What is your most prized possession? Why is it so important to who you are?

My violin is my most prized possession, very closely followed by my favourite bunny. I've had my violin for many years and love nothing more than sitting at home, listening to the water lapping at the shore, and playing achingly beautiful music. I'm not sure whether my love of music has come from my parents or whether it is just such a comfort for my soul. I never knew my parents, I know that logically I must have had some, but that's all I know. Perhaps elves have some kind of spiritual connection with music? I don't really know any other of my kind so I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that it is my music that gives me serenity in the face of adversity.

It depends a little on the day really, but my favourite colour is either purple or blue. Both are colours that work so well with my complexion, and also give me a sense of peace. I have had a recent urge to actually alter my hair colour from its natural silver to a nice pastel blue. I’ve resolved that it will be my gift to myself after Rainyverse 2008 is finished – whatever the outcome, I will be blue-haired for a while. I admit it – I can be a little vain, now and then.

What is the most challenging issue facing the young resins of your nation today?

I believe that the young resins of Kiribati have become insular. They have a lot to learn about the ways of the world. Part of my work as the Chief Librarian of Kiribati is to ensure that the people have an adequate standard of information literacy and have access to any information they might require (and also lots of new fiction novels!!!!). Can you believe that some of the young resins don’t even know what information literacy is! It is such an important ability to have – to be able to identify, evaluate and use information that is appropriate to a need. It is an important part of being a good citizen, and essential for the youth of Kiribati whether resin or human. When the day comes that I leave Kiribati, I would like to be able to leave knowing that I have left behind a nation able to find any information they require and to be able to adequately judge its value. Then the youth of this nation would be unstoppable – they would be properly equipped to do anything!

I would like to change the attitude of some I-Kiribati who still believe that women without husbands are beneath consideration. This is very much a traditional attitude and has no place in a modern Kiribati. I am occasionally concerned by the world’s obsession with ‘appearance’. There does seem to be so much less appreciation for intelligence. If I had to choose between losing my intelligence or my beauty – I would rather be unattractive but keep my faculties. I know that this sounds an odd thing for a participant in a Pageant to say, but I really do feel that my personality and wit are so much more important than the way I look.

One thing that I hope will never change is the beauty of the Kiribati traditional dance ‘te mwaie’. Watching them dance appeals to the soul – it uplifts, it conquers, it exhausts. There is so much passion in the dance, it brings joy to all who watch. It is said that photos of the dance appear quite unfocussed because the photographs are capturing the person’s spirit rather than their physical body. It is a dance which brings all of Kiribati together – we are united in our reaction to it.

I believe that our country is invisible to much of the world, and that many nations have never even heard of us. I view this with intense sadness, as Kiribati has so much to offer the world in its forward thinking attitudes. The work/life balance has been mastered by the people of Kiribati, we understand the importance of family, hospitality, peace and tranquility.

I was unaware of our invisibility for many years until my friend Claudia Soah (Miss Serbia) announced her intention to visit and quite shamefacedly asked me where exactly Kiribati was.

At this point I would like to quote a couple of lines from our national anthem, “The attainment of contentment and peace by our people / will be achieved when all our hearts beat as one / Love one another! Promote happiness and unity!”

Doesn’t that sound like something the whole world might like to achieve? I would like the nations of the world to know that this is something that Kiribati has aimed to do since this anthem was written in 1979 – we are only a small nation, about 4 times the size of Washington DC, but we have had these thoughts for many years.

I hope that my participation in Rainyverse will make the world sit up and take notice of Kiribati, as a nation we have so much to show the world.