| The
"Island of Hope" is
life-centred, affirming the very soul of the Pacific islanders.
The concepts of whenua, fenua, enua, vanua
all mean that the land is the people's identity, life and
soul. Land is people, resources, cultures, beliefs, spirituality,
languages, social systems, and the sea.
The
practical outcome of this understanding is communitarian
sharing and distribution of resources with the absence of
the selfish pursuit of wealth.
While
Western economies revolve around profit and economic growth,
the traditional economies of the Pacific are concerned with
people and the total quality of their lives; caring and
concern for others within the extended family and compassion
for all, especially for the sick and elderly are values
of the communities; respect, hospitality, generosity and
forgiveness are other marks of traditional communities.
Nobody is excluded."
From
"The
Island of Hope - an alternative to economic globalization"
- a dossier coming out of a consultation of Pacific churches
held in August 2002 in Fiji. |
