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More Pigs Demanded From Candidate in the Upcoming Local Elections
Any woman who enters the blood thirsty arena of politics needs a special accolade, in such a male dominated arena. It is great to see Ms Hilary Clinton once more in the headlines, backing Obama.
A world away, another woman is facing unbelievable odds. On a tropical island in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific, Mrs Jenny Ligo is under pressure from an unexpected source.
Earlier this year Jenny followed in her famous Aunt’s footsteps when she was granted a chiefly title, by the head of the National Council of Chiefs, Chief Paul Tahi. Jenny was first liberally dusted with baby powder, a symbol of good luck and well done. Just where this custom arose from, no one knows, but beware if you are an honored guest in Vanuatu. You too will be thoroughly dusted with baby powder.
Jenny had to ceremoniously kill eleven pigs, in order to enter the brutal field of politics. Jenny has also ceremoniously killed eleven pigs at her wedding to Joe Ligo late last year.
Jenny is the niece of women’s rights’ and political activist, Mrs Grace Molisa. Mrs Molisa became the first lady to take up the position of Private Secretary to the country’s first Prime Minister, late Father Walter Lini, 28 years after the nation’s independence.
In Vanuatu the general election is only weeks away and Mrs Ligo has returned to her home island, Ambae. As this courageous lady traveles to most parts of the island, all should have been plain going for her. Wrong!
Chief Moli Tari, speaking on behalf of some of the chiefs of Ambae, stated that Mrs Ligo would not be permitted to contest in the Ambae constituency, according to the island’s custom principles. Surprisingly this never floated to the surface when the pig killing ceremony took place earlier this year. Perhaps the ancient custom principles from this island change from day to day?
Because of her marriage to Joe Ligo on another island, Pentecost, Chief Moli has told Jenny she can only contest the Ambae constituency on one condition. She must perform a custom ceremony presentation to the chiefs, 10 tusked pigs.
It doesn’t sound that hard, until you discover the real value of 10 tusked pigs. In Vanuatu, you just can’t walk into a sales yard and buy them. Especially if the pigs are of reasonable size and age, with good curled tusks.
In Vanuatu, pig tusks are real currency. They are one of the highly prized possessions and are the wealth of every village. The Tari Buri Bank, headed by Chief Viraleo is thought to have nearly $ 1 billion in collateral, in pig tusks in the bank’s fourteen branches. The bank offers mortgages, as well as easy credit and pays a handsome 15% interest. The bank has reserves, cheque books, accounts and tight security, even though most of the security is done by snakes and spirits.
It is still a common practice in some areas, for women to pay school fees with pig tusk currency. Often the tusks are still attached to the dead pig’s skull. Many more children would never have the opportunity to go to school, in a society where villagers live on under $1 per day. This is not a problem, where the land provides most of the villager’s needs.
Pigs, which are chosen to produce the highly valued tusks, have their top teeth knocked out, so the bottom teeth will grow into the coveted curled tusk. The pigs then have to be hand fed for the remainder of their life. The older the pig, the bigger the curl. Up to the highly prized and very rare three curled tusk. The pig then needs to be tethered and kept in semi captivity, in order to prevent the animal from breaking or damaging the precious tusk.
Where does Mrs Ligo buy the highly valued 10 pigs she may have to pay to Chief Moli and his group of chiefs? Especially as Chief Moli is not a resident of the island of Ambae will Jenny have to present the pigs on Ambae island, or to the chiefs living on the distant island of Santo? Will the pigs be flown to the island?
The plot thickens as Chief Benwel Garae of North Ambae and Chief Pascal Sese of Lolopuepue step into the political arena. The two chiefs come from the chiefly rank of Mambuhangvulu, the second highest rank of the Ambae chiefly system. Jenny also comes from that tribe.
The chiefs told the local newspaper in the capital of Vanuatu, “If Chief Moli lived on Ambae he would not question Mrs Ligo’s right to participate in the political environment.” The call made by Chief Moli is childish and totally without substance.
Jenny would be happy to meet face to face with Chief Moli, but for some unknown reason, Chief Moli is not available.
We have confidence that the strongly determined, former chairwoman for the Vanuatu National Council of Women has all she needs to contest this upcoming election. Jenny is the kind of candidate who can alter the education situation where there is no free education. As a mother, and gently spoken woman, Jenny has a real heart for the next generation.
With women like Jenny in power, there is high hope for charities like YouMe Support Foundation, to 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 aid. Children who rely on a once in a lifetime Blue Moon Opportunity to provide them with funds for non-repayable high school education grants.
This Blue Moon Opportunity could be your means of making your dreams come true. It is worth a few minutes of your time. For further information go to winaresort.com
About the Author
Rick and Wendy are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation, charity that gives away non repayable high school education grants to children who will never have the opportunity to have a high school education without outside assistance.check it out at:Win A Resort