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Australian Pacific Islander story
Case for MacKillop sainthood 'looking good'
Posted
Updated
Sainthood imminent? Mary MacKillop (www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au)
The imminent sainthood of Mary MacKillop is expected to be an early Christmas present for Australia's Catholics.
Nuns campaigning for her canonisation say they expect the Vatican will decree the second miracle of the former Sister of St Joseph next week, leading the way to sainthood.
Australia's Ambassador to the Holy See, Tim Fischer, says the nun's case is "looking good".
The speculation over her imminent canonisation intensified after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited Mary MacKillop's Chapel in Sydney yesterday before flying to Copenhagen.
It has been 100 years since her death and as the centenary celebrations draw to a close, nuns in the St Joseph order are quietly optimistic.
Blessed Mary is revered by Catholics for her work, especially with needy children, former female prisoners and prostitutes.
She has been beatified for one miracle but a second is required to secure sainthood.
There is speculation that Pope Benedict will soon agree with doctors and theologians' findings, that Blessed Mary's curing of a woman with cancer was indeed a miracle.
Sister Maria Casey, the nun at the centre of the campaign for Blessed Mary's canonisation, says the gift of sainthood might just be realised before the year's end.
"Cardinals and bishops examined all the material, all the statements and agreed that yes, the process could be presented to the Holy Father," Sister Maria said.
"When that then is decided he will issue a decree saying that the cure is truly a miracle.
"We are hoping before Christmas. An early Christmas present indeed."
Speaking outside St Ignatius Church in Rome, the Josephite sister says it has been a long process to get Blessed Mary's second miracle approved.
"Had to be examined by a panel of doctors. Two at first and then a panel of five. They gave their opinions that they could not explain the cure by medical means," she said.
"Then the theologians had to examine all the data and see whether the prayer had occurred to Mary MacKillop and whether they could decide whether the cure was through her intercession.
"They also said it was positive."
Sheila McCreanor, a sister of St Joseph, says her Catholic congregation in North Sydney, are very excited about the speculation.
"This process has been in train since about 1925," she said.
Excommunicated
Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne, worked throughout South Australia and died in North Sydney.
She co-founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1866, but was excommunicated from the Church at one stage for allegedly disobeying authorities.
However she spent her life caring for those less fortunate.
Sister McCreanor says all Australians should celebrate Blessed Mary's work.
"Good, ordinary Australians will be very excited at this point of time," she said. "We know we have had lots of letters from people who are seeking more information.
"There is a lot of excitement from the ordinary people because they were the people for whom Mary MacKillop worked and there is something about her spirit that she tried to give everyone a fair go."
While speculation that an announcement was nigh escalated Mr Rudd attended mass at Mary MacKillop's church in North Sydney yesterday, Sister McCreanor says he is a regular visitor.
"He's come there quite often to have a little quiet pray, because he is a very religious man and he was going off to Copenhagen tomorrow for a very serious meeting," she said.
"He wanted to come along and just ask for divine inspiration, I think."
In a statement, Mr Fischer told AM that Blessed Mary was an outstanding Australian.
"Especially as a pioneer in education, and her cause for sainthood is looking good," he said.
New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, who is a Catholic, has welcomed the prospect of Blessed Mary's canonisation.
"It will be a good thing for Australia to have its first Saint. I think it would be fantastic for the Australian Catholic community to have its first saint, but those are matters for the Vatican," she said.
If the miracle is recognised before Christmas, it is understood Mary MacKillop will be canonised early in the New Year.
Pope deeply interested in MacKillop: Rudd
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Updated
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd used a meeting with Pope Benedict at the Vatican to push the case for Mary MacKillop's sainthood.
Mr Rudd says he told the Pope that the process of making the Australian nun a saint was entirely internal to the Catholic Church.
But he said the Pope had shown great interest in MacKillop, who was beatified in 1995, and fondly recalled his visit to her tomb in Sydney in mid-2008, which Mr Rudd said had clearly "left a deep impression on the holy father".
The prime minister said he told the pontiff that Australians, both Catholic and non-Catholic, felt "a great deal of affection and respect for Mary MacKillop as a strong woman, a strong leader, a strong worker for the poor and a pioneer in education".
"I indicated further that the good Sisters of St Joseph here were excited about the process that was currently underway and asked me to convey that to him."
Gift exchange
At a meeting in the pontiff's private library, the two men discussed the Pope's recently released encyclical which calls for a new world structure based on equity and fairness, rather than self-interest and greed.
Mr Rudd presented the Pope with a bound copy of the motion of apology made to the Stolen Generations and half a dozen bottles of Australian wine.
In reply the Pope gave Mr Rudd a bound copy of the long-awaited encyclical, entitled Charity in Truth, and a pen replicating a curved bronze pillar in the altar of St Peter's Basilica.
The Pope and Mr Rudd also briefly chatted about Australia's bid to host the World Cup soccer championships.
MacKillop sainthood news 'imminent'
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Mary MacKillop has been beatified for one miracle but a second is required to secure sainthood. (www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au)
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has visited the memorial chapel in Sydney dedicated to Mary MacKillop, as speculation grows she could become a saint.
There is speculation the Pope could make a decision by Christmas about making the Blessed Mary a saint.
Mr Rudd attended today's mass at the St Joseph's Mary MacKillop Chapel but a spokesman for the Prime Minister would not say if Mr Rudd's visit was linked to Vatican deliberations.
The spokesman says Mr Rudd regularly attends a range of churches when he is in Sydney.
Mr Rudd discussed Sister MacKillop with the Pope when he met him at the Vatican in July this year.
