Tard 2007 Christmas Games Report

North Malaita Christmas Games – 2007 Theme: Exposing our rural youth talents through sports To’abaita Authority for Research & Development (TARD) Report

2007 Soccer winners (Green Snails)

2007Netball runner-ups (Dry Kaibia)

Proudly sponsored by the Australian High Commission in Honiara

Malu’u School Sports Ground December 17 – 19, 2007 North Malaita, Malaita Province, Solomon Islands

Compiled by: Mr Exsley Taloiburi TARD Project Coordinator University of Tasmania, Australia Phone: +61 437642032 Email: [email protected] Website: http://toabaita-authority.blogspot.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The To’abaita Authority for Research and Development (TARD), youth initiated, youth led volunteer organisation would like to sincerely acknowledge the following authorities and individuals for their genuine contribution in ensuring that this rural annual community sports development initiative was successfully implemented in North Malaita. This has been the second consecutive year for TARD to coordinate the North Malaita free Christmas Games in partnership with the Australian High Commission office in Honiara after a very successful tournament in December 2006. 1) The Australian High Commission office in Honiara (Solomon Islands) for their continuous trust and confidence in TARD to sponsor the second consecutive North Malaita Christmas Games with a total funding of SB$4,500.00 inclusive of both the games and a planned coaching workshop. 2) Ms Anthea Blaikie (Second Secretary) and Ms Gabrielle Stewart (former Third Secretary), both staff at the Australian High Commission Post in Honiara, for their collective influence and recommendation to push this project application forward for funding approval. TARD is also thankful to Ms Blaikie for availing her time to be present during the opening ceremony of the 2007 Games as well as spend another extra day at Malu’u. Her very friendly character in mingling with the village people at Malu’u during the games was very inspirational, as conveyed to TARD by certain village elders and chiefs in North Malaita. 3) Mr Lenny Konamauri, Chairperson of the TARD 2007 sports organizing committee and his support team comprising students in Fiji, Honiara, Australia and elsewhere who have offered their time and effort voluntarily to ensure the success of this tournament. 4) The Arnon Atomea Malu’u Community High School committee, staff and parents for allowing TARD to use its facilities including the soccer field, netball court, classrooms for accommodation, water supply and so forth to host the North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games. This has been the second time for Malu’u to host this sports initiative. 5) The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) personnel as well as the Solomon Islands Police Force at Malu’u station for their assistance in terms of security throughout the games. TARD is also grateful to the RAMSI team for providing accommodation support for Ms Anthea Blaikie and for other forms on help to the TARD organisers. 6) Several rural individuals and groups who have assisted in the games are also acknowledged. These include the girls dancing group from Gwaunasu’u Village, the provider of the DJ system (Mr. Akwasia at Taba’a), the cultural group from Cana, Gwaunasu’u youths who assisted in ground and stage preparation, and the invited guests.

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1.0. PROJECT NARRATIVE SUMMARY 1.1. Introduction The project application for the North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games was drafted by TARD and submitted to the Australian High Commission office in Honiara in September 2007. The proposal was submitted as an application request for funds amounting to a total of SB$4,500.00 to be allocated for cash prizes and other logistical expenses during the second ever free-of-charge North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games and a proposed sports coaching workshop in partnership with a Catholic volunteer organisation in New Zealand known as ‘Mahitahi’. As a result, funding confirmation was approved by the Australian High Commission and arrangements were made for the official presentation of the cheque in early December 2007. The brief hand over ceremony was undertaken on Tuesday 11th December 2007 at the High Commission office Gabrielle Stewart and Exsley Taloiburi in the presence of local media and other TARD members.

Peter Fairamoa (TARD Chairman) receiving the cheque from Gabrielle Stewart

The total funding given to the 2007 Christmas games by the Australian High Commission was SB$4,500.00. From this amount, SB$3,500 was allocated for the Christmas games whilst SB$1,000 was set aside for a proposed Sports Coaching Workshop in partnership with Mahitahi. However, due to some reasons that were beyond our capacity the coaching workshop was later cancelled. As a result that SB$1,000 allocation for the workshop was retired to the Australian High Commission office in Honiara and only the SB$3,500 for the games was utilised. 1.2. Project location The 2007 Christmas games were held at Malu’u School Sports ground. This project was targeted towards communities within the North Malaita and Lau/Baelelea Constituencies (refer to Figures 1 and 2).

