Stuff We Like
Stuff We Like
Vaniah Alafia Toloa (Musician)
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| Vania Alafia Toloa stands (center) with two fans. |
Tokelau-born Samoan artist Vaniah Alafia Toloa is breathing new life into Pacific entertainment with the release of “E le Galo Oe,” dedicated to late Samoan Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II.
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But “E Le Galo Oe” also evokes many other aspects of life in sovereign Samoa- God and faith, one’s loving parents and family, the victory of Manu Samoa at the Hong Kong and Wellington Sevens, love, heartache, poverty, school life and pride, friends, fun, laughter and the spirit of sharing to help others. Just about anything inspires him to write: a good party with interesting characters, conversations and even something funny he might see at-a-glance. Sometimes inspiration comes when he is without a pen or paper and he has been known to write lyrics with rocks from the “umu” on Bongo wrappers.
Toloa is due to perform in Hawaii late 2007 and released a special compilation during the South Pacific Games in Samoa late August. One popular track, “O oe o le Toa” pays tribute to the U.S. soldiers from American Samoa, the Toa O Samoa. Of any U.S. jurisdiction—state or territory—American Samoa has the highest death rate per capita in the ongoing war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
—Cellestina F. Mata’afa
Struggling For A Better Living (DVD)
Struggling For A Better Living is an important and well-made documentary that should be required viewing for policy makers in all Pacific Island countries with exponentially increasing population and urbanization rates.
Produced by prominent Fiji filmmaker Larry Thomas, it takes you into the settlements and homes of Fiji’s poor. Their voices—usually marginalized—are amplified in this film as they describe how they ended up in squatter settlements, their struggle to survive and their hopes for the future. For some it was eviction after the expiry of long-term leases that prompted the move, for others increasing rents, the need to be closer to work, or good schools for their children.
Latest estimates put 12.5 percent of Fiji’s population as squatter settlement dwellers and suggest there are more than 182 of these settlements around the country.
As one social worker comments, the concept of solisolivaki—or working together to make improvements in the physical environment of the settlements— needs to be encouraged.
The same need is clear nationally. Government officials—the documentary was produced before the December 2006 coup—are notable by their absence, although former Director of Housing and Squatter settlements Dharam Raj is interviewed. This absence reflects, more than one interviewee suggests, a lack of strategies, empathy and creativity from successive governments on how to improve the lot of squatters.
The enduring impression you are left with is that the people living in these settlements, far from being lazy as is often suggested: work ceaselessly, that the simplest household task requires real effort if you don’t have running water or power, and that everyone is toiling, from the 13 year old boy selling corn on the streets on the weekend to the old women cooking and caring for their extended families.
While Struggling for A Living advocates the need for creative solutions from institutions and residents themselves, the children interviewed ensure the situation doesn’t feel entirely hopeless. High school student Tamaima Kotobalavu says the struggles she and her family face now, help her to be a good leader in the future.
Struggling For A Better Living was produced by Larry Thomas for the Citizen's Constitutional Forum. It can be bought from the USP Book Center or the Citizen's Constitutional Forum office in Suva for F$30.
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Produced by prominent Fiji filmmaker Larry Thomas, it takes you into the settlements and homes of Fiji’s poor. Their voices—usually marginalized—are amplified in this film as they describe how they ended up in squatter settlements, their struggle to survive and their hopes for the future. For some it was eviction after the expiry of long-term leases that prompted the move, for others increasing rents, the need to be closer to work, or good schools for their children.
Latest estimates put 12.5 percent of Fiji’s population as squatter settlement dwellers and suggest there are more than 182 of these settlements around the country.
As one social worker comments, the concept of solisolivaki—or working together to make improvements in the physical environment of the settlements— needs to be encouraged.
The same need is clear nationally. Government officials—the documentary was produced before the December 2006 coup—are notable by their absence, although former Director of Housing and Squatter settlements Dharam Raj is interviewed. This absence reflects, more than one interviewee suggests, a lack of strategies, empathy and creativity from successive governments on how to improve the lot of squatters.
The enduring impression you are left with is that the people living in these settlements, far from being lazy as is often suggested: work ceaselessly, that the simplest household task requires real effort if you don’t have running water or power, and that everyone is toiling, from the 13 year old boy selling corn on the streets on the weekend to the old women cooking and caring for their extended families.
While Struggling for A Living advocates the need for creative solutions from institutions and residents themselves, the children interviewed ensure the situation doesn’t feel entirely hopeless. High school student Tamaima Kotobalavu says the struggles she and her family face now, help her to be a good leader in the future.
Struggling For A Better Living was produced by Larry Thomas for the Citizen's Constitutional Forum. It can be bought from the USP Book Center or the Citizen's Constitutional Forum office in Suva for F$30.
