the 1%

“What? The land of the free?
Whoever told you that is your enemy…”
Yes I know my enemies…
Compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission
Ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite…”
- Rage against the Machine “Know your Enemy”.

“It's a mystery to me
We have a greed, to which we have agreed
And you think you have to want more than you need…
Society, have mercy on me
I hope you're not angry if I disagree
Society, you're crazy indeed
I hope you're not lonely without me”
- Eddie Vedder “Society”

Samoa will receive about AUD$70M in foreign aid funds just from Australia and NZ this year
…then add in aid from Japan, US, China, the EU and others
…and remittances- money sent back from Samoans overseas (currently estimated at $12M per year)
…and you’ll surpass $200M

That equates to about $2000 tala gifted per man, woman and child- one of the highest concentrations of foreign aid on the globe.

According to Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour...
- 117,500 reported Samoan working age population
- 37,800 Samona Labour Force...
- Reported employment rate 91%
- which leaves 79,700 working age adults not considered "in the labour force..."

$150-$200 tala- average wage earning per week in Samoa for employees.

$80,000 tala- average market minimum for an assistant CEO (equivalent to a commercial senior manager)

Such figures require some context. To put this in a global perspective…

USD $34,000 per person after tax 

Annual income required to be in the world’s weathiest 1%

USD $1,225 a year

Global median income

7.244 billion
World population as of July 2014

$1.25 per day
The World Bank's global poverty line measure

1.9bn people 

lived on less than $1.25 per day in 1990

1.3bn 

lived on less than $1.25 per day in 2008

$2 per day
Median poverty line among developing countries

Between 1981 and 2008 the number of people living between $1.25 and $2 doubled

$79,767

Average salary in Australia June 2014

$76,538
Average salary in NZ January 2015

“It is too difficult to think nobly when one thinks only of earning a living.”

"When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich..."

- Jean Jacques Rousseau 

“We all know how 'modern democracies take loaves from the wealthy.' It's the slipups in the 'pass them out to the poor' department that inspire a study of Economics.”

- P.J. O'Rourke

"Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice… poverty is not natural. It is man-made…”

- Nelson Mandela

“Once poverty is gone, we'll need to build museums to display its horrors to future generations. They'll wonder why poverty continued so long in human society - how a few people could live in luxury while billions dwelt in misery, deprivation and despair.” 

- Muhammad Yunus

“I may be no better, but at least I am different.”

- Jean Jacques Rousseau…again

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/how-does-your-salary-stack-up-against-the-rest-of-australia/story-fnkgbb3b-1227044922950
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17312819
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2082385/We-1--You-need-34k-income-global-elite--half-worlds-richest-live-U-S.html
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/wages
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=74305

Togitogiga

"I'm in and I'm out
Alien from somewhere else
Dont know what the hell, I be on about
But from here and there, I belong nowhere"- John Butler Trio

John is a landscape architect from Christchurch. He's a volunteer here like me. One of his tasks and passions is to recommend maintenance and development of natural resources which may hold tourist value...like finding prospective walking tracks.

I love to walk in the bush...and there is a lot of bush in Samoa. But, there are not very many marked bush trails. Most people here don't walk for leisure and it's difficult to explain that simple walking tracks will hold attraction for foreign visitors.

I want to walk across the island of Upolu sometime during my stay. It's somewhere between 25-30km. The cross-island road, as I've explained previously, has elements which reduce the fun. What was surprising to me is that there didn't appear to be a feasible alternative to the main road...or at least one which didn't involve tramping randomly through peoples properties or plantations, and trying to explain stuff to them, like “I like to walk in the bush...” or "that's a nice machete"... in broken Samoan.

Then John found a brochure.

The brochure shows a 12km track beginning within a few km of my place at the top of the island, circling a pair of high mountian craters, and descending to a National Park at Togitogiga on the South Coast, where there's a waterfall and picnic area.

Looks cool.

However, the track hasn't been walked by anyone John spoke to in the ministry, or at the park, or in the tourism authority...well, just anyone. There was in fact some doubt the trail existed- until John showed them their own brochure.

So- on Saturday we went for a walk with a couple of other keen volunteers.

