Vaitape, Bora Bora

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French
Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The
island, located about 230 kilometres (140 mi) northwest of Papeete, is
surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the center of the island are
the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and
Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres (2,385 ft). The original name
of the island in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora
meaning "First Born"; an early transcription found in 18th- and 19th
century accounts, is Bolabolla (or "Bollabolla").

The major settlement, Vaitape is on the western side of the island, opposite
the main channel into the lagoon. The products of the island are mostly
limited to what can be obtained from the sea and coconut trees, which were
historically of economic importance for copra. During the August 2007 census
the population on the island was about 8,880 people.

Administration

The island is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of
Bora-Bora, itself in the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands.
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with
its surrounding islets emerging from the coral reef (29.3 km²/11.3 sq. miles
in total) and of the atoll of Tupai (11 km2/4.2 sq mi), located 20
kilometres (12 mi) north of Bora Bora. The atoll of Tupai has no permanent
population apart from about 50 workers in the coconut plantations. Former
President of French Polynesia Gaston Tong Sang is the current mayor of Bora
Bora.

History

The Island was first inhabited by Polynesian settlers around the 4th century
Its previous Polynesian name was Vava'u. The first European sighting was
made by Jakob Roggeveen in 1722. James Cook sighted the island in 1769 and
landed in 1777. A London Missionary Society arrived in 1820 and founded a
Protestant church in 1822. In 1842 Bora Bora was made a protectorate of
France following the actions of Admiral Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars.

World War II

Following the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, the United
States entered World War II. The US chose Bora Bora as a South Pacific
military supply base, and an oil depot, airstrip, seaplane base, and
defensive fortifications were constructed. Known as "Operation Bobcat", it
maintained a supply force of nine ships, 20,000 tons of equipment and nearly
5,000 men. Seven massive naval cannons were set up at strategic points
around the island to protect it against potential military attack.

However, the island saw no combat as the American presence on Bora Bora went
uncontested over the course of the war. Although the base was officially
closed on June 2, 1946, many American personnel loved the island and the
people so much that they refused to leave. The World War II airstrip, which
was never able to accommodate large aircraft, was French Polynesia's only
international airport until Faa'a International Airport was opened in
Papeete, Tahiti in 1962.

Commune of Bora Bora

The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with
its surrounding islets emerging from the coral reef (29.3 km²/11.3 sq. miles
in total) and of the atoll of Tupai (11 km2/4.2 sq mi), located 20
kilometres (12 mi) north of Bora Bora. The atoll of Tupai has no permanent
population apart from some workers in the coconut plantations.

The commune is in the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands.

The administrative centre of the commune is the settlement of Vaitape, on
the island of Bora Bora.

Administration

Country France
Overseas community French Polynesia
Administrative subdivision Leeward Islands
Commune centre Vaitape
Mayor Gaston Tong Sang
Statistics
Elevation 0–727 m (0–2,400 ft)
Land area 40.3 km2 (15.6 sq mi)
Population1 8,927 (August 2007 census)
Density 222 /km² (570 /sq mi)

www.wikipedia.com

The Society Islands, French Polynesia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Society Islands Native name: Îles de la Société
The Society Islands (French: Îles de la Société or officially Archipel de la
Société) are a group of islands in the south Pacific Ocean. They are
politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed
to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the
sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands; however, Cook
states in his journal that he called the islands Society "as they lay
contiguous to one another".
The islands are divided, both geographically and administratively into two
groups:
* Windward Islands (Îles du Vent) (listed from east to west)
o Mehetia
o Tahiti
o Moorea
o Maiao
o Tetiaroa

* Leeward Islands (Îles Sous-le-Vent)
o Huahine
o Bora Bora
o Raiatea
o Tahaa
o Maupiti
o Tupai
o Mopelia
o Scilly
o Motu One (Bellinghausen)

The islands became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880. They
have a population of 227,807 inhabitants (as of August 2007 census). They
cover a land area of 1,590 square kilometres (610 sq miles)
Location : Pacific Ocean
Coordinates: 17°32′S 149°50′W / 17.533°S 149.833°W / -17.533; -149.833
Archipelago : Society Islands
Major islands : Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Huahine
Area : 1590 km2
Highest point : Mont Orohena (2241 meters)
Country : France
Overseas collectivity : French Polynesia
Largest city : Papeete (pop. 131,695 urban)
Population : 227,807 (as of Aug. 2007 census)
Density : 143 /km2 (370 /sq mi)

