Indigenous women connect across the Pacific

Rosaline Tomsana, known to many as Aunty Rose, has worked in many sectors throughout her life, but her true passion is jewellery making and passing on knowledge to others.

It was a perfect fit for an idea which came from the Australian Volunteers Program, supported by a component called Indigenous Pathways

The end result was the trip of a lifetime to Fiji to be a part of a series of workshops where Aunty Rose volunteered to share her skills with more than 50 women from rural locations across the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni.

Aunty Rose said she first heard about the Australian Volunteers Program when staff visited Waiben in 2022 on a community engagement visit.

The small staff team saw her jewellery at the Gab Tutui Cultural Centre and asked who the artisan was.

Australian Volunteers Program Deputy Regional Director for Central and North Pacific Apaitia Rokotuni saw the opportunity for a cultural exchange between Aunty Rose and program partner Na I

Soqosoqo Vakamarama i Taukei Cakaudrove (SVTC) in Fiji.

One year later, it came to fruition through the Indigenous Pathways part of the program, which aimed to connect Indigenous Australians with Indigenous people internationally, to collaborate on projects that were mutually beneficial.

SVTC was a community organisation run by and for iTaukei (Indigenous) women of the Cakaudrove Province in Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second biggest island.

The organisation engaged with women across 15 districts and 134 villages, and aimed to enhance the status of iTaukei women, as well as preserve and strengthen traditional values, cultural practices and arts throughout their province.

“Economic development for women running small businesses is a key focus for SVTC, hence the correlation with Aunty Rose,” Apaitia said.

SVTC were excited to host the workshops for their members and Aunty Rose was excited to volunteer.

Staff from the Indigenous Pathways program worked hard to ensure Aunty Rose was well supported and had a culturally safe experience, as it was her first time travelling overseas.

“One thing about Islanders is they can be scared to step out of their own comfort zone,” Aunty Rose said.

“I was the same, but it’s good that I went to Fiji, I learnt a lot from everyone and it’s a good lesson to take back.

“It helps that there are plenty of similarities between us; the way we dress, the way we speak, the weather and even some of the same food and veggies.”

Throughout her four-week assignment, more than 50 iTaukei women between the ages of 18 and 70 came together from across the Cakaudrove province to learn from her workshops, which attracted strong interest.

Many women travelled long distances from their villages to participate.

The effects of economic empowerment were directly visible, with a number of women advertising their newly made jewellery on social media and selling pieces even as the workshops were taking place.

Inter-generational connections were also formed, as younger women sat side by side with older women, chatting and connecting during the workshops, something SVTC’s President, Adi Kavu Fong said was a rare occurrence.

Aunty Rose said she felt an instant connection with the women from SVTC.

“I made so many good friends and had such an amazing experience,” she said.

“I felt at home straight away… the women at the workshops would suddenly start singing, or someone would put some music on their phone, and they would get up and dance.

“I thought that was great.

“Everyone was so keen to learn, and I really enjoyed sharing my skills.

“The ladies always kept me happy, and they want me to come back.

“Of course, I want to go back too – for one,

I have heaps of pattern ideas to share with them.

“I would really love to thank everyone who was involved to help make this happen, without them I wouldn’t have had this amazing experience

Modern, state of the art classrooms, day schooling and boarding facilities for boys and girls. Our curriculum provides academic or vocational pathways and the best possible employment opportunities.

Your child will enjoy small class sizes, individual student attention for maximum outcomes, and sporting and cultural opportunities.

Our college is founded on the basis that no child will be denied a Catholic education based on financial hardship. Generous fee concessions apply to holders of means-tested concession cards and those with a genuine inability to pay.

– the Australian Volunteers Program, SVTC, Torres Strait Regional Authority, Alice Tamang, Apai Rokotuni and Eve Aihunu, Adi Salaseini Kavu Fong and Adi Sereana Kunea Lalabalavu.”

The Australian Volunteers Program and Indigenous Pathways was funded by the Australian Government – see their website for more: https://www. australianvolunteers. com/indigenouspathways/