Sister MacKillop is revered by Catholics for her work, especially with needy children, that saw her co-found the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart in 1866.
Catholics have been lobbying for many years for her canonisation. She has been beatified for one miracle but a second is required to secure sainthood.
There is speculation that has occurred but it still needs the approval of Pope Benedict.
Marie Foale from the Sisters of St Joseph says it would be a great moment if the Pope agrees with doctors and theologians' findings, that Sister MacKillop's curing of a woman with cancer was indeed a miracle.
She says the news is exciting, but people need to be cautious.
"Excitement is building up, but we need to be careful not to pre-empt things before they actually come out from Rome," she said.
"We have been led to believe an announcement is imminent, but that we have no idea just how soon that will be.
"I think it could mean a great lift to the Catholic Church in Australia. We've never had a saint here before."
Catholics remember centenary of MacKillop's death
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Updated
"Many people see her as a model and someone who they can base their own life on," says Sister Marion Gambin. (www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au)
About 1,700 people attended a public mass in Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral on the 100th anniversary of Sister Mary MacKillop's death.
Commemorations were held across the country, including in the South Australian town of Penola where the sister began her work setting up schools in 1866.
Sister Marion Gambin says the work of Sister MacKillop is still relevant today.
"She's certainly become more and more famous in the last few months because they associate that with the miracles," she said.
"But it's the person that she was that we want people really to get to know. Because of that, many people see her as a model and someone who they can base their own life on."
No saint?
Church leaders said they did not expect the Pope to announce Sister MacKillop's canonisation today.
The cause for the sainthood of the Catholic Sister is nearing completion in Rome, but Sister Gambin says there is slim chance of it happening today.
"We don't know when the actual announcement will be made, we know that there's still processes that have to happen before the Pope will actually make that announcement," she said.
"There's still other steps that need to go through. It's not likely to happen."
Introduction story: of an Australian Pacific Islander who has lived, enjoyed life in Australia and the Pacific and he was blessed to have experience in both world as a student in Australia and in the Pacific, Tonga and back to Australia.
My incredible story in my journey as grassroots Pacific Islander Australian going to the South Pacific Island of Tonga to live and study for 2 years. Returning home to Australia I have learn to appreciate and reflect on how lucky we are to have both world. It is not only real, but it was so sweet to have direct taste of perspective from both world. It help me and I hope it will help Pacific Islanders who were born in Australia and not understanding their parents that were brought up in the Pacific. It will help those service providers who provided services to Pacific Islanders to understand the many challenges facing Pacific Islanders children that are from 2 different cultures.
Like myself people think
that I have no problem because my dad is an Australian and my mum was educated
in Australia. No it does not sound that
simple. It is very complicated to me and
I am sure it is the same to all Pacific Islanders Australian in my
situation. So speaking from my
experiences it does not matter who you are. We must be ready to change to make life much easier and better. Starting from our home life, we must be connected
to each other and work on our differences and united to make a good start. If you come from a mix culture, it is not easy parents values
are adapted by their own upbringing and cultures. It is hard work to try to compromise. It is huge challenge, we have to set aims, goals and work hard to discipline ourselves to move towards what we aim for. The outcome will not be positive and rewarding. I hope my real life story will help in some
way to those who are in similar situation like me.
I was born in Geelong, Victoria and grew up in Melbourne, Perth, Darwin, Adelaide (My grandpa Buckland passed away in Adelaide and he is buried there), Canberra, Queensland (My dad was born and raised in Warwick in a farm where his family grew up. A country town in Queensland near Toowoomba, Australia. Many of my uncles, aunties and cousins and not forgetting my lovely Grandma Alice Buckland who is well in her late eighties and very healthy and still young she said. I only see my Australian family members till Christmas otherwise on the phone with grandma and other members of the Bucklands. My grandma Buckland will send me a card for my birthday with some dollars which I always appreciated. Same goes to my younger brother. My father did run a business and we move around a lot in almost every state in Australia, including Japan. My mum and Dad were doing a home show in Geelong and that was where I was born. I was told that Mum and Dad was so busy with talking to clients at the Geelong Home Show and I was ready to come to earth and my mum was rushed to Hospital and I was born as a talkative young Australian with a South Pacific Island Mum and a Australian father.
Me and my Aunty Peta a
school teacher at my School (Catholic School) in Tonga and now have moved to
Australia. I tell you what! Life was
not always easy in my family. I grew up
getting everything that I wanted. My
mum’s family members were excellent to us especially my uncles and my Tongan
grandmother who passed away when I was two years old in 1992. She was a loving
grandmother and she used to care for me.
I remembered when we have to fly from Queensland for her funeral. Since
my grandma passed away my Mum refused to go back to Queensland.
My dad went back but came back just being a
good father. My father worked hard to provide for my family. There never any
violence, any abuses but the cultures differences affected my family. My mum was concern with us kids to have a
good education, a model developed by my Pacific Islanders grandparents, uncles and aunties. She wanted us to be Christian and brought up as Catholics. My
dad was very different, he believes in discipline and what I want and it did
not matter what as long as it was my all.
These clashes as dad worked very hard and my mum will give everything to
her Islander family members and friends. These cause a lot of conflicts between my parents. She thinks that was normal, my dad
told Mum you only do that back home, this is Australia and her priority is the
family meaning Mum, us kids and Dad.
