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Hilary Clinton’s Efforts Pale Into Insignificance Hilary Clinton is No Match to Jenny Ligo
Another woman, a world away in the South Pacific, also ran the gauntlet, in an effort to enter the fractious world of politics.
When Viregagaru Ligo Jenny of Ambae island, in the South Pacific Vanuatu archipelago, was married last year she had her first experience of ceremonially {{killing pigs with a club|clubbing pigs to death}} , as {{demanded|stipulated}} by custom.
Dressed in a woven mat and custom grass skirt, Jenny is once again {{wilding|using}} the ceremonial club. Jenny becomes only the second woman to {{achieve|be given}} a high ranking Chieftain title.
This is no mean feat, in an ancient society that has long been ruled over by the dominant male fist of authority, uncontested.
For most woman motherhood comes through the grueling task of childbirth. For Jenny, motherhood came through ceremonially {{clubbingto death|killing}} 11 pigs, when Chief Paul Tahi declared her as the ‘Mother of the Nation.’
Most city {{dwellers|folks}} would be unaware of the death defying, {{ear-splitting|ear-splintering}} {{noise|squeal}} one {{little|small}}pig can make, in the face of impending danger. Let alone 11, warning all others for miles around.
However, the ceremony is a necessity if Jenny is to stand for her electorate in the upcoming elections later this year.
Jenny has an uphill battle as custom magic and 21st century reality clash head-on.
Over 100 years ago a young priest was {{shot and killed|murdered}} in Jenny’s home area, causing a curse to be cast on the northern part of the island. “The curse has stopped any forward development to the area,” say the locals.
Late last year Bishop James Ligo was able to reconcile the descendant of the murdered priest and the people of the area. “Now, the island can finally {{move forward|progress}} .”
“I am not a woman who sits and waits to be served. I am a leader and I mean business when I say I am going to reach out to the people,” said Jenny Ligo.
Jenny is the niece of political and women’s rights’ activist, Grace Molisa. Jenny’s aunt became the first woman to hold the post of Private Secretary to the country’s first Prime Minister, Father Walter Lini, after the nation’s Independence.
In 2006, Vanuatu was nominated ‘The Happiest Country on Earth’. It is{{hoped|believed}} that Jenny will take her Chiefly role seriously when it comes to the education of the children of Vanuatu. Hopefully this anonymous quote will not symbolize Vanuatu. ‘Where there is no school, you need to build another jail.’
School attendance in Vanuatu is a Lesser Developed Country, where education is not free. These stats have changed little since 1998:
#Only 55.8% of kids will get to year 6;
#Only 18.2 % will go to high school;
#26% never go to school at all.;
Vanuatu needs your help to educate the next generation, through a Blue Moon Opportunity.You can find this at http://winaresort.com
A new program, through a Child Trust Fund, will start in January 2009. This has been privately funded, to give non-repayable high school education grants to children from the outer islands of Vanuatu. Children who will never have an education without {{assistance|help}} from outside.
Jenny Ligo will become involved in this scheme, so children will be given the opportunity to understand not only the ancient custom ways, but also embrace the modern beneficial ways of the 21st century.
The only lasting way to bring about real change is when that change is brought about internally, through education.
