Letting off some steam

well, it's been a most eventful week for me... i am working my way through 2 assignments and one story for online...actually 2 stories for the online... the first assignment is for my History course on the Industrial Revolution which as due like on Friday and even now i'm still working on it. my second assignment due monday is for my politics class and i haven't even started on it coz i'm busy with the first bloody assignment! my two stories due are on two deaths... the first in on the King of tonga, i had done a copy which you can read in my previous post and i'm adding more stuff to it coz i had just gotten a copy of Prof. Hau'ofa's eulogy that he gave at the memorial service. then there's the second death - Sir Vijay Singh. He passed away recently and i'm still trying to work my way to that story while at the same time juggle with my other two assignments.

all in all, the stress in me is boiling. i spent half of last night working on my history essay and tonight i'm gonna spend another half finishing it off. i had to reference SEVEN (7) books for that essay and it's only 1500 words long! how am i gonna find JUST enough words for it! it's tough for me to restrict my self to only 1500 words.... why do we bother with word limits anyway???

so here i am wishing myself all the best and hoping that i make it through to finishing all my work in time for the weekend...

OH! tonight i was assigned to cover an event at the OCEANIA CENTRE and it was alright... there was a book launch by PIAS-DG and it's publication's arm IPS Publications... they launched four books that i think sound great, well at least two of them. the first is on Fiji it's called MOCEMOCE NA VANUA: THE LAND ABIDING and it's about the life and happenings of a small coastal town in Vanua Levu. The next book is A TAMA A AINGA (something to do with Samoa's traditional politics and it's effects on samoan society as a whole). both books sound promising and i truly wish the writer all the best!

i have to hand in this story tomorrow and i'm not even sure where it goes... all the best to me! lol

join me again in my next post as i work out my assignments and stuff and attend lectures and tutorials at the same time.... BYE!

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE LATE KING OF TONGA

At the recent memorial service held in memory of the late King of Tonga, Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, much was said about the many good things the king had done for the nation of Tonga and the region.

The Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral hosted the memorial and Professor Epeli Hau’Ofa of the University of the South Pacific (USP) gave a eulogy on the life and times of the king.

Prof. Hau’Ofa, who was also the late king’s personal secretary for a time, gave a very witty speech looking at the life of Queen Salote of Tonga and the contrasting life of her son, King Tupou IV.

Hau’Ofa spoke on the personal life of the king from his early school years in Tupou College to his time as monarch, including a brief look at Tupou IV’s work as Tonga’s Prime Minister.

It was said quite often that the late king radicalised and modernised Tongan society.

As Minister of Education, the king created a merit based scholarship for all Tongans regardless of rank or social status.

The king encouraged ordinary Tongans to educate themselves so as to move upwards in society, this resulted in the first-ever commoner Prime Minister for Tonga, Honorable Feleti Sevele.

The service was well attended by Tongan families living in Suva, church officials of local churches, local officials and various media representatives.

Reverend Tevita Havea preached a short sermon on the anointing of Kings and the impact of King Tupou IV’s reign on the lives of Tongans all over the world.

The service ended with the singing of the Tongan National Anthem.

MY STORY.... FINALLY COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED IN WANSOLWARA

PICTURE: People standing in line awaiting their turn to vote



BOOK GIVES NEW INSIGHT INTO FIJI ELECTIONS
BY SAILOSI TOGANIVALU


A book dissecting Fiji’s 2006 elections is set for release by the University of the South Pacific.

Publisher Dr Jon Fraenkel, a Senior Researcher at the Pacific Institute of Advanced Studies in Governance & Development, said the book featured research and analysis by academics, researchers and journalists who were in one way or another involved with the election process.

Entitled “Polarisation and Power-Sharing: The Paradox of Fiji’s 2006 Election”, the book is the first since 1963 to be focused specifically on one of Fiji’s general elections.

The Vice-President, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, wrote the preface. Contributors include eminent historian, Professor Brij Lal and Lancaster University PhD student Jonathan Prasad.

Professor Lal’s article is entitled ‘Impressions on the Campaign Trail’, while Prasad’s work is on ‘The Role of Muslim and Hindu Religious Organisations’.

Fraenkel said that while articles had been written about past elections, the latest book provided a wider perspective on the Fiji situation.

This is because for the first time, a broad range of different authors from different walks of life are contributing their thoughts and experiences.

