Author：佚名 Source：none Hits：117 UpdateTime：2008-10-19 1:32:47
In a male dominated arena a special commendation needs to be given to any woman brave enough to enter the blood thirsty battlefield of politics. It is great to see Ms Hilary Clinton once more in the headlines, now backing Barack Obama.
A world away, on a tropical island in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific, another woman faces unbelievable odds. Mrs Jenny Ligo is under pressure from an unexpected source.
Following her famous aunt's footsteps, Jenny was granted a chiefly title earlier this year, by the head of the National Councils of Chiefs, Chief Paul Tahi.
As a symbol of good luck and 'well done', Jenny was liberally dusted with baby powder. No one knows where this custom came from, but beware if you are an honored guest in Vanuatu, you will also be smothered with baby powder.
In order for Jenny to enter the brutal field of politics, she had to ceremoniously kill eleven pigs. Late last year during her wedding to Joe Ligo, Jenny also ceremoniously killed eleven pigs.
Jenny is the niece of womens rights and political activist, Mrs Grace Molisa. Mrs Molisa became the first lady to take up the position of Private Secretary to the countrys first Prime Minister, late Father Walter Lini, 28 years after the nations independence.
It's only weeks to the general election in Vanuatu and Mrs Ligo has returned to her home island of Ambae. All should have been plain sailing for this courageous lady as she travelled to most parts of the island. Wrong!
On behalf of some of the Chiefs of Ambae, Chief Moli Tari said, according to island custom principles Jenny is not allowed to contest in her home island. How odd that this principle never came to the surface early this year, during the Pig killing ceremony. Perhaps the ancient custom principles from this island are changed daily as required?
Chief Moli has told Jenny that, because of her marriage to Joe Ligo from another island, she can only contest the Ambae constituency on one condition. She must perform a custom ceremony that will present 10 tusked pigs to the chiefs.
That doesnt sound so hard,until you look at the real value of 10 pigs with tusks. You cant just go out to a sales yard in Vanuatu and buy them. Particularly if the pigs are of any reasonable age and size.
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 banks 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.
In some areas it is not unusual for women to pay school fees in pig tusk currency. Sometimes the tusks are still attached to the skull of the dead pig. Many more children would never have the chance to go to school in a society where villagers live on less than $1 per day. Where the land provides much of their needs, this does not pose a great problem.
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