On weekend she will spend her time with
her Islander family members. The Pacific Islanders
community love mum and she was a mentor to them. I love my mum, respected her values in her community and upbringing and I can see
her intention in her eyes was great but
Pacific Islanders parents must realised that their charity started at home. Once home is done then to the Pacific Islanders and the
community. When there are gaps at home then there are concerns and issues to deal with. I see it that if the Home
Foundation was strong, then it will travel to the school, to the sport grounds,
and to the Pacific Islanders communities and to the whole community. So where I am coming from
that the perspective of Pacific Islanders grassroots to
Australian born has to be handle with Care. We need education to clear those mental block that is blocking the two way communication. When it is, it will get good
results if not then there will be
problems. I am not running my mum down but
I want to help those children that have parents with 2 different
cultures.
We used to go to the Pacific Islanders functions and communities but as we grew up we have change. We started to lost interest and kept with our school and University friends. I see that I enjoyed similar interest with them and communication is about you or them. We have choices, we care for ourselves first and we can help others like a two way street instead of one way street. Two way streets are much safer than one way street, one way street if you make the wrong turn you are in danger.
The Pacific Island community that my mum and us belong to have traumatic incidences. My cousin was knife to death at Campsie Railway station and another distant relative was knife to death in the Campelltown area. These two young mien's family will be scarred for life and they lost their life to violence.
Lucky my Dad is a very nice man and I vividly
remembered that he said that if we want to go shopping for ourselves he will
take us shopping and that was when we
were15 and younger. I believe in not
exposing to opportunity to problems is a good way to go. I never go roaming around the street at any
time and I never ask to go or needed to
run away to meet friends in the street and there never any needs for me to
go anywhere because what I wanted and needed are
all at home. The only place that I can go and come anytime was the local football
ground and local basketball court.
One of Mum ‘s rule was you cannot go out at
night till you passed your HSC, got a part time job and go to University. I have passed all these rules and I now I can
go out anytime spending my own money whenever I and my friends will meet once a fortnight. Another rule that
when I go out I can stay with my friends or vice versa and be home the very
next day as soon as the public transport are running. Any problems ring home immediately, my
parents said that it is safer to stay with friends at their place or my place than trying to get home late at night or early hours in the morning. Not only that I haven’t got my licence yet.
My dad now has adapted to be an Australian Pacific
Islander and my uncle and cousin are adapting to be Pacific Islander
Australian. Great to see emormous change, still now and then there is issues that goes on due to cultures issues and values.
My mum devoted to her
cultures and her immediate and extended Pacific Islanders families which I see it ok and respected her for that, but she must
included us in her activities and decisions which she does but we don’t agree. It proves too much to my Dad and us sometimes,
still we have no choice but to work on
various solutions. We have to compromise
and we have to change to the better and get used to each other the Pacific Islanders ways, The western ways are the best easiest solution for us as a family , we enjoy, have peace and harmony at home, with friends and in my community. At times it was hard for him and
us to change. For mum she does not care
and she was in control of every situation leaving my dad to cope with every
responsibility to us children and Mum’s extended
Pacific Islanders' families.
My Pacific Islanders relatives:
Funeral, Wedding, Birthdays and Church's gathering that I
must attend:
Attending one of my mum’s
cousin’s funeral I realised that now finally Mum is coming into terms with her ways. The son of Mum's cousin have experienced what I have been through. He said that it is hard for him, his parents are both Islanders and what he wanted is always put aside to make his parents happy. He said it is tough and he has been in and out of jail. He said he does not know if he is coming or going. Currently my mum is
dealing with others facing with similar issues with us and even worse. I felt for those half Islanders children, full Islanders who were born in Australia. I can imagine in what
goes on in your homes any time whenever issues arise. Lucky for my Dad’s undying love for my Mum
and us children prevented him from deserted us for ever, which happened often
in the past because Pacific Islanders cultures, values are just too powerful and over the line. Still he came back just because of being a
good father and he was brought up that way. 
My mum is lucky that my dad is a good man he
is now acted like a Pacific Islander person up to a point. Sometimes is a bit too much and I give my Dad every Credit for that. That was
why we move to Sydney my Mum just cannot live without her family.
My dad followed her to Sydney. The idea that once we finished High School and go to University he will move back to his family in Queensland and we can commute between Queensland and Sydney, but I don’t think it will happen, my dad has been developed very well by my mum to be a Australian Pacific Islander. So you guys out there if my dad an Australian’ transition to a Pacific Islander I am sure Pacific Islanders can do the same for a lot of good reason. My younger brother will complete his HSC this year (2009) and will attend University next year. Things have changed dramatically to higher grounds and great understanding between all of us. We now live just like any other Australian enjoying life to the fullest. I can see that every mix marriages, regardless where you are from, emerging families coming to Australia we can compromise to get good results. We have to keep on persevering on our strengths and working hard and eventually at the end they will pay. Your hard work does not go in the deep blue sea in the Pacific Ocean, they stay right here within your family, friends, community, if not now, it will be sooner and not later.
My Mum is Tongan and my Dad is Australian. My mum came to Australia as a private student in the early 1970’s. She was the number 13th of a family of 13. One of my uncle lives in Tonga by himself in the bush near the Airport on a 15 Acres block of land. He needed someone to be with him and I see it a great chance to go to Tonga. At the end of my year six at Belmore South I was unlucky to make it to Endeavor Sport High School. That was my dream. Like any other Pacific Islander Australian at my age’s rather to be a footballer than an academic aiming to be a A league footballer.
I was lucky that one of my uncle
was called to a special mission in Tonga to administer the financial of the
catholic schools in Tonga. Previously I have been to Tonga in many occasions
and I see it an opportunity for me to go and tough myself up to be a sport
star. I went to Tonga and realised that I have to compete with people who are
much bigger and older than me and it was too much to handle these true solid
Pacific Islanders. I did made a lot of friends in Tonga. In fact I will go and celebrate my 21st birthday in Tonga next year with my friends at my former high school.
