Help me know more about blogging

I am so excited about blogging. At times I do not have the time to write. With the students now on holidays, I seem to have some time.

One thing I want to do now is to have a new mail to blogger. Can someone who is reading this help. I have made some changes so you will now see more changes coming.

Thanks

How to write despite being busy

As Melanesians we seem to lag behind in writing. This is because we are oral learners. However we do have our own writing which was so symbolic. Such writing is seen in designs on tapa cloth, designs in lime pots, even tatooing of bodies.

This should not stop us from striving to write. I just attended a conference conducted by some Australian preachers and their idea for people to continue preaching is to start a preaching class. The preachers will meet and discuss their outlines and encourage each other. This is the same concept use by the TEE department.

I believe Melanesian writers can form such groups in their towns or villages and start encouraging each other. The writers can share ideas and be accountable to a leader. They may write book reviews, short stories, legends, poems and other forms of writing.

In the past there were writing competitons but I hardly see one these days. I remember while I was at High School,the English teacher offered a prize for the best essay. There were rules made to stop people from speaking their languages. Such regulations helped us but I also value my own language.

Any we need to encourage a new breed of writers. Now with the internet and the different programs writers can write as much as they like. That's all for today.

Naming a child the Jiwaka way

On Saturday my family and I were invited to attend a child naming ceremony at Bung village. The child was about three months old and his name was not called until the ceremony was made. The child had two other cousins and one of the cousins was almost six months but his name was not given yet.

We walked for over 30 minutes and reached the destination. When we arrived there were a group of people making a mumu. Other ladies were cooking and preparing greens to be boiled in a huge pot.

The family decided that they would also make their eldest daughter's birthday. We brough five banana cakes. All the invited guests were busy preparing food. The ceremony which was supposed to be held on Christmas Day had to be rescheduled as I had planned to be at home for Christmas.

Table were taken and food was put on two tables while waiting for the mumu. We celebrated the birthday and then later the grand father, chief of the Asamp clan stood up and shouted: "Who is waiting at the back of the house, you must come out. My wife carried the child in the bilum and the child's grand mother was there as well. The grand mother shouted: "Oh hhh ohhh!". The she accompanied my wife to the table. The grand father called " Timothy John, you come and get your food". The crowd cheered and shouted and they congratulated me as the child is my name sake.

Grand father Ali read Psalm 139:15 and prayed. Then he dedicated the child to God so that the Lord would protect him and keep him and use him for his glory. That was the event that I witnessed and it is similar to the naming of John the Baptist. However in the olden days the Jiwaka people worshipped the sun god. All the babies were dedicated to the sun god. These days as the people are Christians they dedicate their children to God.

Keep writing

I have kept exercise books which I use as journals. This is good. Whenever you think of something you need to write it down. Always keep a pen handy. One day I got a few TEE courses and I marked when I was travelling on my way to the hospital. I am motivated to see such people as Governor General Grand Chief, Sir Paulias Matane who keeps on writing. He has written so many books. We need more Melanesian writers who can write about their experience to motivate others. There is no need to wait. We must also look for printers or people who will fund the books that we will be writing. Furthermore we need to start networking and starting writer's guilds or start small writing groups to keep everything going. We cannot wait. I was challenged by a friend who never had any experience in carpentary and building, but these person who was good at organising found some people to work with him. My freind learnt from his experience. Do not think that you are not good at writing so that you can just sit and wait. The best thing is to team up with gifted artists, proof readers and teachers who can help you out.
Make friends with people who have IT savy so that they motivate you and help you. Think of a subject or a theme and start writing now. When I was about to start my thesis I sought advice from people who were academics to get ideas from them.

Writing in busyness

For the last few months I kept writing my thesis. I wrote at night, early morning and when my wife and daughter were watching TV. I even wrote after eating lunch. I had to be disciplined and I manage to write 10, 300 words or so.

Now I will be working on the bibliography and to do the corrections and reduce the number of words. It is not easy but one must put aside other work and interest to complete the thesis. It has been a challenge for me.

Besides that I counsel and help other students who write their thesis especially proof reading them. My dream is to write a book of my own. For the last 5 years that I have been in the DTE department, I have written at least 5 Tutor guides. This is a small achievement but I must write more and more. I completed one TEE course but now I will have to work on the corrections. There are more books or studies to be worked on.

Never give up. If you do not have the time you need to collect items and also to make plans to write and set aside some time and write. Even if you spend five minutes to correct a footnote or locate some of the books or notes that you have used. These days modern technology has made write much easier. So keep writing and think about Melanesian issues.

Thanks and have a enjoyable time reading. TKwara

I am now working on my thesis

Well friends,

I am now back. I have been busy writing my thesis. It will be 9,000 words and I have already written 5,000. A friend lent me his computer, so I can write any time when I feel like writing. Sometimes I write at lunch hour or at night. When I am free then I will write also.

To write, you must be motivated. You need to start collecting materials such as magazines, journals or find as many books as you can on the subject. Where there is an internet, you need to make use of it as well. Write questionaires to give to peopel who can help you.

Read lots of books on the subject you are writing, take notes and listen to conversations. Seek advice from people. Read thesis written by other people. Email your friends to help you. Also pray a lot so that the Lord will give you the inspiration to write.

There will be setbacks, opposition, lack of interest but you must prevail and persist. Know that what you are writing is for your people, your community.

I had a friend who wrote his thesis and after six months of his graduation, he passed away so suddenly. I was lucky enough that this man gave me a copy of his thesis to keep. We had discussed and sometimes I read his paper.

Although my friend is no longer around, what he has written will be a legacy to his people because it talks about spiritual growth.

That's all for now.

Bye

Timothy Kwara

The Grand Chief is on the right track