of Gov. Juan Babauta. Political observers predict that although there is a call for cooperation with the Republican administration from the Covenant Party members before the election, the next two years will be tougher for Gov. Babauta.
There is an obvious rift between Republicans Babauta, House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider and Washington Representative Pedro A. Tenorio. Tenorio ran political advertisements in both local newspapers two days before the election inviting Babauta and Lieutenant Governor Diego T. Benavente to join him in supporting the Republican candidates. Hofschneider is believed to be eyeing Babauta’s seat in 2005.
Hofschneider took the blame for the Republicans loss in the House. Saying he respects the decision of the people, Hofschneider said the loss by some incumbents dealt a serious blow to long-time members who are experienced lawmakers.
Babauta’s spokesman, Peter Callahan, told Pacific Magazine he doesn’t see the loss of the House Republicans as problematic. He said the governor “shares the people’s observation of the inaction and grandstanding” in the House during the past two years.
Political observer, historian and Northern Marianas College professor Sam McPhetres said the Covenant Party was the most organized and well-financed of the three political parties. “They have an agenda and it is the only party that has a platform.” He also agreed with Callaghan that the people are “fed up” with the status quo and in-fighting, which resulted in the two Senate and seven House incumbents losing their seats.
—Frank S. Rosario
American Samoa
Reservists To Iraq
The U.S. Army Reserve’s 793rd Engineering Detachment Utility, which is based in American Samoa, is being mobilized for active duty in Iraq. The reserve engineering unit is one of the first in the region, not including Hawaii, to be called up for duty in Iraq.
First Sergeant Lima T. Togia said that as early as this month between 30 and 75 members of the engineering company may be deployed. The unit will do refresher combat training in Hawaii before heading to Iraq. Army trainers have already been visiting the territory to prepare those called up.
“We don’t know our mission until we get there,” says First Sgt. Togia. “We’re engineering, but they can have us pulling security.”
First Sgt. Togia’s family has reason for worry—two American Samoans have died in Iraq since Operation Iraqi Freedom began March 19. U.S. Army Private Jonathan I. Falaniko was killed Nov. 3 near the Al Khadra Police Station in downtown Baghdad when a nearby vehicle containing an improvised explosive device detonated. And U.S. Army Specialist Farao Kevin Letufuga died Aug. 4 after falling from a building rooftop while performing guard duty in Mosul, Iraq.
Even so, says First Sgt. Togia, “I’m not afraid. I think we all know the situation down there. We’re back to guerilla warfare and we don’t know who the enemy is. That’s the most dangerous thing.”
In a recent press release, U.S. Congressman Faleomavaega Eni thanked American Samoa’s veterans and active duty service members for their sacrifices. He also recalled his words at the Nov. 7 morning funeral service of U.S. Army Private Falaniko at Arlington National Cemetery: “Like others before them, like more to come, Jonathan and Kevin gave their lives so that you and I may live in freedom. Let us not forget them.”
—Elizabeth Kirkland
Marshall Islands
Voters Return Pres. Note for Second Term
Marshall Islands voters returned Pres. Kessai Note’s United Democratic Party for a new four-year term, following the Nov. 17 national election. The results show that Note will have a 20-member majority—an increase of one seat—in the 33-seat Nitijela (parliament).
Although there was the heaviest off-shore vote ever—more than 2,700 Marshall Islanders living in the United States and elsewhere cast votes—the flood of postal absentee votes had little overall impact in the election, despite opposition Ailin Kein Ad Party candidates generally gaining more postal votes than their UDP competitors. The postal vote impacted only the Ailinglaplap race by helping incumbent senator and traditional chief Christopher Loeak to win by eight votes after he had lost on the domestic count.
UDP candidate Donald Capelle, long-time secretary of health and most recently secretary of foreign affairs, upset six-term incumbent AKA Sen. Tom Kijiner at Likiep, while UDP newcomer Mattlan Zackhras defeated AKA leader Tony deBrum at Namdrik. Two other AKA incumbents—Loeak and Utrik’s Hiroshi Yamamura—were able to survive UDP challengers by the slim margins of eight and four votes, respectively. The only UDP incumbent not to win reelection was six-term Kwajalein Sen. Ataji Balos.
There will be seven new faces when the Nitijela convenes in early January, a 21 percent turnover. The new senators will be Michael Kabua and Jeban Riklon from Kwajalein, Irumne Bondrik from Lib, Caious Lucky from Ujae, Fountain Inok from Wotho, Capelle from Likiep and Zackhras from Namdrik.
—Giff Johnson
CNMI
Port Security Questioned
The Port of Saipan, the economic lifeline of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is not in any danger of being closed by federal authorities as officials of the Commonwealth Ports Authority vowed to meet the deadline of submitting its security plan with the help of a Washington D.C.-based company by Dec. 31, 2003. The US$58 million port, completed in 1997, was the focus of the Transportation Security Administration’s demands to upgrade its security plans or face closure.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta signed a contract for US$200,000 with Federated Sector Enterprises in early November, which together with Virginia-based Science Applications International Corporation, will provide consultants to come up with security plans for the CNMI seaport, power plants and fuel storage facilities.
The two U.S. companies found the seaports on Saipan, Tinian and Rota woefully lacking security personnel and equipment. This poses threats to passenger and cargo ships, fuel storage facilities and the military pre-position ships anchored off Saipan harbor. The loss of the power plants and tank fuel farms would have “catastrophic” effect in the entire CNMI, according to a preliminary threat assessment study obtained by Pacific Magazine. The CNMI is the closest U.S. territory to Asia and controls its own immigration. This allows non-resident workers to be employed in the private sector. Most of these workers are from Korea, the Philippines, People’s Republic of China and Bangladesh. Terrorist activities in nearby countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines present security challenges to the seaport, the report stated.
—Frank S. Rosario
Taiwan
New Pacific NGO Takes Shape
Anew non-governmental organization, which seeks to draw on the experience of Austronesian communities as far north as Taiwan and as far south as New Zealand, was born in the Taiwanese capital Taipei in November.
Representatives from Fiji, Palau, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands and Tuvalu attended a “leaders’ meeting” organized by Taiwan’s cabinet-level Council of Indigenous Peoples. They agreed on a charter for the Forum of Austronesian Cooperation and Exchange, which will provisionally be headquartered in Taipei.
Fijian Sen. Adi Litia Cakobau, who attended the meeting, said FACE would be funded through regionally-owned, sustainable economic projects, which would also generate enough money to survey the region’s natural and human resources.
“Once we have created a database of what we have, what we are losing and what goods and services we can create,” Cakabau said, “we can plan our national and regional development that will help us to use our resources in a profitable but sustainable manner.”
The birth of FACE came during the 2003 Austronesian International Convention, at which Taiwanese Premier Yu Shyi-kun announced a proposal to build a US$140 million Austronesian culture research park in the southeastern city of Taitung.
The proposed park, the budget for which has yet to be approved, would have research and tourism facilities. A research and data collection center for Austronesian culture would bring together more than 30 academics, while a village reconstructed from data from around the southwestern Pacific Basin and a center for dance performances and handicraft workshops would attract tourists.
This annual convention is part of Taiwan’s efforts to boost ties with its Pacific Island allies by portraying itself as the homeland of all Austronesian peoples. The disputed theory that proto-Austronesians developed in Taiwan about 8,000 years ago and made their way south through the Philippines, first proposed by Professor Peter Bellwood of the Australian National University in Canberra, once again appeared at this year’s convention.
—Graham Norris