When I return to Australia I
have learn a lot, about my grassroots in all levels. I did not study much still I was the Dux of
the Junior High School which is year 10. When I came back to
Australia with such a good report I was accepted at Endeavour Sport High School
with flying colours. On my final year I and other Pacific Islanders grassroots Pacific 
Islanders completed our HSC, the others delayed their became
they have been selected as representatives footballers .
I am currently at my 2nd
year at University doing a Bachelor of Education major in Maths (Secondly
School). Funnily I was at my front yard
with a group of friends from University and my friend who is playing footy as a
career and paying well for it, stopped by to say hallo and he has spent sometime during the season off due to injury. He told us that I was the lucky
one. What he said made me happy; I
thought that it was him that was lucky being a footy star.
There you are guys! I went to the Pacific Island (Tonga) to tough up myself in the hope to be a footy player, and my aim was to be a football star! like Fuifui Moimoi/Jarrad Hayne/Israel Folau or my friend Chase Stanly. I came back and I am not a football star but I have learn and make a choice to focus on my education to achieve my goal and guarantee a future for myself, my future generation and to make a difference to my Pacific Islander Community. My journey was confused, in doubt and I enjoyed the blessing that given to me byTongan elders and friends. After I have been through it comes down that my future was right here in Australia. I have learn from my dream, my ambition, my life journey to my ancestors' land. My experience was awesome and it came down that the main thing my journey was just a beginning of my life and tons of learning of what are my chances and my choices that will suit the life that I will enjoy.
I also learn from one of my fellow tutors, Alana, She told these group of year 10, 11 and year 12 students that life really starts at 35, so if anyone in their journeys all of a sudden have change directions, do not give up. It is never too late for a change. Looking around Alana said amongst us she knew that one 58 and 56 years old people amongst us who still study at University to update their skills or doing researches to make a difference to the community. So never in our life anyone is too old for anything as long as we put in our all! Regardless any challenges, we will get there. For some it might take a bit longer and for some it will be quicker, still we will eventually get there. Alana said that Education will give us the opportunities in many levels in the community to get where we want to be.
Alana herself was born in Australia to both parents who were private students in the late sixties and late seventies but return to Tonga due to her Dad, a ship captain and he was based in the South Pacific. The family decided to move to Tonga where it was more central to his father’s work. Alana’s family live in Tonga for 2 years and moved back to Sydney. Alana herself attended Primary School in Tonga. Alana knew Tonga very well the cultures and also spoke Tongan fluently. Alana always reflected on how beautiful the flowers in the Pacific. Alana said that putting together all the Pacific Nations flowers from the South Pacific transforming them and mixing with the waratah flower and the coconut leaves make her life complete. All she needed now to water and look after the waratah flowers with tender loving care. Alana reminded all Pacific Islanders CHILDREN, youths, parents and people let us united in planting education as a simple of the coconut tree (tree of life) in all levels within our lives in our whole community's life by doing what we should be doing, good planning, disciplining ourselves, set targeting goals, working hard, believing in God, the right energy and we will, action. Keep going and by doing them right. We have an open fair and transparent approach." doing our best of our best and we are certain that we are on our way to get to where Pacific Islanders' aims, goals and dreams will become reality..
Leaving our Pacific Nation
behind, the journey begins, the journey of Pacific Islanders life in Australia.
Leaving our Island home as we progress on our journey as our Life begin in Australia
Things will change; we must accept change, slowly, surely and eventually getting there
I was very impressed by the life of the
coconut tree. It gave the Pacific Islanders life. I will let someone else who has grown up in
the Pacific Nations to talk about how coconut tree gave life in many forms to
Pacific Islanders. One Tongan elderly man said to me in Tonga.
It is Coconut alone will give life even if there is nothing on the
Island but as long as coconut trees are there life will continue. I said to him, it sounds like God. He responded yeah: We can see coconut but we
cannot see God. I left Tonga to
Australia with those strong words. Let us united to take our Pacific Islanders Community to the next level. I would like to say that:
Encouraging the participation of young Pacific Islanders people and their families in
decisions which affect their lives and their local community. We can be united in doing various
tasks to be carried out in consultation with the PISSAM NETWORK Management
Committee and Manager to ensure a comprehensive service is provided to Pacific Islanders young people of Canterbury and beyond. 24hrs access to Pacific Islanders people with their many issues, and people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
background and emerging communities shall
be promoted, addressed to the limit.
PISSAM tutor Regan Buckland
Negotiator lifts lid on Brennan hostage deal
Freed for $US500k: Amanda Lindhout and Australian Nigel Brennan in Mogadishu after their release (Reuters)
The hostage negotiator who helped release Australian photographer Nigel Brennan and his Canadian colleague says their Somali kidnappers were paid a ransom of $US500,000 ($545,000).
Mr Brennan and Canadian Amanda Lindhout were freed from a 15-month kidnap ordeal in Somalia last month.
It was in August that the pair's families decided to employ John Chase, the managing director of crisis response with AKE group.
By then the hostages had been held for almost a year and the families had become frustrated with the lack of progress made by the Australian and Canadian governments.
Mr Chase got the job done in four months and was paid around $US360,000 ($392,000), and says while the initial asking price for the pair's freedom was $US5 million, the total ransom paid was around $US500,000.
"Very generally speaking we obviously run kidnaps around the world and actually there's not that much difference between Afghanistan, Philippines, Latin America, Iraq, Africa - they're all things that have happened that are pretty much the same," he said.