Aside from the election, the book looks at the aftermath of the process, including the formation of a multi-party cabinet.

There are two chapters of interest to Fijian readers, the first concerning Northern Tailevu and the second about the ‘Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua’ (SDL) party, which won the past two elections.

Anare Tuitoga, a former USP history/politics student, wrote the article on Northern Tailevu. He looks at the political situation and the basis of ethnic Fijian politics in that part of the country.

Dr Alumita Durutalo, who wrote the chapter on the SDL, said her article examines the strategies adopted by the party in 2001 and 2006.

Durutalo said university students specialising in politics, governance and Pacific Studies would find the book useful.

Fraenkel’s main publications are concerned with Pacific electoral systems, contemporary Melanesian political crises and Oceanic economic history.

This book follows a string of published articles he has written about the effects of Fiji’s alternative vote system and the issues raised in the 1999, 2001 and 2006 polls.

A PRINCESS IN MOURNING

Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Fiji Times Online

PRINCESS Pilolevu (pictured) is dressed in traditional mourning attire as she prepares to accompany the body of her late father, King Taufa'ahau Tupou to the island kingdom today.

King Taufa'ahau died late Sunday night in a Auckland Hospital after being hospitalised for several months.

His body will be flown to Nukualofa today and his state funeral is on Tuesday.

In Auckland yesterday, the New Zealand Press Association reported that thousands of Tongans paid their respects to the late King as his body lay in state in Auckland.

Within hours his son, Crown Prince Tupouto'a, was sworn in as the new monarch of the Pacific island kingdom.

Yesterday, a funeral cortege took the King's body to the royal residence in Auckland, Atalanga, where he will lie in state until today.

The King's body will today be flown to Tonga by Hercules transport aircraft for a further period of lying in state before his State funeral in the capital Nuku'alofa next Tuesday.

Tonga has begun an official month-long period of mourning, although the Tongan royal family will mourn the late King, who reigned for 41 years, for six months.

Tonga's Lord Chamberlain Fielakepa said the King was a working monarch virtually until he died a pain-free and peaceful death late on Sunday night at Ascot Mercy Hospital in Auckland.

He had been receiving medical treatment in Auckland for much of this year but the precise cause of death has not been released.

Prime Minister Helen Clark briefly paid her respects to the dead King at the royal residence yesterday but was only there for a few minutes.

As she left Atalanga, Clark stopped briefly and told waiting media it was a sad day for Tonga.

Many of New Zealand's local Tongan community of around 40,000 were expected to pay their respects today.

In Suva, talks have been conducted between the Tongan priests in the Catholic Church and Anglican Church and the Tongan community in Fiji for a memorial service for the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

Fiji Tongan community spokesman Doctor Tevita Havea said they were still discussing on which day they could conduct the church service.

"I had sent emails this morning to the Tongan students studying at USP, FSM and FIT to inform them if they could conduct church services for the late King in their institutions," he said.

He said there were more than 300 Tongans studying or working in the country and that did not include those that have married locals and are residing here.

Dr Havea said all the Tongans were invited to attend the memorial service, which would be held after the funeral in Tonga.

"Invites have also been sent out to the Fijians living on Waimanu Road who have blood ties in Tonga," he said.

He said the students and staff at Pacific Theological College had already started their church service yesterday morning.

Dr Havea said they have been updated on what was happening with news from the website but they have not received any other progress from the island.

Meanwhile, the University of the South Pacific Tongan Association students will not be participating at the USP Open Day on Friday.

Association spokesman Alifaleti Fonua said it was agreed at their meeting at the Orange Lounge on Monday night that they would not participate.

"We had seven items lined up for the open day but since we have started our mourning over the death of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, we will not take part," he said.

He said the more than 200 Tongan students at the university have started wearing black clothing and mats.

He said most of them felt really emotional after watching footage of the preparation conducted in New Zealand on Fiji TV on Monday night.

"Nothing has been planned so far on what we will be doing on Friday but hopefully we will meet again before Friday to further discuss on our preparations," he said.

Realisation...

hmmmm... i just realised that all my past blogs have all been videos... from now on i shud try and write something... once in a while... i just can't help it with the videos they're so funny! but yeah... memo to self: write alot more! (^_*)

LOVE, EQUALITY & PRIDE

Here's a video i found on youtube, it's so funny and completely hilarious! check it out... memo to self: you need internet explorer (latest one) to watch the video...