Goodbye 2021! Bula 2022
YESTERDAY was New Year’s Day. Many went to places of worship to offer their first prayers of the year, others to watering holes to sip on icy cold beer and sparkling wine.
Those who preferred a private affair gathered around family and friends, feasting on lovo food and indulging in a few rounds of kava.
Celebrations aside, the arrival of a new year has moral qualities to it.
While it is often a time to go overboard with fun and gaiety, it can also be a special time to think about the changes you need to make in your life.
Underneath the glitz and glamour of the holiday, are deep-rooted spiritual meanings and undercurrents, which all ancient civilisations have observed for centuries.
In Spain, people eat grapes to attract good omen. At each stroke of the clock at midnight, one grape is eaten. Each grape represents good luck for each month so 12 grapes means fortune for the whole year.
In Denmark, people welcome the New Year by throwing old plates and glasses at the doors of family and friends to remove evil spirits and negative vibes.
They also stand on chairs and jump off together at midnight with the hope of leaping into good times.
In Greece, an onion is hung on the front door of the house on New Year’s Eve to symbolise rebirth and on New Year’s Day parents wake up their children by tapping on their heads using onions.
In rural Fiji, people pour water on each other, perhaps as a sign of cleansing or to demand a change of clothes. Those who are wet are given gifts called vakamamaca.
From where I come from, New Year’s Day begins a time of mad drum beating and nights of endless dancing called siba.
While New Year’s celebrations are unique to each culture, they share many commonalities.
All seem to agree that a new year is a time for setting things straight, reflecting on one’s shortcomings, fixing tarnished relationships, reaching out to those who need us and having fun with loved ones.
The most popular thing to do during in the new year is to come up with ambitious resolutions such as losing weight, quitting alcohol, buying a new property, saving up and reconnecting with loved ones, to name a few.
While some of these may be born out of guilt, because we tend to overindulge and live dangerously during the festive season, they are good New Year starters nevertheless.
When planning your new year’s resolutions, it is important to think of practical things that you can easily follow and achieve instead of trying something out of your league.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, in his 2021 New Year’s message which he delivered 12 months ago, challenged the world to “work together in unity and solidarity”.
“Together, let’s make peace among ourselves and with nature, tackle the climate crisis, stop the spread of COVID-19, and make 2021 a year of healing,” Mr Guterres said.
“Healing from the impact of a deadly virus. Healing broken economies and societies. Healing divisions. And starting to heal the planet.”
Those remarks still ring true for each one of us 12 months later, as we look back at the most year that was and one of the most trying times in human history.
Let us think of the lives of the 600-plus Fiji citizens who died since the COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave started in April 2021.
And while we pick up the pieces and move, and educate ourselves about the new Omicron variant let us continue being vigilant about observing all our COVID-19 health protocols.
Medical experts and scientists are telling us that those protocols and vaccination are still our best protection against the pandemic and its variants.
Not too long ago, leaders of the world attended COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland. While many believe it did not turn out the way many had expected, let us continue to do what we can at community and national levels as our way of addressing the climate crisis.
While adverse climate change effects subtly robs from us let us think of practical ways of fixing our planet.
If we are unable to plant trees to replace those felled in the forest, let’s plant something anyway - in our backyard. A few shrubs, fruit trees or green vegetables are a good start.
Let’s get into the habit of recycling, reducing our use of single-use plastics and dependence on fossil fuels. Let’s try to embrace cleaner energy sources and technologies. I am proud that my household in Nasinu relies on solar energy. Yes we don’t pay for electricity and we never face power cuts but the biggest plus is contributing to the good health of our planet.
While conflicts develop around us in 2022, as they often will, let us strive to bring about harmony, looking into the opportunities found in our cultures, religions and education to find means to quell hatred and remove fear and intolerance.
Judging by the public mood and the way national politics had played out last year, it could be easily deduced that every Fijian is looking forward to the 2022 general elections. Slowly, a movement for change is building up because citizens are exhausted by the politics of the past decade.
Hopefully, 2022 will steer away from the brand of politics that has created divisive wedges between us and move toward the politics of compromise anchored on goodwill, fairness and justice.
Let us pray that politicians and will have the foresight to improve service delivery and commit themselves to reduce poverty, crime and inflation while increasing minimum wages and employment opportunities.
Most important of all, we hope they will uphold the rule of law and respect and protect our human rights and freedoms. The last 12 months are punctuated with many events and cases that demonstrate that our leaders disrespect the principles and values of democratic governance.
Nevertheless, everyone can be an agent of change and no matter how small your contribution may be, know that any change you bring to the place you live, the organisation you belong to and the group you associate with is a huge leap for the common good.
Such is the promise of a New Year – a time to reflect, resolve and start anew. You see it’s not all about partying, feasting and laughter.
Wherever you are reading this from, it is my hope and prayer that this new year becomes your chance to turn over a new leaf in your life.
School starts this week so let’s wish every school-age child in Fiji the very best in the new school year. Good wishes too to the teachers, parents, families, school management and old scholars.
Until we meet on this same page same time next week, stay blessed, stay healthy and stay safe!
Let us pray that politicians and will have the foresight to improve service delivery and commit themselves to reduce poverty, crime and inflation while increasing minimum wages and employment opportunities.