Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

Allen wth taxi drivers

Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in Fiji. I thank Allen for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.

       National Identity

What is Fiji's national identity? Is it the coconut tree, the kacau, the saqa moli, the iri buli? Many scholars have said that Fiji is a diverse country.  That’s okay but if we look back in history we see the British, who were also part of our history, who brought in the indentured labourers who did so much hard work that they contributed to where we are today. Many modern young “Fijians” still don’t know why the Indians were brought in. Perhaps it is time they were were enlightened!

New Zealand has the Kiwi and the Silver Fern, Australia has the kangaroo and perhaps the wallaby and Waltzing Matilda, to top it of, they also have Ayers Rock and much more. The US has the eagle and whatever else they have. Canada has the maple leaf.

And Fiji? Isn’t it time we looked for a national identity? Perhaps a competition can be conducted to gather information on our people's thoughts. And make sure our national identity is not a church!

Kula, collared lories

Editorial note: My Google check showed Fiji does in fact have a national bird and a national flower but no national animal. The bird is the kula and the flower the tagimoucia.  And then, for a national song other than the national anthem, how about Isa Lei (although the Tongans will contest this!) Listen to this rendition on YouTube.

This is what was said about the tagimoucia: " Growing nowhere else in the world this rare flower is to be found in the crater lake of an extinct volcano on the island of Taveuni in Fiji. It has been proclaimed as Fiji's national flower. There is a legend associated with the flower:
      "Once upon a time, a princess was about to be forced by her father to marry a man she did not love - an arranged marriage. This greatly distressed the young girl, as she was in love with another man - a young boy in the village. In an act of desperation, she ran from the village into the mountains above the village where, finally exhausted, she fell asleep on the edge of the lake. While she was sleeping she cried and when her father and his followers found her the next morning, they saw that the tears had trickled down over her cheeks and turned into the beautiful red flowers. The father - out of love for his daughter - allowed her to marry the man of her choice. Tagimaucia means "to cry in your sleep".  http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/114247-fiji-s-national-flower/all  "