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Map of Solomon Islands showing Malaita Province (Circled)

Location of the North Malaita region (Circled) on Malaita Island

1.3. The problem TARD was trying to address Christmas period is a festive season where North Malaita people who reside outside the region usually go back to their respective villages and meet relatives. Annually, this season is always celebrated by rural community dwellers with sporting events attracting teams and spectators from both the North Malaita and Lau/Baelelea Constituencies. This is the only time of the whole year that the villages will be packed since most people only return home to participate in the Christmas Games. However, in the past whenever a club or and individual organizes soccer or netball tournaments for prizes, participating teams have to pay a considerable sum of money for entry fees. This was not a problem in the past since rural people can easily buy food and other essential needs at a lower price. But after the ethnic tension, which really affected people from North Malaita in many ways, money is very difficult for people to get and as a result the spirit 3

of interacting through sports has declined drastically with only a few community teams who can afford the entry fees in order to participate in sporting tournaments. This has led to the reduction of social interaction amongst people and lower the sporting ability of upcoming youths to show case their talents. Therefore, the North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games was not to raise money towards our benefit but purposely to help promote social interaction, unity and reconciliation, improve sporting awareness in North Malaita, build team work and leadership skills, promote self empowerment and belonging to the community, gender inclusiveness, and supporting an activity that meets the need of youths. The 2007 Games theme was “exposing our rural youth talents through sports”.

These two youths selling ice blocks to make extra money at the games

Moreover, with the free entry more community youth sporting teams, both in Soccer for men and Netball for women, would be attracted to showcase their sporting talents which can achieve self confidence and equal participation from the whole community in North Malaita without regard to background or status. As a result interaction among people, which rarely happens throughout the year, would be high. 1.4. Objectives of the games The primary goals and anticipated outcomes of the North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games were: 1) To aware the general community of North Malaita and Solomon Islands about the strong focus and commitment of Australia’s approach to work closely with young people on community projects that meet the needs

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of youths both men and women. The expected result was that it would fulfil the assistance goals of the donor and would also aware people about the good work that Australia is doing in the country to achieve community wellbeing. 2) To build confidence and trust in regard to project networking and partnership between TARD and donors such as the Australian High Commission. The expected result was that such collective cooperation would set a clear pathway of how different donors/organisations can put their efforts together in partnership with a local group to channel much needed assistance and expertise to the rural communities in Solomon Islands. 3) To allow people within the North Malaita and Lau/Baelelea Constituencies to form soccer and netball teams and come together on the set date and interact through sports without paying any entry fees. The expected implication was that it would promote sporting awareness, unity and reconciliation, and appreciation of the genuine efforts of donors. 4) To promote the development of sports within the North Malaita region by encouraging dissolved clubs who are already dead to participate in the games and coaching workshop. The projected output was that it would enhance equal and active participation within the community, promote a sense of belonging to the community, inclusiveness, and self empowerment thus would lead to less crime amongst youths. 5) To enable people to sell their farm produces and other cooked foods for free at the tournament so that they can earn money. This would be helpful to the disadvantaged and under-resourced people as it brought important income that can assist with other necessary needs for their families.

These women are selling local fresh fruit produces for extra income at the games

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1.5. How TARD implemented the North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games The To’abaita Authority for Research and Development (TARD) student/youth volunteer Group was the overall coordinator of the project.

The commentary box being decorated for the opening ceremony on 17/12/07

About a month before the tournament, awareness materials and invitation letters from TARD were forwarded to all village sporting clubs within the boundary from Kwainafala River in Malaita Provincial ward 6 to Kwai River in ward 9. These four provincial wards are incorporated into two national constituencies namely; North Malaita and Lau/Baelelea. Different media outlets in Honiara were also utilised to aware North Malaita people who are residing in Honiara to become informed of the proposed Christmas Games through both online, print and the radio.