"And one of them is that the initial demand is a fantasy figure and both sides understand that that's a fantasy figure, and what you end up paying is about 10 per cent-ish of what that initial demand is.
"The initial demand was $US2.5 million per head, so it was a $5 million ask at the beginning.
"[The final figure paid] was about 10 per cent [of that].
"It's obviously in their interest to try and split them and negotiate separately, but one of the first things we do is to say 'No, we're not having that, this is a package deal, so let's start talking about the one price.'
"Their demand was in US dollars and our offers were subsequently then in US. US is the preferred currency of kidnappers around the world."
Proof of life
Mr Chase says he never believed that Mr Brennan was dead.
"No, because we had proof of life throughout," he said.
"One of the first things that we do when we start the case is to ensure that the person we are dealing with, that the gang or the kidnappers have appointed, is the person who has control of both hostages, of both Nigel and Amanda.
"And so we established that very early on."
Mr Chase says the hostage-takers were a criminal gang after money, lacking any political motives, and says he never doubted Mr Brennan would be released.
"In the 33 or 34 years that Lloyd's of London have been insuring kidnaps and teams have been doing kidnaps, there's enough cases to know that once you put money on the table, no matter how small an amount, people will be released," he said.
"When there's money on the table people are always released.
"Like any case the first move is to set up the crisis management team of who's going to actually manage the kidnap.
"The actual mechanics of it are that we, the consultant, don't take any decisions. Our job is to give our expertise and to guide and steer the crisis management team into making informed decisions.
"We handle all the paperwork, so we're scripting what's going to be said in calls, viewing synopses and appreciations of information that's come in and how we make our decisions going forward."
Balancing act
Mr Chase says the negotiation process is a careful balancing act between the two parties.
"What we're trying to do is to manage the gang's expectations and get them to believe, over a certain period of time, that they have got every last penny that we're going to be able to get," he said.
Mr Chase says he was with the Brennan family when they first saw Nigel after his release.
"I was obviously in Kenya with the family, and the family - [it] was obviously a very, very emotional couple of weeks for them," he said.
"[It] was roller-coasting up and down, so there was just huge joy and huge relief, and possibly a little bit of shock that Nigel had lost quite a bit of weight.
"He was quite thin, but obviously just joy that they were out safe."
Anne Latu reflecting on the Coconut tree, the tree that give life to Pacific Islanders.
The coconut tree will be a good reminder for all of us PACIFIC ISLANDERS AUSTRALIAN to reflect on how I and may be your parents, grandparents, great grandparents or may be your ancestors that have experienced life in the PACIFIC NATIONS: Although the coconut tree gives life to all Pacific Islanders who live in the South Pacific. It was hard work. The coconut tree, not only given life but also provided Education to all Pacific Islanders: Education is the only thing on this earth that will and gave any human being including Pacific Islanders to equality to others on earth regardless, your colour, your race, your religion, your values or even your physical look.
The Pacific Islander Community PISSAM
program is dedicated to enhancing the health and social and economic well-being
of Pacific Islanders across Canterbury and beyond. It was officially established
in 2007. PISSAM works to improve and expand the PI community's opportunities
through service, education, advocacy, organizing different support and
research. These PI community-driven activities seek to empower Pacific
Islanders children, youths, parents and their friends to define and control
their lives and the future of their community.
PACIFIC ISLANDERS PATH for Women men Scholarship Fund for Pacific Islander Students
Recommendation:
REACH US – Promoting Access to Health for Pacific Islander young and Women (PI PATH
for Women), a breast and cervical cancer program working to address disparities
among Pacific Islander communities, is offering the PATH for PI Women
Scholarship Fund to Pacific Islander high school seniors and undergraduate
college students who demonstrate significant merit in academics, workplace, and
community with an interest in the health field. Five students will be selected
to receive a $2,000 scholarship to offset their expenses at a two- or four-year
accredited institution.
Eligibility
High school seniors and students who are currently or will be attending a two
or four year institution that offers accredited, post-secondary instruction may
apply. Applicants must be of Pacific Islander descent and must reside across
Canterbury and beyond or attend a college or university in one of the
Universities. Low income students and those who are of the first generation in
their family to attend college are encouraged to apply.
The Housing NSW Youth Scholarship Program aims to assist eligible young people living in social housing to complete the Higher School Certificate (HSC) or TAFE equivalent by providing a one-off payment of $2,000 to be spent on educational related items. The Housing NSW Youth Scholarship Program is delivered in partnership with the NSW Department of Education and Training, local NSW high schools and TAFE colleges.
Applications
close 31 July 2009
For more information,
contact:
Anne Latu
Program Coordinator, PATH for Women
PATH for Women Scholarship Pacific
Islanders Students
Eligibility
High school seniors and students who are currently or will be attending a two
or four year institution that offers accredited, post-secondary instruction may
apply. Applicants must
PISSAM Afterschool Program is offering a FREE homework Program for primary to high school students from now till the end of the year. Enrolment is limited. Priority will be given to seniors, juniors and low income students. Applications must be received by contacting the co-ordinator Anne Latu on 0401 305 877 or email: annelatu@hotmail.com
Program Highlights:
* Over 2 to 3 + hours of homework tutors, counselling forums and other free empowering instruction!!!
* All materials and Diagnostic Tests provided free of charge!!! By appointment
* Comprehensive instruction in Math, Verbal and Writing!!!
* Vocabulary Builder Workshops to increase verbal scores!!!
* Once every Monday and twice every Tuesdays -Week homework Program
* $500 Scholarship awarded to a student
with the highest commitment at the end of the year.
