Our Rotuma Day celebration: On 12th we had sports, e.g. cycling, athletic & track events, for young and old, 800 metres, 400 metres, etc.; tug of war, ladies and men; coconut climbing, copra cutting, draughts, ping pong, table tennis; farmer's show, baby show, and not but least, the women's handicrafts.

On the 13th May, second day, we started at Lihowa, Motusa, Futiag Matini where the Union Jack was hoisted 13th May 1881. Devotion was conducted by Rev. Fatiaki. Motusa choir sang Hymn 403, then "Rotuma Hanua Ontou" by Mamas Konusi.

The "Seven Stars of Rotuma" Club in the Bay Area, California, celebrated the Rotuma Day on May 16 in Fremont. Most of the Rotumans in the Bay Area attended which made it a special and memorable day for us. Even though the Club's "han pure" was in Australia, we had a great time! And, yes, we had "fekei," a Lopta recipe which turned out so well (`aag pau ne `os hanua!!). Let us know if you need the recipe...its free for the asking. <Memose@gcwf.com>

Viane Amato-Ali won the Bournemouth University '1998 Sports Personality Award'. He played rugby for the university this season and scored 7 tries. In addition, he has also been helping out with coaching. In 1996 Viane won a gold medal in the South Pacific Games and was awarded Fiji's FASANOC Sports Administrator of that Year but, in his own words "this award, so far away from home and being here only eight months, is one of the greatest honours I could get in my sporting career."

This year's Rotuma Day Celebration was hosted by members of the Drummoyne Rotuman Congregation in Sydney. It was a weekend of celebrating which started on the Friday evening (16 May) with a welcome dinner for the Brisbane Rotuman Community. This group of 66 members arrived from Brisbane via two buses after spending 14 hours travelling. They were accommodated at Alan Walker College of Evangelism, North Parramatta.

On Saturday, 17 May, at Riverside Girls' High School Auditorium, the "katoaga" opened with an address by Steve Walker (Elder), and a short prayer by Fekau Emotama Pene. The MC for the day was Rejieli Clayton.

Three groups participated this year in cultural performances ("tautoga"), namely: The Drummoyne Rotuman Congregation, Wesley Mission Rotuman Congregation, and the Brisbane Rotuman Community. We also had the pleasure of entertaining a number of overseas visitors who were in the country over this weekend. To name a few: Fekau Voi Taukave (visiting from Suva); Rosarina Pene and Freddie Fonmoa (visiting from Suva); Susanna Atalifo (visiting from Lautoka); Tua Faktaufon & sons (visiting from Nadi); Emeli Hay, daughter--Lenora, and grand-daughter--Tyannah (visiting from California).

Also this year, we as hosts, decided to vary the day's activities with the inclusion of a newly-formed Rotuman band comprising members of the Congregation. The band, called "Lalavi" is led by Eric Fatiaki and members include: Fred Pene (vocalist/ukeleleist), Etike Langi (bass guitarist), Teariki Smith (organist), Simone Fatiaki (vocalist), George Managreve (lead guitarist), and George Fonmanu (drums). The variety of songs played that day certainly got the audience revved up, and in between cultural performances and over lunch, the stage was taken over by individual star performances from guests. It certainly reminded us all of the "faras" back on the island.

As is customary in any Rotuman gathering, the event is not complete without a game of "pasa". Saturday was no exception. After the final cultural performance, the stage was cleared and five groups of fours sat around and enjoyed their game of cards, while on the sideline, pairs were eagerly waiting to replace the losers. All losers had to entertain the audience in dance to the accompaniment of Lalavi.

For the 300 plus guests that arrived that day, they were all treated to a barbeque luncheon, and after the day's cultural performances and appearances by "Lalavi", dinner was provided in the form of a koua pig, 'a'ana, charcoal chicken, poat kau and a variety of curries.

Celebrations continued well into the evening on Saturday with a "mak fifisi" at the Drummoyne Sailing Club. Entry was free for all, and it was just great to see so many Rotumans and their young families having a wonderful time. Even the older Rotumans were still having a whale of a time as it approached midnight. Live music that evening was provided by the well-known Fijian band--"Kabani". They were fantastic and were truly responsible for ensuring we all had a great time. A lot of people were nursing sore feet and heavy eyelids the next day!!

The weekend celebrations were brought to a close with a Combined Church Service on Sunday, 18 May at Drummoyne Uniting Church, with Fekau Voi Taukave as guest preacher. Fekau Taukave led the congregation with a meaningful sermon entitled "The Stories We Tell Our Children."

The service was followed by a feast comprising more koua pig, 'a'ana, poat kau, charcoal chicken, fekei, vai tahroro moa, 'ikou, seafood marinara, chicken cashew nuts, sweet & sour chicken, curries, salads, trifle, tipari, and seasonal fruit salad and ice cream.

Over lunch, informal speeches were made by representatives of the Wesley Mission & Brisbane Community; and at 2.00 pm Sunday afternoon, we all said farewell to our Brisbane relatives as they boarded their buses for their 14-hour return journey home.

Overall, it was truly a fabulous weekend of fellowship, feasting and fun; a weekend thoroughly enjoyed by the Rotumans of Sydney & Brisbane.

The Canada Hugag'esea Club celebrated Rotuma Day in Richmond, British Columbia, last Saturday. There were 300 plus people in attendance which helped make it a day to remember.We are grateful to the Vancouver Fiji Community for their support and also to the spouses of Rotuman men and women for their patience and tolerance during the weeks leading to the function...faiaksea 'e hanisi.

