Dear Editor-Please allow me space in your paper.
Now that a coverage of the celebrations at Hageulu has appeared in Issue 4154 Edition of this paper, I feel it is time to provide some insights into the theme of the celebrations.
Hageulu village from which I hail from is categorized by the government as one of two marginalized communities in Isabel Province. Even tagged as such, we always find that there is always something to celebrate about, even just on the realization that community members have survived the hardships of the year.
Firstly, two particular days of notable importance is included in the Church of Melanesia Calendar for 2009. These are the Holy Family Day that falls on the 27th of December and the Holy Innocents Day that falls right the next day on the 28th December. Holy Innocents Day is celebrated in memory of the children who were murdered by Herod in his attempts to sabotage the advent of Christ to the human race. We value the lives of those innocent children and to thank God for our own children. The Banner carrying the spirit of the celebration shouted out the words “Strong Culture + Strong Family + Strong Community = a Strong Nation”. The three days were dedicated to “Celebrations for the Gifts of Children”.
The Hageulu Community leadership recognizes the family unit as the breeding ground for discipline and that good parenting for good and honourable citizens becomes the divine responsibility of parents. This is based on the question of whether there are actually bad children or whether there is only bad parenting. Like any other typical Solomon Islands community, our community faces challenges in many forms. These include:
1. Ill-discipline of children, parents and even community leaders
2. Illicit Drug, and alcohol abuse
3. Homebrew and Kwaso brewing infiltrating our communities
4. Teenage Pregnancy
5. Disobedience, negligence and ignorance of young people on traditional obligations
6. Emigration of school dropouts
7. Alarming rate in the disappearance of traditional and cultural norms, values and practices
8. The threat of HIV and health problems
9. The increasing threat in security associated with land disputes
10. The environmental damages due to logging
11. The threat of global warming
12. The alarming rate of increase in crime
13. Child abuse
We fear the day when any of our sons might fall foul of the law. We fear the day when any of our sons may become amoral and living an unproductive, irresponsible life. We fear the day when our sons might not realize the many windows of opportunity available to them. We fear the day when our sons will not learn to till the land and that by the sweat of their eyebrows only then will they live. We fear the day when any of our sons may walk the streets of Honiara, aimless and preying on the weak and the innocent. And we fear the day when any of our sons may lose their identity as a true Isabellian.
Since none of us are authorities to speak out on any of these issues, relevant people were invited to assist the community leaders in campaigning against such influences. I feel humbled that those who were invited not only accepted our invitation but also make their presentations in vigour and with conviction.
The Church of Melanesia was represented by Right Reverend Richard Naramana, Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Ysabel, The Isabel Council of Chiefs, represented by the Deputy Paramount Chief (designate) of Isabel, Chief Ambrose Bugotu, the Parliament Member for Gao/Bugotu Constituency, Honourable Samuel Manetoali, The Ministry of Police and National Security represented by the Provincial Police Commander (Isabel Province), Superintendent Cecil Kusapa.
Representatives of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, The Provincial Ward member for Tatamba Ward, Honourable Beverly Dick, and the Seventh day Adventist Youth, Isabel, although invited did not attend.
It was a three day period of hard core teaching for which the Hageulu Community will forever appreciate. In short their presentations were not only excellent but relevant. I would regard it as a great loss if our community was not brought back from some sort of craziness to a normalcy of some sort through their teachings.
The impact of their teachings was such that although the days following the Christmas 2009 celebrations saw the most alcohol being consumed by villagers it was the quietest period ever experienced compared to all other times in the recent history of our village. There was no shouting, no loud music, no late night excessive noise, and most importantly, no young men walking around the community in drunken stupors. There was only the usual buzzing and drones of men’s low voices quietly discussing matters or enjoying their beer, the laughing of children playing, and the quiet laughs of women and daughters. One however can almost touch the general sense of guilt, conviction, realization and remorse in the air amongst the leaders, the parents, the young men and young women. Women and children expressed their gratitude that finally their husbands and their young sons and daughters can now sit together with them in the confinement of their thatched homes and talk about life in general. I
I had never experienced enjoying a Christmas break more than 2009 in my entire life.
It was D-Day.
Yes, the Diocesan Bishop, the Provincial Police Commander, the Deputy Paramount Chief (designate), and the Member of Parliament for Gao/Bugotu Constituency did the job. We thank you.
The most pressing matter now confronting the Hageulu Community Leadership is “Now, what next?”
The Provincial Ward member, Madam Beverly Dick, the Seventh Day Adventist Youth and RAMSI did not send representatives or words although they were invited, for reasons that I can only speculate. The Hageulu Community leaders are not giving up. Everybody who attended and those who did not, including RAMSI is again going to be invited to another three days of celebrations in 2010.
In closing I must convey our community’s great appreciation for those who assisted in the general funding of the event that amounted to $67,345.80. We did raise the total amount of $2,137.00 to add on towards the Late Ambrose Memorial Fund to prepare for the education and training of Hageulu Children. I feel that preparations for the future of our children, while Hageulu, my beloved mountain home, is being tagged as a marginalized, or a backward community, must be pursued with intensity.
Josiah T Manehia
Hageulu Village.
Isabel Province
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