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Posted on August 23, 2008 by lyn | Posted under Politics
Pigs May Fly Through t the Demand for Pigs in the Local Elections.
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On a tropical island in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific, a world away, another woman faces unbelievable odds. From an unexpected source Mrs Jenny Ligo is being put under pressure. Following her famous Aunts footsteps, Jenny was granted a chiefly title earlier this year, by the head of the National Councils of Chiefs, Chief Paul Tahi. As a symbol of good luck and well done, Jenny was liberally dusted with baby powder. No one knows where this custom arose from, but beware if you are an honored guest in Vanuatu, you will also be smothered with baby powder. In order for Jenny to enter the brutal field of politics, she had to ceremoniously kill eleven pigs.Late last year during her wedding to Joe Ligo, Jenny also ceremoniously killed eleven pigs. 28 years ago, after the nation's independence, the political and women's rights' activist, Mrs Grace Molisa became the first woman to hold the position of Private Secretary to the country's first Prime Minister, late Father Walter Lini. Jenny is the niece of Grace Molisa. Its only weeks to the general election in Vanuatu and Mrs Ligo has returned to her home island of Ambae. All should have been plain sailing for this courageous lady as she travelled to most parts of the island. Wrong! Speaking on behalf of some of the Chiefs of Ambae, Chief Moli Tari said, Jenny is not to be permitted to contest in her home island, according to island custom principles. Odd how this principle never emerged during the pig killing ceremony early this year. Maybe the principles of the ancient custom from this island change from day to day? Because Jenny was married to Joe Ligo on another island, the island of Pentecost, Chief Moli told Jenny that she can only contest the Ambae constituency under one condition. She must present 10 tusked pigs to the chiefs in a custom ceremony. That doesn't sound too difficult until you realize the real value of tusked pigs. In Vanuatu you just can't walk into a sales yard and buy 10 of them. Especially if they are of any reasonable age and size. Pig tusks are real currency, in Vanuatu. They are the wealth of every village and are one of their highly prized possessions. The Tari Buri Bank, headed by Chief Viraleo, has fourteen branches, holding what they believe to worth nearly $1 billion in collateral, in pig tusks. It has accounts, reserves, cheque books and tight security. Though most of the security is done by the spirits and snakes. The bank pays a handsome 15% interest and offers mortgages, as well as easy credit. In some areas it is not unusual for women to pay school fees in pig tusk currency. Sometimes the tusks are still attached to the skull of the dead pig's skull. Many more children would never have the chance to go to school in a society where villagers live on under $1 per day. Where the land provides much of their needs, this does not pose a great problem. Pigs, have their top teeth knocked out, so the bottom teeth will grow into the highly prized curled tusk. For the rest of their life they have to be hand fed. The older the pig, the better the curl, up to the very rare three curled tusk. The pig is tethered and kept in semi captivity, so as to prevent the tusk from breaking or suffer from damage. Where does Mrs Ligo bargain for the 10 valuable pigs she may have to pay to Chief Moli and his group? Particularly as Chief Moli is not actually living on the island of Ambae, Jenny may have to present the pigs on the island of Ambae, or to the chiefs living on the distant island of Santo. Will the pigs be flown to the island? The plot thickens as two more chiefs have stepped into the political arena. Chief Benwel Garae of North Ambae and Chief Pascal Sese of Lolopuepue. They come from the chiefly rank of Mambuhangvulu, the second highest rank of the Ambae chiefly system. The same tribe which Jenny comes from. The local newspaper in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, reported that chiefs on the island said, the call made by Chief Moli is childish and has no basic meaning. “If Chief Moli lived on Ambae he would not question Mrs Ligo's right to participate in the political arena." Chief Moli is not available to meet Jenny for some unknown reasons. But Jenny would be happy to meet him face to face. We have full confidence in the strongly determined, former chairwoman for the Vanuatu National Council of Women. She has what is needed to contest this election. As a mother, and gently spoken woman, Jenny has a real heart for the next generation. She is the kind of candidate who can alter the education condition in Vanuatu, where education is not free. With women like Jenny in power, there is hope that charities like YouMe Support Foundation will get an even stronger hold on helping children from these communities. Children who will never see the inside of a high school classroom without outside assistance. Children who rely on a once in a lifetime Blue Moon Opportunity to provide the funds for non-repayable high school education grants. You need to take a few minutes to check this Blue Moon Opportunity out. It could make your dreams come true. About The Author: Dr Wendy and her husband Rick are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation, Child Trust Fund. Through a Blue Moon Opportunity, world first, they are offering Seachange Lodge Resort as an Internet Raffle. The funds provide non-repayable education grants for children who will never see the inside of a high school classroom without outside assistance. check it out at:WIN A RESORT. |
Tags: CURRENT POLITICS, HILARY CLINTON, BLUE MOON OPPORTUNITY, TROPICAL ISLANDS, BARAK OBAMA, CHILD TRUST FUND, EDUCATION, EDUACTION GRANTS, WIN A RESORT, WINARESORT