To RSVP or for more
information, please contact:
Anne Latu on 0401 305 877 or Email: annelatu@hotmail.com
In addition, PISSAM is partnering with other resources on review to conduct a free Practice Test Day, which will simulate a full-length test under realistic testing conditions for School Certificates and Higher Leaving Certificates towards the end of the year.
After school Program Resumes:
Established in January 2009, PISSAM
launched their FREE afters chool program. This program provides primary to high
school-aged children, youth with a safe environment to receive mentorship and
academic advising. Through a variety of activities, the program aims to provide
opportunities for academic and character maturity for low income students in
the community or anyone. Our afters chool program is made possible through
funding from the Education department.
Resources that will be
available:
* Sport activities (Yes)
* Computers with internet access (not yet)
* Tutoring & Mentoring (Yes)
* Finals Week/AP Test Study Lounge (Not Yet)
* Field Trips (Yes)
* Movie Night (Y )
* Art activities (Yes)
* Academic Success/Workshops (financial/aid, scholarships, resume writing etc. (Yes)
* Court support (yes)
The 2008 General Election in Canterbury, Lakemba and NSW
The report provides a snapshot of Pacific Islanders Australian political participation in and during the 2008 local and State Election and answers a number of important questions. How many Pacific Islanders Australian voted both Canterbury and Lakemba? How large was the Pacific Islanders’ Australian immigrant electorate? Were Pacific Islanders Australians more likely to vote at the polls or by post? One Time Volunteer – Attend field trips, assist with special events, present workshops – there are a variety of ways you can volunteer on the program:
The Tree of Life - Coconut the life history of a coconut tree
Tonga National flower is Heilala, Fiji National flower is Hibiscus, Samoan National flower is Teuila
Annual Miss Hibiscus, held in Fiji, Miss Heilala Tonga, Miss Samoa and other Pacific Islands similar to Miss Australia Universe or Miss Australia World. The Pacific Nations then compete for the title MISS SOUTH PACIFIC. Pacific Islanders Australian is entitle to compete in these Competions representing their grassroots Pacific Nation.
The vegetation on the islands and
coasts of the South Pacific is dominated by the coconut palm TREE. All of us
are familiar with the typical “Robinson Crusoe-style” desert island a mound
of golden sand with a solitary palm tree growing on it, and in fact, this is
not just a picture book scenario, coconut palms really do grow on islands like that
-the coconuts tolerance to the salt environment and poor sandy soil is
incredible. Coconuts can float for thousands of miles until they are cast up
onto a sandy shore. After lying quiescent for a while, in the heat of the
tropical sunshine, the coconut eventually sprouts into life. Roots sprout out
of two of the eyes in the nut, plunging down into the sand, seeking water and
nutrients. Through the third eye, a green shoot grows upwards towards the
sunlight. Once established, the embryo palm grows rapidly, and within five to
six years the coconut will have matured into a graceful palm tree.
Sprouting coconut, the
palm family, to which the coconut belongs, is one of the oldest and most
diverse of the plant families. Palms have many botanical characteristics such
as a woody trunk, perennial growth, leaves which are folded like a fan and the
production of a single ‘seed leaf’ which, along with grasses, lilies and other
families classifies them as monocotyledons. There have been sixty other species
under the genus Cocos, but the coconut palm stands by itself and is
monotypic - meaning that within the genus Cocos only one species is
recognized. Consequently, every coconut palm in the world is taxonomically the
same species, which probably makes it most abundant single food tree in
existence. The distribution of the coconut palm extends over most of the
tropical islands and coasts.
Two major classes of coconut palm are typically recognized on the basis of stature: tall and dwarf. The ones most commonly planted for commercial purposes are the tall varieties, which are slow to mature and first flower six to ten years after planting. They produce medium-to-large size nuts and have a life span of sixty to seventy years. The dwarf varieties may have originated as a mutation of tall types. The dwarf variety may grow to a height of twenty-five to thirty feet and begin flower after three years, when they are only about three feet tall. Their life span is only about thirty years. Although highly difficult to grow, the dwarf varieties are valued because they bear fruit early and are resistant to the lethal “yellowing disease”
.
The coconut palm is not simply an attractive addition to tropical islands and coasts, it is one of the most valuable plants to man. In Pacific Nations the coconut palm is called according to each Island nations names, which roughly translated means “Tree of Life”
a house made of coconut tree 
On most small islands in the South Pacific for
example, the islanders depend on the coconut palm, not just as a means of
income, but also for providing food and shelter. In fact, in Polynesia
especially almost every part of the tree is used for something.
Everything are made of coconut tree that
appears on the photos except for the flowers, books and the pictures, the
frames are made of the coconut trunk. The fibrous trunk produces a wood known
as porcupine wood, which is prime building material, and the huge frondy leaves
are woven together to produce roof thatches, which last up to three or four
years. When the fronds are stripped they can be used for lashing logs together,
making baskets, mats and many other household items. The fibrous husk of the
coconut known as "coir" which is there to cushion the inner nut when it
falls several meters to the ground, produces fibers for a kind of rope called “sennit”.
The meat and liquid obtained from the fruit are used for a variety of foods and
beverages, and the empty shells are made into household utensils such as spoons
and bowls. The empty shells can also be used to make an excellent charcoal,
which works as a cooking fuel and is also used in the production of gas masks
and air filters.
Comparing the life the coconut tree will be great examples of us Pacific Islanders Australian growing up in Australia. Reflecting, Believing, Growing Tough and Strong like the COCONUT tree giving life to Pacific Islanders in the South Pacific How about us Pacific Islanders Australian be a COCONUT tree growing in Australia and give life to not only Pacific Islanders in Australia contributing to Australia.
