This year is already 21 days old. Already I hear of colleagues remark, “Don’t you think that Happy New Year is a bit too old now?” I agree but I wanted to share some thoughts I wrote on the eve of New Year 2011. No promises this year, no new year’s resolutions for me. But as I reflected on the little things in life that have inspired me, I recall my experience with the gracious, soft spoken composer of the Solomon Islands National Anthem, the late Mr. Panapasa Balekana.
I had the unique opportunity of speaking with the late Panapasa Balekana during the darkest hours of our nation’s history. The height of the ethnic tension of 1999-2000. I was personally engrossed in his inspirations especially the time when he penned our national anthem. I asked him to define in very simple terms our national anthem. His reponse was quick as it was thoughtful. It was simply a prayer, his hope for the future, the hope that we can be one nation – “Our Nation, Solomon Islands”.
It saddens me to quietly observe that in many ways, we seem to have lost our way. Too many times we place emphasis and spend much time, energy in purporting our differences rather then focussing on what makes us one nation of diverse people, cultures and languages. Our diversity is what makes us unique. Our bickering over our differences is what makes us the same as most other troubled nations of the world today. Let this year be the year we revitalize our belief in a united Solomon Islands.
US President Barack Obama said, “this nation [United States of America] is more than the sum of its parts – that out of many, we are truly one.” I believe that the strength of our Solomon Islands lies not in the wealth that we can amass but simply in our enduring belief that we are truly one nation, one nation of many parts. The sum of its part should make us stronger, the sum of its many different parts is what make us special.
Instead of our continual reflection on the differences, we should be focussed on our common goals and aspirations as a nation. I am sure we will find that there are more commonalities then differences in this regard.
Finally, I am proud to be a Malaitan but I am most certainly proudest to be a Solomon Islander. There is a subtle but profound difference in this statement. It is in our nature to remain true to our ethnic makeup but we must also remind ourselves to remain firmly entrenched in the belief that we are, first and foremost, Solomon Islanders.
May we all have a blessed year and for once truly believe; we are Solomon Islanders. God Bless our Solomon Islands, from shore to shore.
Perhaps in summary, this song by Alvin Slaughter provides an alternative on what we can do as a nation for success. Happy New Year 2011.