North Malaita Students contribute to organizing Independence celebration in Townsville

By Duran Angiki, North Queensland

Members of the Solomon Islands community in Townsville celebrated the country’s 28th anniversary of independence on Sunday in a spectacular fun day at Pallarenda beach.
About 30 Solomon Islands students with families and friends from the North Queensland towns and city of Innisfail; a town near Cairns, Townsville and Home Hill - 100 km South of Townsville, attended the beach party.

Event organisers and Solomon Islands student at James Cook University Donald Tahani, Hensllyn Pwe’a, Alec Hughes, Ami Sabestian, and Jeremy Bartlett, with the help of friends and families prepared a motu and island food. Two North Malaita students who are part of the organizing committee are Rosemary Maealatha and Richard Tolinao.

Townsville’s Solomon Islands community, including a Chinese man and family - Li Fam, who fled the country during the recent past violence in Honiara, invited guests from Fiji, PNG, Samoan and local friends, also attended and brought along food.

The beach party celebration started at 10:30am, under a blue sky-warm winter. The day’s activities mellow down with the serving of food and later kids and parents play touch-footy and soccer. Kids were treated to a real fun day.

The day’s celebration also brought together Solomon Islanders and old friends who are living, working and studying in North Queensland, but are unable to meet due to distance, work and study commitment. Families and the rest of the group applauded the organisers for a fine and enjoyable celebration as it officially ended at 5:50pm.

source: Solomon Star