Cook's Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moorea-Maiao is a commune of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of
France in the Pacific Ocean. The commune is in the administrative
subdivision of the Windward Islands. Moorea Rolfe is a synonym of the orchid
genus Neomoorea.
Geography
Location : Pacific Ocean
Coordinates : 17°32′S 149°50′W / 17.533°S 149.833°W / -17.533; -149.833
Archipelago : Society Islands
Area : 134 km²
Highest point : Mont Tohivea (1207 m)
Country : France
Overseas collectivity : French Polynesia
Administrative subdivision : Windward Islands
Commune : Moorea-Maiao
Largest city : Paopao-Maharepa (4,244 inhabitant
Demographics
Population : 16,191[1] (as of Aug. 2007 census)
Density : 121 /km2 (310 /sq mi)
Moorea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of the Society Islands, 17
km (roughly 9mi) northwest of Tahiti. Its position is 17°32′S 149°50′W /
17.533°S 149.833°W / -17.533; -149.833. Moorea means "yellow lizard" in
Tahitian. An older name for the island is Aimeho, sometimes spelled Aimeo or
Eimeo (among other spellings misunderstood by early visitors with no
knowledge of the language). Early Western colonists and voyagers also
referred to Moorea as York Island.
The commune of Moorea-Maiao is made up of the island of Moorea (133 km²/51
sq. miles; 16,191 inhabitants at the 2007 census) and the much smaller atoll
of Maiao (8.8 km²/3.4 sq. miles; 299 inhabitants at the 2007 census),
located 78 km (48.5 miles) southwest of Moorea. The administrative centre of
the commune is the settlement of Afareaitu, on the island of Moorea.
Physical description
From above, the shape of the island vaguely resembles a heart, with its two
nearly symmetrical bays opening to the north side of the island: Cook's (or
Paopao) Bay and Opunohu Bay. The island was formed as a volcano 1.5 to 2.5
million years ago, the result of a geologic hotspot in the mantle under the
oceanic plate that formed the whole of the Society Archipelago. It is
theorized that the current bays were formerly river basins that filled
during the Holocene searise.
History
Charles Darwin was inspired for his theory regarding the formation of coral atolls when looking down upon Moorea standing on a peak on Tahiti. He described it as a "picture in a frame," referring to the barrier reef encircling the island. Don the Beachcomber lived here for some time until his houseboat was destroyed by tropical cyclones. The island was among those visited by the United States Exploring Expedition on its tour of the South Pacific in 1839.

French Polynesia

French Polynesia (French: Polynésie française, Tahitian: Pōrīnetia Farāni)
is a French overseas collectivity in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is made
up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being
Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island
and the seat of the capital of the territory (Papeete). Although not an
integral part of its territory, Clipperton Island was administered from
French Polynesia until 2007.

History

The island groups that make up French Polynesia were not officially united
until the establishment of the French protectorate in 1889. The first of
these islands to be settled by indigenous Polynesians were the Marquesas
Islands in AD 300 and the Society Islands in AD 800. The Polynesians were
organized in loose chieftainships.

European communication began in 1521 when the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand
Magellan sighted Pukapuka in the Tuamotu Archipelago. Dutchman Jakob
Roggeveen came across Bora Bora in the Society Islands in 1722, and the
British explorer Samuel Wallis visited Tahiti in 1767. The French explorer
Louis Antoine de Bougainville visited Tahiti in 1768, while the British
explorer James Cook visited in 1769. Christian missions began with Spanish
priests who stayed in Tahiti for a year from 1774; Protestants from the
London Missionary Society settled permanently in Polynesia in 1797.

King Pomare II of Tahiti was forced to flee to Moorea in 1803; he and his
subjects were converted to Protestantism in 1812. French Catholic
missionaries arrived on Tahiti in 1834; their expulsion in 1836 caused
France to send a gunboat in 1838. In 1842, Tahiti and Tahuata were declared
a French protectorate, to allow Catholic missionaries to work undisturbed.
The capital of Papeete was founded in 1843. In 1880, France annexed Tahiti,
changing the status from that of a protectorate to that of a colony.

In the 1880s, France claimed the Tuamotu Archipelago, which formerly
belonged to the Pomare dynasty, without formally annexing it. Having
declared a protectorate over Tahuatu in 1842, the French regarded the entire
Marquesas Islands as French. In 1885, France appointed a governor and
established a general council, thus giving it the proper administration for
a colony. The islands of Rimatara and Rurutu unsuccessfully lobbied for
British protection in 1888, so in 1889 they were annexed by France. Postage
stamps were first issued in the colony in 1892. The first official name for
the colony was Établissements de l'Océanie (Settlements in Oceania); in 1903
the general council was changed to an advisory council and the colony's name
was changed to Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Settlements in
Oceania).

In 1940 the administration of French Polynesia recognised the Free French
Forces and many Polynesians served in World War II. Unknown at the time to
French and Polynesians, the Konoe Cabinet in Imperial Japan on September 16,
1940 included French Polynesia among the many territories which were to
become Japanese possessions in the post-war world – though in the course of
the war in the Pacific the Japanese were not able to launch an actual
invasion of the French islands.

In 1946, Polynesians were granted French citizenship and the islands' status
was changed to an overseas territory; the islands' name was changed in 1957
to Polynésie Française (French Polynesia). In 1962, France's early nuclear
testing ground of Algeria became independent and the Mururoa Atoll in the
Tuamotu Archipelago was selected as the new testing site; tests were
conducted underground after 1974. In 1977, French Polynesia was granted
partial internal autonomy; in 1984, the autonomy was extended. French
Polynesia became a full overseas collectivity of France in 2004.

In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear
testing at Fangataufa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The last test was
on January 27, 1996. On January 29, 1996, France announced it would accede
to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and no longer tests nuclear weapons.

Politics of French Polynesia

Politics of French Polynesia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary
representative democratic French overseas collectivity, whereby the
President of French Polynesia is the head of government, and of a
multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government.
Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Assembly of
French Polynesia (the territorial assembly).

Political life in French Polynesia has been marked by great instability
since the mid-2000s. On September 14, 2007, the pro-independence leader
Oscar Temaru, 63, was elected president of French Polynesia for the 3rd time
in 3 years (with 27 of 44 votes cast in the territorial assembly). He
replaced former President Gaston Tong Sang, opposed to independence, who
lost a no-confidence vote in the Assembly of French Polynesia on 31 August
after the longtime former president of French Polynesia, Gaston Flosse,
hitherto opposed to independence, sided with his long enemy Oscar Temaru to
topple the government of Gaston Tong Sang. Oscar Temaru, however, had no
stable majority in the Assembly of French Polynesia, and new territorial
elections were held in February 2008 to solve the political crisis.