There are a couple of archiological features marked on the mystery brochure- a stone mound and fortifications....a stone wall over 100m long, which could be 5 centuries old- or older- based on a couple of other stone construction sites in Samoa. The wall sounds unique. It might be a great attraction- if someone knew where to find it...

It wasn't our intention to walk the whole track- the mountian peak is about 800m high, and the bush is thick. So we followed a river up from the bottom end at Togitogiga.

We didn't go too far- a few kilometers at best (a 3 hour return trip). Progress was hindered slightly by the deep muddy fields either side, home to a smattering of cattle at low end of the river. The river, and the scene is much like a mountain river at home in Summer- shallow, crystal and cool- braiding small islands as we ambled up stream. Heavy grey cloud cover took the heat from the day- but kept us conscious that we may need to make a hasty exit if it rained.

Ivy laden ridges on either side, rose until they were no longer feasible to climb- “a wee bit gorge-y” was the phrase used. We predict the old “brochure track” follows one of those ridges... (constructions at height would be consistent with what I've seen elsewhere).

We settled for simply wandering; enjoying the bush and criss-crossing the riverbed, staring at high waterfalls dropping into small clear pools while ula (yabbies or kura) shot away from beneath our sodden shoes...the occasional colourful bird departing and decrying our approach.

There were 4 of us - and Charlie. We met Charlie in the carpark. Friendly, well cared for and frankly, rather forward in her affections- she's the antithesis of the dogs I wrote about just a week ago. Charlie trotted with us all the way upriver and back again, even allowing herself occasionally  to be carried through deeper parts of the river. Once we got back to the carpark- we had a swim, and watched Charlie stretch out to sleep, and sun-dry on the pebbled bank.

I wish I had more to say- pleasant walk, nice bush, relaxing morning followed by a beer at a nearby beach. Next time I'm going to try walking in to find the track from the top. Maybe over a few months and a few walks we might find or create a track, find the stone sites or identify something which other people might enjoy...

nu'u matamata (neighbourhood watch...sort of)

“You do too much- college, a job, all this time with me...you're not Superman you know!” 
- Aunt May to Peter Parker, in Spiderman

“These are the people in your neighbourhood, 
in your neighborhood, 
in your neighbourhoo-ood.
The people that you meet,
when you're walking down the street.
They're the people that you meet each day.”
- Sesame Street

I'll admit it- back when I had a TV, there was little on a Saturday morning which gave me more pleasure as a grown man...than a cup of tea, a piece of toast, a kiss from my wife...and ½ an hour of watching an animated super hero kick the crud out of  an interminable line up of villains- snapping out a witty reparte between kicks and punches, and squeezing a wee philosophical conundrum into each episode.

Comic book stories...ordinary folks in ordinary lives, thrust improbably and unexpectedly into the role of guardian to the masses after being imbued with an extraordinary mix of talents...only to find  that the criminals appear to have been similarly endowed through a series of events which would have been just as improbable- had the first event not occurred...thus rendering each subsequent event marginally more probable, and so on...

In the absence of Saturday morning cartoons,  I'm beginning to see prospective heroes around every corner...they may not be climbing skyscrapers (possibly only for lack of building choice) or have the physical resiliance of a 20 cent rubber superball (although it's hard to tell until you've been punched through a brick wall by a maniacally managed robotic arm)...still, one of these ordinary people whose paths I cross each day share could be the next Peter Parker...

Name: Alex (aka Alexi De Poxa)
Occupation: Plantation owner; former professional boxer
Usually Seen: Carrying 2 dozen niu (coconut) or a basket of kapisi vai (watercress) from his place downhill to the markets in the hot morning sun...or in the evenings on the grass by the road, knocking back beer and waving at passing cars.
Possible Superpowers:
- Resistance to know poisons....has the ability to absorb 6 big bottles of Taula without any noticible effect to his mood, routine or English language skills...(which may not be great, but if we both drank that much beer, he'd make more sense than I would).
- Linguist and musician...has the ability to sing almost any song loudly in a mix of languages (often to a different tune or using different lyrics to those which may be associated with the “original” version...)