L-R: Team reps picking the fixtures; Gwaunasu’u girls dancing group get ready

During a week before the tournament, arrangements for on site accommodation for far-away teams at the Malu’u classrooms and logistical

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arrangement for Anthea Blaikie to travel to Malu’u to witness the games’ opening ceremony were finalized. The soccer field, netball ground, and commentary stage were prepared on 15th and 16th December 2007 by several TARD members who were already in North Malaita during that week with the support of youths from Gwaunasu’u Village. Registration for participation in the games commenced on Monday morning (17/12/07) and closed at 10.30am when fixtures were picked and the teams get ready for Anthea’s arrival from Auki.

The Cana cultural group which paraded invited guests to the stage

The Australian High Commission representative to the opening of the North Malaita 2006 Christmas Games, Ms Anthea Blaikie, travelled from Honiara to Auki on 17th December. She was transported to Malu’u by the Community Sector Program (CSP) vehicle. Her accommodation on the night of December 17 and 18 was facilitated by RAMSI personnel at Malu’u.

Curious spectators including both old and young who witnessed the games opening

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The official opening ceremony of the games began around 12 midday on Monday 17th December, as anticipated, with speeches, team parade, and entertainment from a girl’s dancing group from Gwaunasu’u Village and the Cana men’s cultural dancing group. Speeches were delivered by the Australian High Commission representative Anthea Blaikie, RAMSI representative, TARD project leader, President of the North Malaita Football Association, and North Malaita Education Authority representative.

Australian High Commission rep Ms Anthea Blaikie delivering her speech during the games opening ceremony

During intervals the crowd and invited delegates were entertained by a rural contemporary dancing group which consists of girls from the Loina Primary School in ward 9. A cash incentive was awarded to the best team in the parade for both soccer and netball, which was won by the Island Souvenir boy’s team from Basakana Island and Dry Kaibia girl’s netball team from the Walo area respectively.

Part of the teams that paraded for soccer and netball at the 2007 Games opening

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Games kicked off in the afternoon with a curtain raiser shot on goal by Ms Anthea Blaikie. Soccer and netball matches begun on Day 1 (December 17) with a total registration of 33 soccer and 7 netball teams from the North Malaita and Lau/Baelelea Constituencies. Fortunately, netball games for women were just completed at the end of Day 1 whilst soccer continued until Day 3 (December 19).

The curtain raiser as Anthea boots the ball into the goal to officially open the games

During the whole tournament (3 days), TARD ensured to provide free accommodation at the Malu’u classrooms and food for far-away teams that participated in the games. This was made available from funding by the Australian High Commission office in Honiara. At the end of the tournament, the winning teams are as follows: Soccer: Position First Second Third Best uniform prize Total

Team Name Green Snails (Bita’ama area, Ward 7) Columbia (Malu’u area, Ward 8) Aurafu (Darawarau area, Ward 8) Island Souvenir (Basakana Island, Ward 8)

Prizes awarded $600 cash plus TARD Trophy $400 cash $300 cash $50 cash

$1,350.00

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Netball: Position First Second Third Best uniform Total

Team Names Arao Girls (Folotana area, Ward 6) Dry Kaibia (Walo area, Ward 7) Columbia girls (Malu’u area, Ward 8) Dry Kaibia

Prizes awarded $300 cash plus TARD trophy $200 cash $100 cash $50 $650.00

The two soccer grand finalists, Green Snails (yellow) and Columbia (red)

The soccer winners (left) and the netball third prize winners (right)

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2.0. SUCCESSES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE TOURNAMENT The North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games, kindly sponsored by the Australian High Commission office in Honiara was another very successful sporting event after the 2006 free Christmas Games. 2.1. High turn-out of sporting teams and spectators A total of 33 men’s soccer and 7 women netball teams participated in the free North Malaita Christmas Games which was organized by TARD at the Malu’u Community High School playing grounds from December 17 – 19, 2007. This is considerably higher than normal tournaments usually organised at Malu’u whereby teams have to pay entry fees.