The party of Gaston Tong Sang won the territorial elections, but that did
not solve the political crisis: the two minority parties of Oscar Temaru and
Gaston Flosse, who together have one more member in the territorial assembly
than the political party of Gaston Tong Sang, allied to prevent Gaston Tong
Sang from becoming president of French Polynesia. Gaston Flosse was then
elected president of French Polynesia by the territorial assembly on
February 23, 2008 with the support of the pro-independence party led by
Oscar Temaru, while Oscar Temaru was elected speaker of the territorial
assembly with the support of the anti-independence party led by Gaston
Flosse. Both formed a coalition cabinet. Many observers doubted that the
alliance between the anti-independence Gaston Flosse and the
pro-independence Oscar Temaru, designed to prevent Gaston Tong Sang from
becoming president of French Polynesia, could last very long.

At the French municipal elections held in March 2008, several prominent
mayors who are member of the Flosse-Temaru coalition lost their offices in
key municipalities of French Polynesia, which was interpreted as a
disapproval of the way Gaston Tong Sang, whose party French Polynesian
voters had placed first in the territorial elections the month before, had
been prevented from becoming president of French Polynesia by the last
minute alliance between Flosse and Temaru's parties. Eventually, on April 15
2008 the government of Gaston Flosse was toppled by a constructive vote of
no confidence in the territorial assembly when two members of the
Flosse-Temaru coalition left the coalition and sided with Tong Sang's party.
Gaston Tong Sang was elected president of French Polynesia as a result of
this constructive vote of no confidence, but his majority in the territorial
assembly is very narrow. He offered posts in his cabinet to Flosse and
Temaru's parties which they both refused. Gaston Tong Sang has called all
parties to help end the instability in local politics, a prerequisite to
attract foreign investors needed to develop the local economy.
High Commission of the Republic

Despite a local assembly and government, French Polynesia is not in a free
association with France, like the Cook Islands with New Zealand or the
Federated States of Micronesia with the United States. As a French overseas
collectivity, the local government has no competence in justice, education,
security and defense, directly provided and administered by the French State
the Gendarmerie and the French Military. The highest representative of the
State in the territory is the High Commissioner of the Republic in French
Polynesia (French: Haut commissaire de la République).

French Polynesia also sends two deputies to the French National Assembly,
one representing the Leeward Islands administrative subdivision, the Austral
Islands administrative subdivision, the commune (municipality) of
Moorea-Maiao, and the westernmost part of Tahiti (including the capital
Papeete), and the other representing the central and eastern part of Tahiti,
the Tuamotu-Gambier administrative division, and the Marquesas Islands
administrative division. French Polynesia also sends one senator to the
French Senate.

French Polynesians vote in the French presidential elections and at the 2007
French presidential election, in which the pro-independence leader Oscar
Temaru openly called to vote for the Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal
while the parties opposed to independence generally supported the
center-right candidate Nicolas Sarkozy, the turnout in French Polynesia was
69.12% in the first round of the election and 74.67% in the second round.
French Polynesians voters placed Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of Ségolène Royal in
both rounds of the election (2nd round: Nicolas Sarkozy 51.9%; Ségolène
Royal 48.1%).

Administration

Between 1946 and 2003, French Polynesia had the status of an overseas
territory (French: territoire d'outre-mer, or TOM). In 2003 it became an
overseas collectivity (French: collectivité d'outre-mer, or COM). Its
statutory law of 27 February 2004 gives it the particular designation of
overseas country inside the Republic (French: pays d'outre-mer au sein de la
République, or POM), but without legal modification of its status.

Administrative divisions

French Polynesia has five administrative subdivisions (French: subdivisions
administratives):

* Windward Islands (French: (les) Îles du Vent or officially la
subdivision administrative des Îles du Vent) (the two subdivisions
administratives Windward Islands and Leeward Islands are part of the Society
Islands)
* Leeward Islands (French: (les) Îles Sous-le-Vent or officially la
subdivision administrative des Îles Sous-le-Vent) (the two subdivisions
administratives Windward Islands and Leeward Islands are part of the Society
Islands)
* Marquesas Islands (French: (les) (Îles) Marquises or officially la
subdivision administrative des (Îles) Marquises)
* Austral Islands (French: (les) (Îles) Australes or officially la
subdivision administrative des (Îles) Australes) (including the Bass
Islands)
* Tuamotu-Gambier (French: (les) (Îles) Tuamotu-Gambier or officially la
subdivision administrative des (Îles) Tuamotu-Gambier) (the Tuamotus and the
Gambier Islands)

Geography of French Polynesia

The islands of French Polynesia have a total land area of 4,167 square
kilometres (1,622 sq. mi) scattered over 2,500,000 square kilometres (965
255 sq. mi) of ocean. There are around 130 islands in French Polynesia.

It is made up of six groups of islands, the largest and most populated of
which is Tahiti.

The island groups are:

* Austral Islands
* Bass Islands often considered part of the Austral Islands
* Gambier Islands often considered part of the Tuamotu Archipelago
* Marquesas Islands
* Society Islands (including Tahiti)
* Tuamotu Archipelago

Aside from Tahiti, some other important atolls, islands, and island groups
in French Polynesia are: Ahe, Bora Bora, Hiva `Oa, Huahine, Maiao, Maupiti,
Mehetia, Moorea, Nuku Hiva, Raiatea, Tahaa, Tetiaroa, Tubuai, and Tupai.

Economy of French Polynesia

The GDP of French Polynesia in 2006 was 5.65 billion US dollars at market
exchange rates, the fifth-largest economy in Oceania after Australia, New
Zealand, Hawaii, and New Caledonia. The GDP per capita was 21,999 US dollars
in 2006 (at market exchange rates, not at PPP), lower than in Hawaii,
Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, but higher than in all the
independent insular states of Oceania.