Our menu consisted of 'ikou puat kau, fekei, puaka, moa ma 'a'an noso. There was also ia' fekei and curry beef.

Our hafa was performed after dinner followed by Suka, Donna their children and their Samoan friends, Tau and Tafe Maae their children, from Spokane Washington, who presented a mixture of Rotuman and Samoan dances. Mr.& Mrs. Maae demonstrated true Pacific Island spirit with their loving contribution to help their friends Suka and Donna Faragke. Again, to them we say...faiaksea 'e hanisi.

There were three new members who, a few years back, were not aware of their Rotuman background. Stell Seeley and Wendy Shields (great-granddaughters of Akanisi Gibson), and Guy Rae, son of 'Elikimi (Rave ma 'Aisea..Motusa).

The Rotuman Language Workshop has been running for three years in Sydney. This season it will be reopened by Professor Alan Howard & Dr Jan Rensel on 25th July at 1 pm at Alan Walker College at North Parramatta, Sydney. It will be followed by dinner from 5.30--9.30 p.m. The workshop is open to anyone who wants to learn Rotuman or refresh their Rotuman Language. The RL Workshop runs through our winter months and breaks up for summer. We open our workshops with devotion, to be led by Mr Pene Vafosu and Marie (Martoa) Dickinson. Alan & Jan will open the RL Workshop and Rev Fesaitu Marseu will give a welcome speech to new members. Then it's over to our wonderful Rotuman Language teacher, Mrs Kava Fonmoa, affectionately known to us and our children as Aunty Kava. Anyone who wants to join the workshop and/or dinner are most welcome. For more information, contact Martoa Dickinson (02) 9484 3609, Mr Pene Vafosu (02) 9625 3845 or Aunty Kava (02) 9599 4060. Rejieli Clayton will announce the RL Workshop at our Rotuma Day Celebration on Saturday 16th July in Sydney.

We are very pleased to have Alan and Jan as our guests for the occasion. Alan first went to Rotuma in 1959 to do dissertation research when he was 25 years old. He spent a year on the island and studied many aspects of Rotuman culture: land tenure, education, leadership, health, myths & legends, adoption, etc. He published a book, Learning to be Rotuman, and many articles based on his research. In 1987 he returned with his wife, Jan Rensel, who conducted her own research on Rotuma over the next several years. Her PhD dissertation was entitled, "For Love or Money: Interhousehold Exchange and the Economy of Rotuma." In 1994 Alan published Hef Ran Ta" (The Morning Star), a biography of Wilson Inia, Rotuma's first Senator. Alan and Jan have also co-authored several articles about modern Rotuman society. Dr Howard is Professor, and Dr Jan Rensel is Adjunct Assistant Professor, in the Anthropology Department at the University of Hawaii.

Alan & Jan created the Rotuma website in November 1996 and developed it into a place where Rotumans everywhere can keep up on the news, communicate with one another, and learn about their cultural heritage. In collaboration with Elizabeth Inia and others, they have seen through to publication two new books of importance for Rotuman language learning: a republication of Churchward's 1940 Rotuman Dictionary (with the addition of an English to Rotuman wordlist), and a book of Rotuman proverbs compiled by Mrs Inia. Both books are being published by the Institute of Pacific Studies at University of the South Pacific in Suva and might be available by the time of the workshop.

I know many Rotumans join me in thanking Alan & Jan for the work they have done. We are honored to have them open our workshop this season. I thank them both on behalf of everyone for accepting the invitation.

From Tefui Club, Honolulu (May 19, 1998)

The Rotuman Association of Hawaii (Tefui Club) celebrated Rotuma Day at Kailua Beach Park on Saturday, 16 May. We had a great turnout; a number of Fijian guests (including the crew from Air Pacific) joined in the festivities. The food was, as always, plentiful, and included koua pig, a'ana, 'ikou puat kau, and fekei. Each family performed a dance or skit and the group performed a hafa just for the fun of it. Maxine Nataniela, wife of our President, Marseu Nataniela, brought club T-shirts which she designed and had made. To see what they look like click here. We hope other Rotuman communities had as much fun as we did, and we'd love to hear about it!

Marie Dickenson (Sydney) sent the following extract from the Sept - Oct 1997 issue of Litani, the UNIFIL Magazine (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) , which contains an article about Maj-Gen Jioje Konrote, complete with picture. Jioje K Konrote was born in 1947, the eldest of nine children to Mua and Konrote. He is married (his wife Sarote is from Itumuta) with two children.

Here is the text from the magazine:

The Secretary General of the United Nations Mr Kofi Annan has appointed Maj-Gen Jioje Konousi Konrote of Fiji as Commander of UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) with effect from 1 Oct 1997. He is to succeed Maj-Gen Stanislaw Franciszek Wozniak of Poland who served as Commander since April 1995.   

The Secretary General paid tribute to Maj-Gen Wozniak for his distinguished service in UNIFIL in a dispatch from New York. Maj-Gen Konrote who has served in the Fijian Armed Forces since 1966 received his military training in New Zealand and Australia. He is a graduate of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies.   

He has held several staff and command positions in Fiji and was seconded to the New Zealand Army as well as to the British Forces in Hong Kong. Prior to taking up the appointment of the FC of UNIFIL Maj-Gen Konrote was the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.    He has had previous experience with UNIFIL where he served five times as Company Commander (1978, 1980-81), Senior Plans Officer at UNIFIL HQ (1983-84), Battalion Commander (1986-87) and Deputy Force Commander (1990-91).