Part of turnout crowd that witnessed the games at Malu’u in December 2007

Also, there was great enthusiasm amongst people towards the games because it was organized by a group of volunteer university students, something that has never been seen before in North Malaita. Teams that participated in the TARD Games came from both the Lau/Baelelea and North Malaita Constituencies, extending offshore and to the highlands. Moreover, the three day tournament has attracted a crowd of more than ten thousand spectators, supporters, market vendors and players to Malu’u Station. The spectators were mainly from the To’abaita and Baelelea regions. Massive turnout of teams and spectators resulted in a very successful tournament and dissemination of the goals and objectives of TARD as a student volunteer body to facilitate community development in working closely with rural dwellers. 2.2. Public support The North Malaita 2007 Christmas games has acquired the full blessing and moral support of the rural population in To’abaita and Baelelea regions, including the North Malaita house of Chiefs. This was evident during the whole tournament where rural youths and people willingly offer their volunteer

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assistance to TARD in specific areas such designing the banner, brushing the playing grounds, constructing the stage, commentary support, refereeing and umpiring support, and other logistical support to successfully complete the games.

A group photo of the entire membership of the North Malaita House of Chiefs who came to show their support to TARD during the games in Malu’u

During the opening ceremony authorities including the North Malaita Education representative, President of the North Malaita Football Association, RAMSI rep and the Australian High Commission representative spoke highly of the initiative by TARD in initiating the Christmas games as a way of facilitating unity through sports. In addition, the police at Malu’u also showed moral support to the games by allocating several police personnel to the tournament for security purposes. The games ran and ended smoothly without complaints or criminal activities. 2.3. Contribution to the rural community One of the initial goals of the North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games was to give back to the community and that was achieved in various ways throughout the games. Firstly, the ten thousand or so people that flocked Malu’u station during the four day tournament was beneficial to small business owners in the area. Besides that people were also allowed to sell their vegetables, fruits, cakes, and so forth to people who came to witness the games without asking them to pay any levies, as practiced from previous tournaments. As a result, the TARD games at has enabled business holders and other people to earn income during the games.

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Secondly, in our appreciation towards the Malu’u Community High School committee and staff for allowing their facilities to be used for the games TARD donated $100 to Malu’u School during the prize presentation ceremony.

Women selling their various fresh produces and cooked foods for income at the games

“In summary, the second consecutive TARD North Malaita 2007 Christmas Games was as equally successful as the 2006 Christmas Games. The reason is that both games are well supported by a team of hard working individuals from the Australian High Commission office in Honiara, TARD student group, community members in North Malaita and other authorities. The games highlighted a perfect picture of how a community or region can be united, with the help of aid donors, in trying to achieve sustainable development.”

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3.0. BREAKDOWN OF THE 2007 GAMES EXPENSES The total funding provided to TARD for both the Games and the Coaching Workshop was SB$4,500.00. Below is a summary of the expenditure breakdown of the SB$3,500.00 funding allocated for the 2007 North Malaita Christmas Games alone which was held at the Malu’u Sports ground from December 17 -19, 2007 (Please refer to attached receipts in Appendix). The SB$1,000.00 initially allocated for the Sports Coaching Workshop which was eventually cancelled would be retired in full to the Australian High Commission office in Honiara with this report. Description of expenses

Receipt numbers

Soccer first prize Soccer second prize Soccer third prize Soccer uniform parade winner’s prize Netball first prize Netball second prize Netball third prize Netball uniform parade winner’s prize Food and consumable costs for TARD organising committee and participating teams from Dec 17-19 2007 3 tonne Truck hire costs for whole day on 15 & 16 December 2007 during games preparation stage PA and DJ system hire for 3 days Hire of Malu’u School facilities for 3 days Cana Men’s cultural dancing group costs Gwaunasu’u girls dancing group and garlanding costs Invitation letters and flyers printing costs

23 24 25 14 20 21 22 19 12, 9, 26, 60, 0033860, 0089594, 570.00 0089592, 0003888, 0033825 8 400.00

Cost

13 27

100.00 100.00

18

100.00

17

100.00

071745, 7

130.00

Total

3,500.00

Sports Coaching Workshop allocation to be retired to the =======

Australian High Commission office

TOTAL

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Total (SB$) 600.00 400.00 300.00 50.00 300.00 200.00 100.00 50.00

1,000.00

4,500.00

APPENDIX (RECEIPTS OF EXPENSES BREAKDOWN)

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