French Polynesia has a moderately developed economy, which is dependent on
imported goods, tourism, and the financial assistance of mainland France.
Tourist facilities are well developed and are available on the major islands
Also, as the noni fruit from these islands is discovered for its medicinal
uses, people have been able to find jobs related to this agricultural
industry.

The legal tender of French Polynesia is the CFP Franc.

Agriculture: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits.

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt.

In 2008 French Polynesia's imports amounted to 2.2 billion US dollars and
exports amounted to 0.2 billion US dollars. The major export of French
Polynesia is their famous black Tahitian pearls which accounted for 55% of
exports (in value) in 2008.

Languages

French is the official language of French Polynesia. An organic law of April
12, 1996 states that "French is the official language, Tahitian and other
Polynesian languages can be used." At the 2007 census, among the population
whose age was 15 and older, 68.5% of people reported that the language they
speak the most at home is French, 29.9% reported that the language they
speak the most at home is any of the Polynesian languages (four-fifth of
which Tahitian), 1.0% reported a Chinese language (half of which Hakka), and
0.6% another language. At the same census, 94.7% of people whose age was 15
or older reported that they could speak, read and write French, whereas only
2.0% reported that they had no knowledge of French. 74.6% of people whose
age was 15 or older reported that they could speak, read and write one of
the Polynesian languages, whereas 13.6% reported that they had no knowledge
of any of the Polynesian languages.

Religion

Christianity is the main religion of the islands, a majority (54%) belonging
to various Protestant churches and a large minority (30%) being Roman
Catholic.

Miscellaneous

French Polynesia has one of the lowest crime rates within France and its
territories. However, petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching
occurs.

Medical treatment is generally good on the major islands, but is limited in
areas that are more remote or less/sparsely populated. Patients with
emergencies or with serious illnesses are often referred to facilities on
Tahiti for treatment. In Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, two major hospitals
as well as several private clinics provide 24-hour medical service. Serious
medical problems requiring hospitalization or medical evacuation can cost
thousands of dollars. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash
payment for health services.

As an overseas territory of France, defence and law-enforcement are provided
by the French Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) and Gendarmerie.

Charles Darwin visited French Polynesia on his five year trip around the
world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Polynesia

Papeete, Tahiti

Papeete ("water from a basket", see footnote for variant spelling)
(pronounced [papeʔete]) is the capital of French Polynesia, an overseas
territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The commune (municipality) of
Papeete is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative
subdivision of the Windward Islands, of which Papeete is the administrative
capital. The French High Commissioner also resides in Papeete. It is the
primary center of Tahitian and French Polynesian public and private
governmental, commercial, industrial and financial services, the hub of
French Polynesian tourism and a commonly used Port of call. The Windward
Islands are themselves part of the Society Islands.

The urban area of Papeete had a total population of 131,695 inhabitants at
the August 2007 census, 26,017 of whom lived in the commune of Papeete
proper.

History

The area that now constitutes Papeete was first settled by the British
missionary William Crook of the London Missionary Society in 1818.[1] Queen
Pōmare IV moved her court to Papeete and made it her capital in the late
1820s, and the town grew into a major regional shipping and transportation
center. Papeete was retained as Tahiti's capital after France took control
of the Tahitian Islands and made them a protectorate in 1842. Herman
Melville was imprisoned in Papeete in 1842; his experiences there became the
basis for the novel Omoo. Paul Gauguin journeyed to and toured Papeete in
1891 and, except for a two-year period in 1893–1895, never returned to
France. Robert Louis Stevenson also spent time in Papeete in 1888. Half of
Papeete was destroyed by a major fire in 1884, which then prohibited the use
of native building materials. A major cyclone caused extensive damage to the
city in 1906, and a French naval vessel was sunk in the harbor in October
1914 by two German men-of war, which then bombarded Papeete.

The growth of the city was boosted by the decision to move the nuclear
weapon test range from Algeria to the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa, some
1,500 km (930 mi) at the east of Tahiti; this originated in particular in
the construction of the Faa'a airport next to Pape'ete, the only
international airport in French Polynesia. In 1983, The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints built the Papeete Tahiti Temple here because of
the large number of members in the region. On September 5, 1995 the
government of Jacques Chirac conducted the first of the last series of
nuclear test detonations off the shores of Moruroa. A resulting riot in
Papeete lasted for two days and damaged the international airport, injured
40 people, and scared away tourism for some time. (Similar rioting occurred
after another French nuclear test in the same area in 1987).

Demographics

The urban area of Papeete had a total population of 131,695 inhabitants at
the August 2007 census, 26,017 of whom lived in the commune of Papeete
proper. The urban area of Papeete is made up of 7 communes:

* Faaa (which became in 1988 the most populous commune in the urban
area)
* Papeete (historically the most populous commune in the urban area, and
still the administrative capital)
* Punaauia
* Pirae
* Mahina
* Paea
* Arue

Construction has boomed since the 1960s due to an influx of 35,000
immigrants (20,000 from France and 15,000 from French Polynesia's outer
islands) in response to an improved infrastructure and France's nuclear
testing program.

Arrival and departure

Traveling tourists arrive and depart Papeete via cruise ship at Papeete
Harbor or domestic airline at Faa'a International Airport, which was
completed and opened in 1962.

Transportation

Primary roads consist of the 3-lane "Boulevard Pomare" along the city's
harbor front which extends into a 4-lane highway.

www.wikipedia.com/papeete

Taiohae, Nuku Hiva

The Marquesas Islands (French: Îles Marquises or Archipel des Marquises or
Marquises; Marquesan: Te Henua (K)enana (North Marquesan) and Te Fenua
`Enata (South Marquesan), both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of
volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in
the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W.
The highest point is the peak of Mount Oave (French: Mont Oave) on Ua Pu
island at 1,230 m (4,035 ft) above sea level.