Name: Alan (aka God's Guard)
Occupation: Security
Usually seen: guarding the bank managers property, or a High Commission- often at both on the same day.
Possible Superpowers:
- Ability to work multiple 10 hour shifts back to back for $2.60 an hour, while  maintaining a constant heightened level of vigilance from a nap like position.
Sidekick:
- Often refers to being watched over by the power of the Holy Spirit (who appears to alternate shifts.)

Name: Daniel (aka the Thyme Lord)
Occupation: Bus Driver and Commercial Cleaner
Usually Seen: Driving the cross Island Rd
Possible Superpower:
- Able to support a large family and maintain separate homes and businesses in Apia and Perth simultaneously...and still not terribly concerned about collecting every 2 tala bus fare (it may not be a superpower, but it's pretty impressive)
Super Vehicle:
Daniel's 'Tardis' like mini-bus appears seems to defy the laws of physics and space, never quite achieving full capacity...it's like that tiny car full of endless (tubby brown) clowns at the circus...
In this case, none of whom seem concerned with the burning Vegemite smell of impending brake failure...but, I guess that wouldn't worry a super-hero, would it?

See Spot Run

"Hey there Little Red Riding Hood
You sure are looking good
You're everything a big bad wolf could want

Listen to me
Little Red Riding Hood
I don't think little big girls should
Go walking in these spooky old woods alone
Owoooooooo"- Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs Li'l Red Riding Hood

“Spot” and his brother,“Not Spot”,  are a pair of puppies that showed up my place on the weekend looking for a feed. They look part Dalmation- but they could be part Croation, for all I know… they’re cute though. One has a spot on his head…guess which?

Spot and Not Spot have no shame- they're starving. Their bony frames are under my feet and stealing food from the bowls of our other dogs before I can rest them on the ground. They're tolerated by our resident pack...ageing black lab' impressionist Captain Nemo,  his trusty baker and companion Constanza (who appears to have yet another bun in the puppy oven) and recent additon Leiutenant Dan...who looks like their love child, but acts like he's part ferel squirrel (so jumpy that if I move too quickly, he tries to climb the nearest tree to hide his nuts for the Winter).

Spot and Not Spot had a big adventure yesterday...when they tried to follow me to work.

In the 7 or 8km between home and work, I'd estimate there is at least 100 dogs. They're not dogs as you know them...they're the things that grow out of neglected, starving puppies like Spot and Not Spot...they're the things that were able to grow.

Spot and Not Spot had had a nice weekend... food, a pat, somewhere dry to lay down on my deck...things were looking up. They got excited- they got so excited, that they followed my pack- Captain, Cozzie and Lefty, out with me on the way to work. 

Now, after about 50m my dogs stop...and turn home. They know, as I do, that the “free range” of dogs in Samoa is illusory. In truth, they're bound in by the territory of the packs on every side (in what passes for logic here- that's one of the reason every compound has dogs- to keep other dogs out.)

Spot and Not Spot had yet to learn this- they didn't turn back, they followed me at a distance of 20m or so, weaving on and off the grass and onto the road...I shouted at them, I threw sticks near them...I thought they'll turn back in a minute.

And then some other dogs smelt them...and the rest is like a not very nice children's story.

See Spot

See Not Spot

See Not Spot cower and cry

See the bad dog eat Not Spot

Shreik, Not Spot, shriek

Run Spot Run

As I carried Not Spot back up the hill, with Spot trailing me, I could see the saliva marks neatly sectioning his body in half. Thankfully, the other dog hadn't bitten- maybe he was just warning his new neighbour about the rules. Not Spot's eyes looked like his eyelids were having difficulty holding them in. He didn't move, and his tick and flea covered coat was now also soaked in urine and saliva...as were the clothes I wore. When I got home, a neighbour held them for a few minutes, while I left the compound.

These aren't our dogs. When I arrived at smurfy, Cozzie and Captain were resident and starving. We dosed them for worms, fleas and ticks, and started to feed them properly. You can't touch Cozzie- and we've tried to catch her to desex, but she's resisted everything from blowpipes and nets, to drugged food. Leutenant Dan showed up starving a month ago. Spot and Not Spot make 5. My food budget is shrinking accordingly...(if it begins to affect my beer budget, something will have to give..)

