VISITING FIJI MUSEUM - QUITE AN EXPERIENCE


 A SPIRITUAL CONNECT TO THE FIJIANS

PICTURE: Fayaka in front of Ratu Finau Canoa

 

 

 AS I entered this place, immediately I felt   a   chilling breeze right on my flesh, and my     soul was certain that this place is sacred.





One of the members from one of the groups that are also attending a workshop in PTC asked us about the experience we had as he claimed that "I heard that you went to the Museum... how was it..?" Involuntarily, the first words that came from me were that - "You should go. We met the ancestors of the Fijian indigenous people there, they are welcoming!"

"Wait! What..?! Are they mummified??! He exhaled! In laughter I responded; that no! What I meant actually is that when you enter the Voyagers Fiji Museum you immediately feel a wind running on your skin as if you've entered a sacred place (if you know what I mean), and actually, that's how the museum is treated by the people of Fiji - Sacred Place.

For me, in the Museum my attention was taken by the big Canoa named Ratu Finau. This reminded me of a cartoon called Moana. This is a century and plus old canoa that was built by Amenio Kamaimuimatagi and his team between 1913 and 1914 in an island called Vulaga in who's retrieval and rebuilt was not supported by the government of Fiji. Even though this was an establishment and preservation of the inheritance of the culture of people of Fiji, but the government saw no need to support this campaign of resuscitating Ratu Finau as it had a story to tell about the Voyagers. 








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A heartfelt gratitude report.

Image
 I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mannings Hill United Church, Oberlin United Church and Salisbury United church for their warm and inclusive welcome during my short visit to their congregations. Your openness and hospitality left a profound impact on me, and I will cherish the sense of community and acceptance I experienced. Your warmth, generosity, and the valuable insights shared will remain with me for a lifetime and as I am about to end my journey as a Training in Mission participant, I thank the Lord that we've crossed path.  To : MANNINGS HILL UNITED CHURCH. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa's General Secretary, our Elders, Ministers and all our different parishes, for allowing me to worship with you on the 5th of November 2023. Thank you for your example of a small congregation that has achieved remarkable feats in the service of the Lord. Your dedication, love and work have shown that the size of a cong
Read more

Critical Reflection on reading Genesis 12 from Contesting Context.

  A   A critical reflection on reading and doing church from contest context (Reading Genesis Chapter 12 : 20)   Genesis 12 – 1 :6 In this reading, God gave instruction to Abram to leave everything behind and go to Canaan where he will make great nation, make his name great and be a blessing. However, Abram did not obey, he took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all his possessions and people they had acquired from Haran. He arrived in Canaan and traveled through the land to find out that there are Canaanites living on this land. God also appeared on this land and said “To your offspring, I will give this land”. From Chapter 11, Sarai is said to be childless or barren, how can God give him such blessing knowing that Abram’s wife cannot conceive, a loophole in the text.   Reference to context : We believe that missionaries arrived on our lands because our ancestors believed that it is a fulfillment to a prophecy by a fearless Goddess (Nafanua). Christian God was introduced and our
Read more

2023 CWM Youth Consultation on Ecology and Economy in the Pacific

Image
 Tuvalu's very existence hangs in the balance as rising sea levels threaten to erase it from the world map. In the coming years, we will delve into the multifaceted challenges that Tuvalu confronts as a result of climate change. Throughout our one week spent in Tuvalu for this consultation, I have learned and examined the impacts of climate injustices on Tuvalu's environment, economy, and cultural heritage and explored the efforts of Tuvaluans to adapt and advocate for international action.  The consequences of rising sea levels extend far beyond the loss of land as experienced. The Tuvaluans, just like any other Pacific Island Nation are heavily dependent on their environment for their livelihoods, with fishing and agriculture being primary sources of income. However, Tuvalu is on the frontline of the climate crisis, facing a multitude of challenges ranging from existential threats to physical existence to disruptions in its economy, environment, and, culture. These effects hi
Read more