The Marquesas Islands form one of the five administrative divisions
(subdivisions administratives) of French Polynesia. The capital of the
Marquesas Islands administrative subdivision is the settlement of Taiohae on
the island of Nuku Hiva. The population of the Marquesas Islands was 8,632
at the August 2007 census.

History

The first recorded settlers of the Marquesas were Polynesians, who, from
archæological evidence, are believed to have arrived before 100 AD.
Ethnological and linguistic evidence suggests that they likely arrived from
the region of Tonga and Samoa.

The islands were given their name by the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña
de Neira who reached them on 21 July 1595. He named them after his patron,
García Hurtado de Mendoza, Marquis of Cañete, who was Viceroy of Peru at the
time. Mendaña visited first Fatu Hiva and then Tahuata before continuing on
to the Solomon Islands.

The American navigator Capt. Joseph Ingraham first visited the northern
Marquesas while commanding the brig Hope in 1791, giving them the name
Washington Islands. In 1813, Commodore David Porter claimed Nuku Hiva for
the United States, but the United States Congress never ratified that claim,
and in 1842, France, following a successful military operation on behalf of
a native chief (named Iotete) who claimed to be king of the whole of the
island of Tahuata, took possession of the whole group, establishing a
settlement (abandoned in 1859) on Nuku Hiva. French control over the group
was reestablished in 1870, and later incorporated into the territory of
French Polynesia.

Of all the major island groups of the Pacific, the Marquesas Islands
suffered the greatest population decline as a result of diseases brought by
Western explorers, reducing the estimated sixteenth century population of
over 100,000 inhabitants[citation needed], to about 20,000 by the middle of
the nineteenth century, and to just over 2,000 by the beginning of the 1900s
During the course of the twentieth century, the population increased to 8
712 at the November 2002 census, not including the Marquesan community
residing on Tahiti, but it decreased slightly to 8,632 at the August 2007
census.

The sparsely populated Marquesas Islands, located 1,371 km (852 miles) from
Tahiti, the most populated island and dominant political center of French
Polynesia, often feel neglected by politicians in Tahiti, and some favor a
direct link with Paris instead of depending on Papeete. Several prominent
Marquesan political leaders have repeatedly declared themselves in favor of
separating from French Polynesia and remaining within the French Republic in
case French Polynesian political leaders in Tahiti would proclaim the
independence of French Polynesia. This has generated controversies in Tahiti
where pro-independence Tahitian leaders have accused the French central
government of encouraging the separation of the Marquesas Islands from
French Polynesia.

Geography

The Marquesas Islands group is the second most remote and farthest from any
continent in the world (next to the Hawaiian Islands, which are 3000 km (or
1860 miles) from a continent), lying between 900 and 1,200 km (550 and 725
miles) south of the equator and 1,371 km (852 miles) northeast of Tahiti.
They fall naturally into two geographical divisions: the northern group,
consisting of Eïao, Hatutu (Hatutaa), Motu One, and the islands centered
around the large island of Nuku Hiva: Motu Iti (Hatu Iti), Ua Pu, Motu `Oa
and Ua Huka, and the southern group of Fatu Uku, Tahuata, Moho Tani (Motane)
Terihi, Fatu Hiva and Motu Nao (Thomasset Rock), clustered around the main
island of Hiva `Oa. With a combined land area of 1,049 km² (405 sq. miles),
the Marquesas are among the largest island groups of French Polynesia, Nuku
Hiva being the second largest island in the entire territory, after Tahiti.
With the exception of Motu One, all the islands of the Marquesas are of
volcanic origin.

In contrast to the common perception of lush tropical vegetation that goes
culturally hand-in-hand with the appellation "Polynesia", the Marquesas are
remarkably dry islands. Although the islands lie within the tropics, they
are the first major break in the prevailing easterly winds spawned from the
extraordinarily dry (from an atmospheric perspective) Humboldt Current.
Because of this, the islands are subject to frequent drought conditions, and
only those which reach highest into the clouds (generally, above about 750
m/2,500 ft above sea level) have reliable precipitation. This has led to
historical fluctuations in water supply, which have played a crucial rôle in
the sustainability of human populations in certain sections of the various
islands throughout the archipelago. This is especially evident in the low
historical population of Ua Huka (maximum elevation 857 m/2,812 ft.) and the
intermittent inhabitability of Eiao (maximum elevation 576 m/1,890 ft.). The
Marquesas Islands are thought to have formed by a center of upwelling magma
called the Marquesas hotspot.

Geology

With the exception of Motu One, all of the Marquesas Islands are high
islands. Motu One is a low island, comprising two small sand banks awash on
a coral reef. Unlike the majority of the islands of French Polynesia, the
Marquesas are not surrounded by protective fringing reefs. Except for at
Motu One, and in bays and other protected areas, the only other coral in the
Marquesas is found in a rather strange place: on the top of the island of
Fatu Huku. The South Equatorial Current lashes the islands mercilessly,
which has led to sea-caves dotting the islands' shores. Except for where the
valleys empty into the small bays, the islands are remarkable for their
mountain ridges, which end abruptly as cliffs where they meet the sea. The
islands are estimated to range in age from the youngest, Fatu Hiva (1.3my)
to the oldest, Eiao (6my).

