Sista, Stanap Strong!

A Vanuatu Women's Anthology

Mikaela Nyman, Rebecca Tobo Olul-Hossen, Mikaela Nyman, Rebecca Tobo Olul-Hossen

• Publisher: Victoria University Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781776564200
• eBook ISBN: 9781776563944
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Poetry
• Index: Literature

Sista, Stanap Strong! is an anthology of new writing from Vanuatu by three generations of women—and the first of its kind. With poetry, fiction, essay, memoir, and song, its narrative arc stretches from the days of blackbirding to Independence in 1980 to Vanuatu's coming of age in 2020. Most of these writers are ni-Vanuatu living in Vanuatu. Some have set down roots in New Zealand, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Canada. Some were born overseas and have made Vanuatu their home. One is just twenty; another is an octogenarian. The writers in this anthology have chosen to harness the coloniser's language, English, for their own purposes. They are writing against racism, colonialism, misogyny, and sexism. Writing across bloodlines and linguistic boundaries. Professing their love for ancestors, offspring, and language— Bislama, vernacular, and English. What these writers also have in common is a sharp eye for detail, a love of words, a deep connection to Vanuatu, and a willingness to share a glimpse of their world. Includes a foreword by Viran Molisa Trief. Cover art: Juliette Pita

Contents

Foreword

Viran Molisa Trief

Introduction

Mikaela Nyman & Rebecca Tobo Olul-Hossen

Losana Natuman

The bitterness of sugar cane

Frances C. Koya Vaka‘uta

Leiniaru, the girl from Pele Island who picks the fruit of the Niaru tree

Mildred Sope

Introducing Father Lini and Barak Sope

Mikaela Nyman & Mildred Sope

A conversation about poetry and politics

Ketty Dan-Napwatt

Givem wata lo olgeta

The men in my life

For you today

Caroline Nalo

Stories from the Santo Bush, 1967

Roselyn Qwenako Tor

Is it real love?

Plain Flawa

Three haiku

Jane Kanas

Dirty white

Helen Lobanga Tamtam

A village girl’s place

Bislama

Joana Bule

A woman in a man’s world

Nicole Colmar

The Octagonal House

Telstar Jimmy

What I remember

Their lives matter more

Anna Naupa

I always wanted to become a writer

Carol C. Aru

You, the ‘Change’

Leina Isno

A letter to Granddad Isno

Irene Abbock

Mi taet finis

I’ve had enough

Shina Manmelin

Being single is cool

Sharyn Wobur

Wan strong woman

A strong woman

Pauline Chang Ryland

Glimpses: Women from Tanna

WIFE – Woman in Ferocious Environments

Gaelle Méheut

Maternity changed me

Yasmine Bjornum

Call me, Dad

Elsie Nalyal Molou

This body is mine

Should it?

Helen Lobanga Tamtam

Lewia’s plight

Nancy Gaselona Palmer

Kava Lover

Kava Man

And she wept

Sarah Doyle

Kava and women: Use and abuse

Adela Issachar Aru

Be you

Jennifer Kalpokas Doan

Persevere

Busi Vasconcellos-Neill

A Christmas miracle

Joan Niras

Singer, songwriter, mother, band member

Awe Koloini (Patan Pesi) / Aweh Koloini (Oh Wow, Whites...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents Page
• Foreword
• Introduction
• The bitterness of sugar cane
• Leiniaru, the girl from Pele Island who picks the fruit of the Niaru tree
• Introducing Father Lini and Barak Sope
• A conversation about poetry and politics
• Givem wata lo olgeta
• The men in my life
• For you today
• Stories from the Santo Bush, 1967
• Is it real love?
• Three haiku
• Dirty white
• A village girl’s place
• Bislama
• A woman in a man’s world
• The Octagonal House
• What I remember
• Their lives matter more
• I always wanted to become a writer
• You, the ‘Change’
• A letter to Granddad Isno
• Mi taet finis
• I’ve had enough
• Being single is cool
• Wan strong woman
• A strong woman
• Glimpses: Women from Tanna
• WIFE – Woman in Ferocious Environments
• Maternity changed me
• Call me, Dad
• This body is mine
• Should it?
• Lewia’s plight
• Kava Lover
• Kava Man
• And she wept
• Kava and women: Use and abuse
• Be you
• Persevere
• A Christmas miracle
• Singer, songwriter, mother, band member
• Awe Koloini (Patan Pesi) / Aweh Koloini (Oh Wow, Whitesands Girl)
• Paran Latan / Tanna Woman
• The long journey: Political acceptance of women
• I love you?
• Mared [M-aa-r-e-d]
• Beautiful Ambae
• A letter to Vanuatu: Unkept promises
• National anthem of passivity
• Beatrice’s visit
• The disappearance
• From pandemonium to mayhem: Becoming ni-Vanuatu
• Christchurch 2019
• Another circumstance
• as you turn 2 weeks old, koko dearest
• They came, they saw, they labelled: Hemi taem naoia
• Notes
• Contributors