Of the 100 or so dogs I see every day down the hill- more than half are underweight and almost all live purely on household scraps...they might be considered neglected in a different place...a few are walking skins stuffed with bones; some wear grey ticks in their dozens so that they look miniature steeds in chainmail...most are fearful, some are dangerous, very few are desexed.

My neighbour is a  VSA vet, he's been here almost 2 years working with a local charity. His core role is dog desexing. He's the only practising Vet in the country. And he's here as a volunteer without pay.

bust it

“I know many you out there might think I'm crazy…so just now I mixed 2 points of ‘Ice’ with 30cc fresh coconut juice…”
- Lychee, intravenous drug user & idiot.

"Picking coconuts is quite common on the island…it's just that Keith had a bit of an accident coming down."
- Fijiian witness to musician & drug fan Keith Richards falling from a coconut tree

“Bust a nut in your eyes- so you see where I'm coming from.”
- Lil Wayne, rapper-producer & probable drug user & Keith Richards fan.

The humble niu (drinking coconut) is an emblem of the Pacific in the collective eyes of the world.

For holidaymakers- work seems a long way away when you’re drinking in a vista of swaying coconut palms, & sucking down an icy niu malulu …with or without teeny tropical umbrella, fruit nuggets, & a generous dash or 3 of your favourite spirit.

The direct mental association of the coconut is enough for it to have developed into a term of endearment for Pacific Islanders (or a term of derogation, depending on the object & the source).

“Coconut water” is global flavour of the month for elite athletes seeking a fluid replenishment without the high sugar or sodium of manufactured alternatives. The sterile, mineral rich water tapped into the fruit through the coconut palm is even suitable for a temporary blood transfusion in a pinch. In the tunnels of Cu-Chi, Vietnam I heard stories of niu saving lives during the “American War”. There are also records of allied soldiers using coconut water in emergency field hospitals in WWII… & (for my brother- the aspiring Chilean mountain biker) coconut water is even better than milk for keeping a lost tooth viable. 

So why, for the love of druce, why is it so hard to get a niu in a Samoan bar?

I’ve had a lower than 50% strike rate on ordering coconuts on the menu in bars & resorts- & I’ve been to a few. Sitting next to a coconut palm, having walked past a roadside stalls & markets crammed with freshly husked niu for a dollar…it defies belief to hear a barman (the term barman is applied in the loosest sense possible) advising you that niu are not available today…

They’re on the trees, they’re on the road, they’re on the flippin bar menu at $5 a pop, but they’re not- for some reason- on the bar.

It’s left me like Keith Richards beneath a coconut palm- stunned. They cost nothing, they’re plentiful, they’re a tourist favourite…for nuts sake- they’re everywhere! 

In the early part of the 20th Century, Samoan copra (coconut oil) production led the world by volume…it was an agricultural jewel in the Kaisers crown (...or agricultural spike on his funny hat, anyway). 

There are still something like 5000 acres of aging coconut palms- many of which date back to colonial rule, a small portion of which are used for commercial gain in Samoa. OK, so the bottom end of the copra market dropped out with the spread of electricity…but I don’t want to fuel a freakin hurricane lamp or make soap- I just want a refreshing beverage in the shape of something which is clearly mentioned in my travel insurance as being so flippin plentiful that they are a credible risk of killing you by dropping from above without warning!! 

It’s easy to criticise…(by god it’s easy)…

but… the Samoan tourism industry needs help, not criticism. It’s a waning option in a competitive Pacific market which is gaining momentum. Samoan Tourism Authority figures released earlier this month aren’t encouraging- indicating flat tourist numbers over the last half decade, & recent declines. The success of Fiji points the way to tourist success…better options, better service, better cooperation & better marketing… like that singular, sexy catchphrase- ”Fiji Me”- suggestive, seductive & simple.

As Hip Hop culture sweeps the globe & Samoan youths swagger the streets of Sydney, LA, Brisbane & Auckland, swaying in their NFL & NBA merchandise to Beats headphones segregating them to the verses of Drake, Whiz or old school Dre…I smell opportunity & I see a newly suggestive Samoan tourism slogan. All pacific, with a hip-hop twist… a nod to the niu & old…

who wouldn’t want to… “Bust-a-nut in Samoa”

http://www.thesweetbeet.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Coconuts_transfusions.pdf

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/archive/index.php/t-621610.html