Administration

The Marquesas Islands do not have a provincial or regional assembly.
Administratively, they form a deconcentrated subdivision of both the French
central State and the government of French Polynesia. As a deconcentrated
subdivision of the French central State, the Marquesas Islands form the
administrative subdivision of the Marquesas (French: subdivision
administrative des Marquises), one of French Polynesia's five administrative
subdivisions. The head of the administrative subdivision of the Marquesas is
the administrateur d'Etat ("State administrator"), generally simply known as
administrateur, also sometimes called chef de la subdivision administrative
("head of the administrative subdivision"). The administrateur is a civil
servant under the authority of the High Commissioner of the French Republic
in French Polynesia in Papeete. The administrateur and his staff sit in
Taiohae, on the island of Nuku Hiva, which has become the administrative
capital of the Marquesas Islands, having replaced Atuona on the island of
Hiva Oa which was previously the capital.
Hanavave

Acting as the representative of the French central State and delegate of
Papeete's High Commissioner, the administrateur of the Marquesas is notably
in charge of:

* offering legal advice to the communes (municipalities) of the Marquesas
and verifying the legality of decisions made by the communes
* issuing official documents (ID cards, driving licences, etc.),
applying immigration rules, organizing elections
* managing security (coordination of gendarmerie forces, handling of
major crises such as natural disasters, etc.)
* overseeing the public services of the French central State which are
present in the Marquesas Islands (such as the correctional facility on Nuku
Hiva)

As a deconcentrated subdivision of the government of French Polynesia, the
Marquesas Islands form the circonscription des Marquises ("district of the
Marquesas"), one of French Polynesia's four circonscriptions ("districts")
created in 2000 by the Assembly of French Polynesia to serve as
deconcentrated subdivisions of the government of French Polynesia in the
islands away from Tahiti and Moorea. The head of the circonscription des
Marquises is the tavana hau, known as administrateur territorial in French
(English: "territorial administrator"), but the Tahitian title tavana hau is
most often used. The tavana hau is the direct representative of the
president of French Polynesia's government who appoints him. The tavana hau
and his staff sit in Taiohae on Nuku Hiva, same as the State administrator.

The tavana hau is notably in charge of:

* coordinating the work of French Polynesian administrations which are
present in the Marquesas Islands (such as the French Polynesian
administrations in charge of roads, fisheries, etc.)
* ensuring the enforcement of acts passed by the Assembly of French
Polynesia and decisions taken by the government of French Polynesia
* evaluating the performance of French Polynesian civil servants and
sending the evaluations to the responsible ministries in Papeete
* acting as a liaison between the local population and the government of
French Polynesia in Papeete

The Marquesas Islands also form the electoral district of the Marquesas
Islands, one of French Polynesia's six electoral districts for the Assembly
of French Polynesia (see also Politics of French Polynesia).

The Marquesas Islands are subdivided in six communes (municipalities). In
each of the six communes the local residents elect a municipal council and a
mayor in charge of managing local affairs within the commune. Three communes
(Nuku-Hiva, Ua-Pou, and Hiva-Oa) are further subdivided into associated
communes due to their larger population. The communes and associated
communes are the only elected councils in the Marquesas since there does not
exist a provincial or regional assembly for the entire archipelago.
Municipal elections are held every six years on the same day as municipal
elections in the rest of France (see French municipal elections, 2008 for
the last municipal elections).

Here are the six communes in the Marquesas Islands (the associated communes
are not shown):
Communes of the Marquesas Islands

1. Nuku-Hiva
2. Ua-Huka
3. Ua-Pou
4. Hiva-Oa
5. Tahuata
6. Fatu-Hiva

Language

Although French and Tahitian are the only official languages of French
Polynesia, and therefore of the Marquesas Islands as well, the Marquesan
languages, in their various forms, remain the primary means of communication
within the archipelago.

Marquesan is a collection of East-Central Polynesian dialects, of the
Marquesic group, spoken in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. They
are usually classified into two groups, North Marquesan and South Marquesan,
roughly along geographic lines.

The North Marquesan dialects are spoken on the islands of Ua Pu and Nuku
Hiva, and South Marquesan dialects on the islands of Hiva `Oa, Tahuata and
Fatu Hiva. The dialects of Ua Huka are often incorrectly classified as North
Marquesan; they are instead transitional. While the island is in the
northern Marquesas group, the dialects show more morphological and
phonological affinities with South Marquesan. The North Marquesan dialects
are sometimes considered two separate languages: North Marquesan and Tai Pi
Marquesan, the latter being spoken in the valleys of the eastern third of
the island of Nuku Hiva, in the ancient province of Tai Pi.

The most striking feature of the Marquesan languages is their almost
universal replacement of the /r/ or /l/ of other Polynesian languages by a
/ʔ/ (glottal stop).

Like other Polynesian languages, the phonology of Marquesan languages is
characterized by a paucity of consonants and a comparative abundance of
vowels.

Demographics

The population of the Marquesas Islands at the August 2007 census was 8,632,
which is 80 people less than at the November 2002 census, and far lower than
16th century estimates which put the population at over 100,000.[citation
needed] Much of the population was wiped out by smallpox between 1600 and
1900, when the population was counted at just under 2,000.

Airports

There are four airports in the Marquesas, one each on the islands of Nuku
Hiva, Ua Pu, Ua Huka, and Hiva Oa. The terrain of Tahuata is too irregular
to allow for the construction of a landing strip without significant
investment, and while the upland plateau of central Fatu Hiva is large
enough to permit the construction of an airstrip, the island's minuscule
population makes such an exercise of dubious benefit.

Telecommunications

The Marquesas are served by telephone as well as by radio and television
mainly from Tahiti. Recent additions include the "Vini" a mobile phone
service that, in about 6 years has expanded to cover most of the populated
islands. "Mana" An internet server with DSL Broadband that is expanding with
Wifi stations too.

Extracted from Wikipedia.

