BY SAMIE WAIKORI
The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Penitala Teo, has paid a historic visit to the Tuvaluan community in the Solomon Islands.
The visit took place on Tuesday evening, where he and his delegation visited the Tuvaluan descendants at the Solovalu community near Honiara International Airport in Honiara.
Accompanying PM Teo’s delegation during the visit were Solomon Islands Minister for Culture and Tourism, Ms. Choylin Yim Douglas, who is of Tuvaluan descent, and two of her colleague ministers: Franklyn Wasi, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, and Paul Bosawai, Minister for Health and Medical Services.
Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo, who is in the country for the Pacific Fisheries Summit, paid this sideline visit to reconnect with the cultural heritage between the Solovalu community and the people of Tuvalu.
“The visit is quite significant. We have diaspora in many countries in the Pacific. And it is always a privilege to meet the Tuvaluan diaspora wherever I travel,” he said.
PM Feleti, however, designated the visit as special because of the tie he and his family had with the Solovalu community when they were in Honiara 19 years ago.
“It is good to reconnect with them and see that the community is growing. I thank the elders of the Solovalu community for being proud to be Tuvaluan and representing their home country,” he said.
Feleti also acknowledged a proposal shared by Minister Douglas and a representative from the Solovalu community at the gathering to establish a partnership platform between Solovalu and Tuvalu.
The proposal will focus on cultural exchange, where cultural practices, traditions, and stories would be shared and passed on from one generation to another, both in Solovalu and Tuvalu.
He praised the proposal and the benefits it would bring to both sides, especially the Solovalu community. He noted that living outside of their homeland may lead to the potential for Tuvaluans to practice or interpret their indigenous culture in ways that may not be consistent with traditional values.
Feleti also suggested that the availability of technology, such as social media, could be a platform where Tuvaluans in the Solomon Islands could learn about their culture.
The Prime Minister welcomed the proposal and expressed his happiness to witness that Tuvaluans in the Solomon Islands still have a strong connection to their home country.
For feedback, contact: [email protected]
