The
REAP Report - Us Islanders
by
Bruce Gray
Living
on small islands in the middle of millions of miles of ocean
can lead one to think that their way of life, their problems
and their aspirations are unique.
Through
the Small Islands Voice Youth Internet Forum students from the
Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific are leaning that
they have a lot more in common than they at first might have
thought.
As
we prepare to end one year and journey forth into the new it
is worth remembering that the heart and soul of a nation, any
nation, are its people. As representatives from small islands
we recognize that the past is our heritage, the present our
responsibility and the future our challenge.
Isolated
geographically as we might feel, we are not alone - as this
poem written by Small Islands Voice participant Marvelle Estrale
from the islands of the Seychelles off the coast of Africa in
the Indian Ocean tells:
Us
Islanders
Rarotonga
is the capital of the Cook Islands
Saint Lucia's of the Castries
And Victoria the Seychelles.
Rarotongan's speak Maori and English
Saint Lucians English and Kweyol
And Seychelles Creole, English and French.
So we have something in common.
Rarotongan's
love their sports
Soccer and rugby are the most popular
The beaches, the lagoon, the ocean
And the mountains all beckon
Guided inland tramping and tours
Snorkelling and fishing, and sailing too.
Saint Lucians add more to sports
Cricket and Carifta Games
Boys don't play netball
But they do basketball.
And
Seychellois cannot escape the sea
Canoeing, surfing and swimming especially.
Indeed, all like Rarotongan's and Saint Lucians
Except we've never heard of a vaka.
So we have more than something in common.
Rarotongan's
fly over their islands in microlights
Seychellois do it by helicopter
While Saint Lucian dance to the calypso.
Seychellois love the calypso too.
We didn't know what it was all about
But now we do.
Saint Lucians enjoy a Creole Day
And Seychellois week.
Lots of dancing in the streets
Creole food and music too.
If we could all get together
It'd be just FUN, FUN, and FUN!
Indeed we do have
A lot more than something in common.
Cook
Islands News, 30th December 2002.