Pacific
Islanders Australia let us develop, and grow healthy and strong to give life to
ourselves and others. REMEMBER coconut
growing in the Pacific go through tough and harsh condition and still give
life. In Australia life is there it’s
for you and me to reach out to get it.
PLEASE
REACH OUT AND GIVE LIFE TO THOSE WHO DESPERATELY NEEDED AIR, SPACE, FOOD FOR THOUGHT AND SOUL, WATER AND LEADERSHIP TO BUILD LIFE OF FUTURE ISLANDERS.
A coconut takes a full year to develop
from a flower into a ripe nut. During this time the fruit of the coconut passes
through four food phases;
(2) After the green stage the nut begins to ripen – on the outside, it turns slowly brown, and on the inside a thin white layer of meat or pulp begins to develop – this can be eaten and has a consistency rather like that of a soft boiled egg.
(3) If the nut remains on the tree it
continues to ripen, the outside becomes harder and the meaty inner lining
thickens and hardens while the milk turns to tasteless water. The mature pulp
can be shredded at this stage and the fresh meat used in various dishes, or the
shells are split and the meat is left to dry in the sun, becoming “copra”
from which coconut oil is extracted (see below).
A germinating coconut
(4) If a coconut is allowed to fully ripen on the tree, and then falls onto a suitable surface, it will start to germinate; this forms the last food phase. As the coconut germinates a white sponge-like ball develops within the shell, absorbing the liquid and hard meat. The sponge can be eaten. It is sweet and is, in taste and texture, rather like spun sugar candy. Care must be taken with this part of the fruit however, because after a certain point in its development it becomes poisonous.
A more exotic product of the coconut palm is used in “millionaire’s salad”. This is made from the hearts of the newly sprouted embryo palm trees. Extracting the heart kills the tree – but this is often done when thinning of new growth is required.
The making of Copra
Copra is the local south pacific name for dried sections of the meaty inner lining of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It is the principal commercial product derived from the coconut palm, and is used primarily as a source of coconut oil. The resulting residue, coconut oil cake, is used as livestock feed. Coconut oil was introduced as a source of edible fat in northern Europe in the 1860’s because of a shortage of dairy fats. Early in the 20th century it became known in the United States. Western Europe now imports about half a million tons annually, principally from the Philippines, but it is also an important export in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides), Mozambique, Malaysia, and the Pacific Islands.
The economy of many small islands in
the Marquesas and Tuamotu for example, is heavily dependent on the production
of copra. Harvesting copra is a tedious, beak-breaking business. The ripe
coconuts are split with a machete and laid out to dry in the sun. Split coconuts drying in the sun. I grew up in
Tonga; I have seen the hard work done to make copra. Splitting the coconut
shells are done by people. People used an axe to split the coconut in
half. You try them in the sun till they
are ready to be taken out of their shells.
These are done by hand too with a knife. During the process if it rain
or towards the evening you have turn them upside down to protect the meat from
the harsh rain and the dew of the night.
The meat is then scraped out and dried once more on raised wooden platforms, which protects the meat from land crabs. On the atolls, the coconut forests are divided into "parcels” so that each family has sufficient trees from which to harvest a crop. In French Polynesia the price of copra is kept artificially high by subsidies from Tahitian government, this is in an attempt to keep people on the smaller islands by providing them with a worthwhile income. At the moment, Polynesian islanders are paid three times what the copra is actually worth.
In Tonga I remembered that my father build a coconut bakery and lots of shelf, exactly like the bread bakery. He dug a big hole and placed the drums on the bottom and builds the bakery on top. Very smart idea and placed all the meats in trays. I remembered how all the villages bring their meat and pay money to cook their coconut meat till they are ready as copra. I honestly reminded you all that they were hard work, still you have no choice Copra as I said before is the tree of life. It gave Pacific Nation people life. If you live in the Pacific coconut will give you life, that is the only tree in the world that every part of the coconut tree from the root to the leaves is used to eat, provide shelter, bring income and the lists goes on.
In the villages, after the copra is
harvested, it is packed into burlap bags, weighed and recorded in the local shopkeeper’s
ledger. The shopkeeper often acts as an intermediary, giving credit at the shop
in exchange for the crop, which is eventually shipped to Tahiti on “copra
boats”.
A man and his young son working on their copra harvest.
To remove the oil, copra is pulverized between rollers, steamed, and pressed at a pressure of about 500 kg per sq cm (about 6500 lb per sq in). High-quality copra usually contains about 60 to 65 percent oil. The remaining residue is utilized to feed livestock. The raw coconut oil is subsequently refined, either by the producing country or by the importer. Coconut oil makes up about 20 percent of all vegetable oils used in the world. It is a common ingredient in margarines, vegetable shortenings, salad oils, and confections. Coconut oil is also used in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, and shampoos because it has high levels of lauric acid, an ingredient that gives soap a quick-lathering property. Another big market for coconut oil is in the production of cosmetics. It can also be added to glues, epoxies and lacquers to provide flexibility.
References / Acknowledgments Child, Reginald (1974) “Coconuts” (Second Edition) Longman Group LTD. Woodruff, Jasper Guy, (1970) “Coconuts: Production, Processing, Products.” The Avi Publishing Co. Inc. Thanks to Megan Robertson (South Cheshire College, UK) for searching the Web for reference material.