PHDI menuju Federasi

By hindunesia on September 24, 2009

Berikut kutipan wawancara majalah gumi Bali SARAD dengan Agus. S Mantik, seorang tokoh Hindu yang tetap konsisten memberikan sumbangan pemikiran yang konstruktif, baik bagi Hindu secara keseluruhan, maupun bagi Parisada.

Bagaimana Anda menanggapi stigma Balinisasi?

Ketika Pemerintah membentuk Bagian Hindu dalam Departemen Agama Republik Indonesia yang kemudian dibarengi dengan pembentukan Parisada Dharma Hindu Bali (1959) pada tahun berikutnya, satu hal paling penting yang disadari ketika itu adalah bahwasanya Hindu itu tidaklah satu melainkan plural. Hindu itu tidak saja ada di Bali, melainkan hampir di seluruh pelosok Nusantara ini.

Kesadaran itu hanya ada sampai digantinya nama majelis agama ini menjadi Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia, akan tetapi tidak ada tindakan berarti yang sudah dilaksanakan untuk mengakomodasi pluralisme dalam Hindu ini. Hal ini sebenarnya tidak seluruhnya merupakan kesalahan Hindu etnis Bali: ada berbagai hal yang menyebabkannya akan tetapi yang terpenting adalah bahwasanya karena jumlah yang jauh lebih besar dan juga kesadaran beragamanya sudah lebih kuat maka etnis lainnya melihat Bali sebagai mercu suar dan tumpuan untuk memimpin ke depan.

Harapan ini tidak dilaksanakan dengan baik sehingga ada kesan mengenai Balinisasi dan sebagainya. Padahal, kalau semua memperoleh tempat (yang sejajar) maka Majelis Agama Hindu ini akan memperoleh suntikan gagasan-gagasan dan juga kekuatan moral yang luar biasa besarnya. Hal ini dengan jelas dikatakan oleh Dirjen Bimas Hindu dalam sebuah wawancaranya dengan sebuah majalah Hindu beberapa waktu lalu. Sebuah majelis agama Hindu yang representatif, tempat semua merasa diwakili, adalah keperluan mendesak di masa depan. Malah Dirjen Bimas Hindu melontarkan gagasan mengenai sebuah Majelis Agama yang berbentuk federasi. Menurut saya, ide federasi sangat cocok diterapkan di tubuh Parisada, karena umat di daerah lain sudah cukup otonom dan mandiri. Di samping itu, untuk menghindari dominasi orang Bali di luar Bali.

Parisada itu sesungguhnya organisasi siapa?

Pertanyaan ini dengan jelas dijawab dalam Anggaran Dasar (AD) Parisada sendiri bahwa dia adalah organisasi para pendeta/brahmana dan dalam berbagai penjelasan oleh para petingginya dengan gamblang dikatakan bahwa Parisada dibentuk dengan mengacu kepada Manavadharmasastra. Hal ini sungguh menertawakan sebab di India sendiri tidak ada satu pun organisasi keagamaan yang mengacu kepada sastra ini. Mereka (India) berbuat demikian karena tidak ada suatu kewajiban bahwa sebuah majelis/organisasi agama harus sesuai dengan sesuatu yang bukan sruti yangbahkan sudah ada di zaman ribuan tahun lalu (sudah outdated!). Malahan dalam sruti (Rg Veda) sendiri dikatakan bahwa hal-hal yang sudah tidak sesuai dengan kemajuan zaman sebaiknya ditinggalkan saja! Pada bagian lain dinyatakan dengan gamblang bahwa sepanjang perkembangannya Hinduisme selalu mencari kebenaran dan tidak pernah bertahan di dalam kepercayaan. Gandhi sendiri berbicara mengenai Tuhan sebagai kebenaran (satyam).

Bagaimana Anda memandang struktur Parisada saat ini?

Dalam berbagai majelis keagamaan, baik besar maupun kecil, acuan membuat struktur organisasi adalah apakah bisa jalan atau tidak. Sebagai contoh, Visva Hindu Parisada (VHP), satu di antara majelis yang besar (mungkin juga paling besar), struktur organisasinya sangat modern, di mana yang tertinggi adalah Board of Trustee (semacam Dewan Pembina). Adapun tugas sehari-hari dijalankan oleh Board of Governors (semacam Dewan Gubernur) di mana salah seorang anggota dewan ini diangkat sebagai ketua yang menjalankan tugas mirip CEO. Bisa dibayangkan di India yang sekuler, di mana pemerintahnya tidak mau tahu dan tidak membantu organisasi agama, VHP memiliki 26.000 lokal sekolah dan organisasinya menyebar sampai ke luar negeri.

Kepastian (sesuai dengan AD) bahwasanya Parisada adalah majelis para sulinggih membawa konsekuensi yang tidak kalah serius bagi masa depan Parisada, sebab di Bali khususnya sulinggih adalah kelompok brahmana yang tugas pokoknya adalah menjalankan upacara dan masalah-masalah yang berhubungan dengan hal itu. Kehidupan keluarga seorang sulinggih ditentukan oleh kelancaran tugas-tugasnya dalam menjalankan upacara. Jelaslah di sini bahwa sulinggih adalah lebih banyak merupakan profesi dan bukan sikap mental, seperti dijelaskan dalam Vajrasucika Upanisad. Dengan demikian ketrampilan sulinggih di Bali lebih banyak berhubungan dengan hal-hal yang bersifat upacara dan tidak banyak bersinggungan dengan tattva, masalah keumatan, apalagi pengetahuan yang bersifat perbandingan agama. Padahal, wiweka dalam ketiga hal ini sebenarnya sangatlah penting dalam persinggungan di antara kelompok masyarakat seperti sekarang ini.

