There is
never a dull moment at school and two events in particular are worth a quick
blog mention. The first is the school athletics day, not for the Olympian style
events or the incredible distances our Ni-Van students manage to throw the
javelin, but for the behind-the-scene action which fortunately didn’t result in
death. Our Ni-Van grounds man had been instructed to cut and prepare the fields
for this annual event. Unfortunately, he spent three weeks carefully cutting
and grooming around the oval but omitted to spend any time within it! Finding
the discus and javelin after each throw was somewhat of a mission impossible!!!
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| My special teaching friends Carla, Susi and Naomi my TA. |
The dilapidated stadium at the sports field was originally built for the Pacific Games but for many years now, has been left unmaintained and is a real earthquake hazard. Only the brave would dare sit on the seats to watch events and our students were banned from going anywhere near it. Not so for our grounds man who, with a few spare hours at hand happened to notice a large fuse box hanging loosely from the wall. The protruding copper wire was enticing. Here was a chance for him to make a few extra dollars. He returned to school to get a hacksaw and promptly proceeded to saw through the copper wire. Unfortunately, he forgot to check if the fuse box was live!!!!! The first we knew of this was when he arrived at school on school a few days later with a bandana tied around his face. “Oh? What’s wrong with you?” our principal asked. “Mi hav wan bigfala cold” he said. “You can’t walk around school like that” she replied “Take it off. You look like a ganster.”
He did so, only to reveal his nose, lips and surrounds burned black. Shocked she questioned him further until she got the whole true story. On further inspection she noticed a badly bandaged hand. Our deputy principal, who has the stomach for dealing with medical disasters carefully unwound the bandage revealing a black, rotting, stinking hand.
We all waiting anxiously while he was taken to the doctors, convinced that the outcome would be an amputation. Fortunately, luck was on his side and the hand could be saved. Any longer and this would not have been the case. I don’t think he’ll try stealing any more copper wire!!!
From solemn commemoration to Celebration
The school curriculum says to teach Australian history but it seems irresponsible not to be teaching the history of the country I’m teaching in. Especially as Vanuatu was gearing up for the first commemoration of the atrocity known as Black-birding. So, armed with three volumes on Vanuatu history, I set about trying to understand the political journey of these islands and how they progressed from being The Sandwich Islands then The New Hebrides to finally in 1980, being renamed Vanuatu.
If New Zealand Maori have grievances, they almost pale in comparison to what the Ni-Vanuatu have endured. In the 1800’s generations were torn apart as islanders were taken to Queensland to work on the sugar-cane plantation, slavery more commonly known as Black birding. It had taken 150 years to acknowledge what the people endured and the commemoration which marked the start of Independence Week was emotionally charged with speeches with many moved to tears. Thank heavens for the energetic dancing, songs and entertainment which followed to lift our spirits!
Vanuatu was settled by the French and the British, enemies for years, and their relationship in these islands was no less harmonious. Trying to create a lawful society, they first tried to be governed by a Naval Commission but without success. This was followed by establishing a condominium where both countries governed simultaneously. Imagine...own languages, own schools, own airlines, own police departments. No wonder the condominium soon became known as pandemonium. The indigenous people were virtually ignored and powerless. Neither government took responsibility for the islanders, they had no country of citizenship, and identity cards were the only form of identification. It wasn’t until the 1970’s-1980 which were fraught with demonstrations and bloodshed as the islanders fought for recognition and the French and British fought to keep what they had taken, that a constitution was written, the New Hebrides became independent and were renamed Vanuatu. Big breath. END OF HISTORY LESSON!
As you can imagine, this history led to a lot of debating and drama in the classroom as the kids came to grips with all of this, especially....the French, the British and the Ni- Vanuatu students. It’s a wonder that I didn’t start a civil war in my class room (although it sounded like it at times)!!
After the colour and drama of the commemoration I was keen to follow the Independence Day celebrations and was not disappointed. The weather was sweltering and when you packed about ten thousand people into the park the heat was overwhelming. You cannot ignore the colour of these islands. With the woman wearing colourful island dresses (Mother Hubbard Dresses as they are known), umbrellas in the Vanuatu colours and the blinding whiteness of the troops it was a sight to behold. The pomp and ceremony of colonialism was still evident with the marching, brass band, speeches and flag-raising, but, even amongst the ceremony there were many light-hearted moments. 
By the afternoon, even though entertainment was in full swing all over Port Vila it was time for a little light recreation. So, it was off to Mele Beach and the Beach Bar with friends for a swim and our own celebrations. A great day.
Lukim Yu
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| The way I see myself (Left) and the way one of my students sees me. |