The Housing NSW Youth Scholarship Program aims to assist eligible young people living in social housing to complete the Higher School Certificate (HSC) or TAFE equivalent by providing a one-off payment of $2,000 to be spent on educational related items. The Housing NSW Youth Scholarship Program is delivered in partnership with the NSW Department of Education and Training, local NSW high schools and TAFE colleges.
Applications close 31 July 2009
INTRODUCTION OF THE PISSAM PROGRAMS: PACIFIC ISLANDERS STRENGTHENING SUPPORTING ADVOCATING & MENTORING PROGRAMS (PISSAM)
PISSAM PROGRAM WILL BE EFFECTIVE, IMPLEMENTED ONLY IF THE 3 LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT WILL SUPPORT ITS PROGRAM:
__________________________________________________________________
23/08/2009
Ferry plea: 'I wanted to say farewell'
By JENNY KEOWN - Sunday News
Related Links Stricken ferry to be left as grave site
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WHEN Langi Langi talked to me about Dan MacMillan, she spoke slowly and surely
She is a dignified 65-year-old Tongan guest house owner. Her face is etched with lines, her long grey hair tied neatly into a bun.
She never met Dan but has embraced him as family and mourned his passing along with friends lost on the Tonga ferry.
Langi Langi made a traditional wreath and placed it on Dan's coffin and said goodbye at Ha'apai airport before his body was expatriated.
"It looked so nice," she said. "I wanted to see my palangi (foreigner). He was like a member of my family."
We sit bare foot and cross-legged on her woven grass mat in her lounge. We talk about Dan, the Scottish man who had been living in New Zealand, who never made it to her guest house where I am staying.
He was en route to Ha'apai from Tongatapu on board the Princess Ashika when it went down 2km south west of the island just before midnight on August 5 claiming the lives of 93 people.
Perhaps Dan wanted to come to Ha'apai for the same reasons as my partner and I, for a break, to hang out in a picture-perfect islands of white sands, aqua seas and reefs.
We arrived in Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa on the island Tongatapu for a pre-booked holiday three days after the ferry accident.
The depth of Tonga's sadness was palpable. There was a sea of weeping women at the airport, there to greet relatives from New Zealand. They seemed stunned, quiet, dressed in their black funeral clothes, wearing traditional mats around their waists tied with a rope. I know only bare facts about Dan, 48-years-old, Scottish-born, living in Christchurch, identified by the NZ driver's licence in his pocket.
He too is believed to be an islander from remote Islay in the Scottish Hebrides who had lived in New Zealand for around five years.
Langi Langi tells me he was booked for four nights at her guest house. He rang her three times the day before the ferry left the main island Tongatapu to make sure everything was confirmed.
She went to pick him up at Pangai wharf at 2am on Thursday. Langi Langi didn't think too much of it when the ferry never arrived, it was often late. She went home, and returned to the wharf at 6.30am.
She went to a shop and the owner was shouting to someone on the phone. At first Langi Langi thought he was angry, but then heard him say that the ferry had sunk, and realised he was in shock.
She was distraught. Langi Langi has lived on the island all her life. She knew of people on board, some from her Wesleyan church and prayed everyone including Dan was safe. Most of the people she knew died. She and other church members prepared the church hall, a few metres from the wharf, to be used to treat the survivors.
When the boat came at 2pm, most island residents (the island has a population of 3500) seemed to be there, says Langi Langi. They were there to greet the survivors and see who in their family was alive. It was a sombre occasion. Langi Langi's minister told her and fellow church members to sing prayers as the survivors arrived.
The whole town swung into action providing food and shelter for the survivors.
Langi Langi searched for Dan but, much to her distress, he never arrived. A doctor told her the only palangi on board had died and was taken to Ha'apai hospital.
"I felt so sorry for him," she said. "I really wanted to see the body. I wanted to say farewell."
For Tongans, death is a hugely significant event, she said. Funerals can last up to 10 days, centered around an open casket.
She went to the hospital and asked if she could see Dan's body but the authorities wouldn't let her. Langi Langi went back home stitched a red cross on white material and made a tapa wreath to put on the coffin. New Zealand detectives called at her house to ask about Dan, which number he had called her from and other questions.
She helped as best she could.
She said goodbye to Dan at Ha'apai airport, where she placed the wreath and cross on his coffin.
Langi Langi, wrapping her red cardigan around her black dress, said that even though she only talked to Dan on the phone, she felt like she had a personal and spiritual connection to him.
The next day we return to Auckland. Langi Langi is off to attend a funeral for a mother and her two children who died in the tragedy.
She is taking standard offerings to the family in mourning, chickens, grass mats, a pig, food.
"We'll just sit with them. For as long as it takes," she said.
She gives us each a kiss and says its been great to meet us. God bless you, she said.
What the loss of all these lives in an accident which appeared avoidable means for these deeply religious, family-orientated people is hard to measure. As tourists we get pin-hole glimpses into their grief. Everyone we talk to knew someone or knew of someone on that boat. Everywhere we went houses were decked with purple ribbons and black cloth to mark the funeral of a relative whose body will never be recovered.
We saw men digging plots in cemeteries, ablaze with colourful plastic bouquets. Some families have not comprehended that divers will not be able to bring their relatives' bodies back.
A funeral for one victim was held in the house next to our guest house. The family, all dressed in black, slept outside on mats under tarpaulin. At dawn they sang in powerful harmonies, songs that sent a shiver down my spine.
On Sunday, we went to the Free Church of Tonga in Nukualofa, a magnificent building surrounded by dilapidated houses.
The minister got down on his knees and almost screamed out his sermon in rage. Questions remain about the shipping firm and the government's culpability. They must be answered.
This closely-knit nation deserves an explanation.
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