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The Minister for Education, Culture, Heritage and the Arts, Mr Filipe Bole has encouraged the Fiji delegation to the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts in Amerika Samoa to accept new changes to their culture and reject that which is not
Minister Bole made these comments whilst making his tatau to the delegation before he departs Amerika Samoa at the end of this week.
“We cannot recreate what they used to do (ancestors) but we convey to us and our children in our meke and our songs so they are the living part of our culture, that’s the way we tell our people and we tell other people how we lived our life in the past and the present but retaining our culture doesn’t mean that we reject new things that come to us”, Mr Bole said.
Mr Bole added,“New things will always be coming to Fiji to Rotuma to all parts of Fiji and if we accept what we accept it should lead to improvement for us, no use accepting something because it appears good, if it has no value to you reject it”.
The Minister said that he was convinced that there was no way that Fijians and Rotumans would ever lose their culture because it is the only aspect that sets them apart from other people. Mr Bole said that he would pay a courtesy visit to His Excellency the President Ratu Josefa Iloilo when he returns to Fiji.
“As the Minister representing the government and the head of state I think Ratu Iloilo will be very proud of you people and I will go up to him personally after this when I get there to convey to him how you people are enjoying yourself here and representing the government here and the country”, Mr Bole added.
Minister Bole said that he was very proud of the performances from both the Rotuman and Fijian meke groups.
“All in all we are very pleased we are very proud of both of our teams. We think there might be a need for some improvement we might need an introducer somebody to say that you are coming to do this and maybe one or two sentences about the dances you are going to perform.
“The Rotuman team can do the same thing. I saw the dance that you performed, the one that I really love you did it in Fiji, that’s the one that really got me. I was sitting down just watching you and I nearly lost my breath.”
Minister Bole departs Pagopago for Fiji tomorrow.
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No:1198
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