Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

The Sekoula or Flame tree

Keep it Sacred
Listening to the first maiden speeches I can gather that it will soon gear towards a circus. Please keep the august house sacred.

Offices Closed
Before the general elections political parties had offices almost everywhere in the country. They have all closed down.

Don't you need us anymore?

Need for a Language Upgrade?
A news item said that all MPs would be getting a "tablet" each.

How would we translate this in to the iTaukei language?
I know what my bubu, (God rest her soul) would have said, "Se bera mada ga ni tekivu na palimedi, sa soli tale vei ira na tablet, e cava, sa mosi na uludra tou?"
(Parliament hasn't started, and they will be given a tablet each.  Do they already have headaches?"

Memory Tree
The sekoula tree is gone. Gone with it are so many memories. If the tree could talk many of us would be in jail or divorced.
Anyway, I thank the authorities for the explanation and yes lets plant 1,000 trees around Lautoka.


The Sekoula tree as a Symbol

"Instead of arguing in Fiji about whether Fiji should be a secular or a Christian state, Alan Lockington from Lautoka who sits with his mates under a beautiful tree at Lautoka market to yarn and drink kava, the sekoula tree (flame, flamboyant), reckons 'let's just have a sekoula state and live in peace and harmony without politics.' I always think of those beautiful trees at Namosau Ba, and Lautoka and that's a dominant icon of the beautiful things of Fiji, not the snarky, double-talk of some politicians that dominates news." --- from w on the Babasiga blog site:

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.