Our Pacific ways

By Scott Waide

Our Pacific Ways reflects on Our Pacific traditions for inspiration to move Our Pacific People forward.

It challenges the current systems of exploitation and asks: What if we did things Our Pacific Way?

What if we told you that Our Ancestors were the best navigators using the sun and the stars to travel the Liquid Continent?

What if we told you they were the best naval architects who built ocean-going vessels for international commerce between our island nations?

What if we told you that agriculture developed here first independent of any outside influence?

What if we told you that Our Ancestors lived in harmony with nature before the rest of the world knew anything about sustainable development?

What if we told you that tuberculosis and leprosy were introduced to Our People?

What if we told you that land was stolen from Our People to build Churches?

What if we told you that Colonial Administrations hung Our People in public the same way Blacks were lynched in America?

What if we told you that Fiji became independent when it overthrew the British Monarchy and that Solomon Islands is a colony of Australia?

What if we told you of the French domination of the Polynesia and the violation of Hawaiian sovereignty by the United States?

What if we told you of Nuclear testing and the displacement of Our People?

What if we told you about neo-colonization and the systematic exploitation of Our People and Our Resources?

WHAT IF… WE NEVER TOLD YOU?

….And so with-in the contemporary context of the Pacific it is now up to us to define Our Ways Pacific Ways as opposed to the failed model of development that is witnessed with the collapse of western economies.

Our Pacific Ways of land management should allow every generation to have a say about how land is used.

Our Pacific Ways of resource management should allow every generation to have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of those resources.

Our Pacific ways of trade and communications should enable individuals, communities and nations to foster relationships that are mutually beneficial.

Our Pacific ways of Banking should safeguard and create wealth for us as opposed to speculating with our savings elsewhere

Our Pacific Ways of Governance should empower individuals and communities to lead and to hold leaders to account.

Our Pacific Ways of International relations should be between equal partners and not of neo-colonism, gun boat or checkbook diplomacy.

Our Pacific Ways of education should be one of empowerment of people and not of creating misfits in society.

Our Pacific Ways of healthcare should be one of community based solutions and not just about treating individuals.

Our Pacific Ways of Agriculture and Food Security should recognize our agricultural heritage as our strength and knowledge base

We live in a part of the world that has huge potential but is currently being subjected to a model of development that only allows for a few elite and money-men to prosper at the expense of the vast majority of our people.

The only way out is Our Pacific Way!

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 13, 2012 at 11:06 AM

    Well done Scott. We need more nationalistic thinkers like you. Come on Papua New Guineans stand up for our rights but appreciating our obligations to our neighbours as well.

    ReplyDelete

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