Bagaimana idealnya pengurus yang duduk di Parisada?

Demikian banyak waktu yang dihabiskan untuk menjalankan upacara sehingga peran dan waktu sulinggih yang disisakan buat organisasi tentu saja tidak besar. Dengan demikian adalah tidak adil juga apabila Anggaran Dasar Parisada mewajibkan eksekutif yang menjalankan kewajiban sehari-hari (Pengurus Harian) harus penuh waktu. Inilah sesungguhnya masalah paling penting yang harus disikapi di masa mendatang yang dekat ini: apakah Parisada tetap bertahan dalam kepercayaan bahwa mereka yang duduk dalam parisad seperti yang diamanatkan Manavadharmasastra dan sering menjadi acuan para 'pakar'?

Majelis agama sebenarnya memerlukan bukan saja orang-orang yang cakap, yang paham perihal rangkaian masalah yang dihadapi, akan tetapi juga orang-orang yang mau membaktikan keseluruhan waktunya untuk kepentingan umat. Hal ini tidak akan diperoleh oleh kelompok brahmana (baca: pendeta) yang panggilan hidupnya berhubungan dengan masalah upacara (ritual). Tidak di India, tidak di sini, dan di mana pun!

Sejarah setengah abad Majelis Agama Hindu yang bernama Parisada di negara kita sudah membuktikan hal itu. Majelis ini memerlukan orang-orang yang keseluruhan hidupnya ber-yajna, sarva-medha, atau purusa-medha, seperti yang dikatakan dalam sruti. Bagaimana orang-orang seperti itu akan bisa menyambung hidup kesehariannya, makan, keperluan pribadi, dan lain-lain?

Dalam sruti dengan jelas dikatakan bahwa Tuhan berjanji kepada mereka yang membaktikan keseluruhan hidupnya untuk menjalankan pekerjaan-Nya, dia tidak perlu khawatir sebab keseluruhan hidupnya akan ditanggung oleh-Nya. Hanya orang-orang seperti inilah, para sannyasi, yang akan bisa menjalankan roda organisasi yang bernama Majelis Agama, sebab orang-orang yang demikian sajalah yang memiliki waktu dan commitment untuk berjuang melaksanakan pekerjaan Tuhan dan mengosongkan hatinya dari urusan-urusan lainnya.

Bagaimana harapan Anda untuk Hindu ke depan?

Masyarakat Hindu di masa depan harus memupuk hadirnya kelompok orang-orang yang selama hidupnya berkutat dalam hal-hal yang bersifat agama. Kelompok ini ada pada zaman Majapahit dan sangat kuat pada zaman Sriwijaya. Saya bukan mencontoh India saja, akan tetapi pada masa ini hanya di India kita melihat bagaimana peranan para sannyas mempertahankan tradisi yang sudah berumur ribuan tahun ini. Saya bertemu pengurus berbagai majelis agama maupun ordo yang rata-rata tidak terlalu tua, lulusan S3 berbagai perguruan tinggi terkenal, akan tetapi menelusuri kehidupan sebagai sannyas.

Jadi, berkembangnya organisasi keagamaan ini tidaklah ditunjang oleh orang-orang tua yang sudah hampir-hampir tidak memiliki masa depan, akan tetapi oleh generasi penerus yang sadar, yang menempuh kehidupan sunyi penuh abdi. Saya sering mengutip Katha Upanisad tentang orang buta yang menuntun orang buta. Hanya dengan hadirnya kelompok sannyas seperti inilah kita terhindar dari hal itu!

http://hindunesia.com/?p=417#more-417

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Yahoo! sekarang memiliki alamat Email baru
Dapatkan nama yang selalu Anda inginkan di domain baru @ymail dan @rocketmail. br> Cepat sebelum diambil orang lain!

Pelajaran Sederhana Tentang Sorga Neraka

Seorang samurai bertubuh kekar dan tegap pada suatu hari mendatangi

seorang pertapa bertubuh kecil dan kurus. "Hai petapa," katanya dengan

nada suara yang terbiasa memberikan perintah, "Ajarkan saya tentang

surga dan neraka!"

 

Si petapa mendongakkan kepalanya memandang samurai gagah di depannya

and menjawabnya:, "Mengajarkanmu tentang surga dan neraka? Saya tidak

dapat mengajarkan apapun juga kepadamu. Pergilah sekarang."

 

Si samurai tampak marah. Mukanya merah padam menahan rasa marah yang

tinggi. Ia cabut pedangnya dan mengangkat di atas kepalanya bersiap

untuk menebas petapa itu dengan pedangnya.

"Itulah neraka," kata si petapa dengan nada yang tenang.

Si samurai terkejut.

 

Ketenangan dan kepasrahan dari mahluk kecil itu,

yang bersedia mempertaruhkan hidupnya, telah memberikan pelajaran

mengenai neraka kepadanya! Ia perlahan menurunkan pedangnya. Ia

merasakan rasa lega dan tiba-tiba merasa sangat tenang.

"Dan itulah surga," kembali si petapa berkata dengan tenang.

 

Dikutip dari: Bits & Pieces, May 1999

© The Economic Press Inc., 1999

 

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Menambah banyak teman sangatlah mudah dan cepat.
Undang teman dari Hotmail, Gmail ke Yahoo! Messenger sekarang!

Salah Berdoa ???

Seorang pria bermimpi masuk ke sebuah toko baru di pasar, dan terkejut

menemukan Tuhan di dalam toko. "Engkau menjual apa di sini?" ia

bertanya "Apa saja yang menjadi keinginan hatimu," jawab Tuhan.

Hampir tak percaya pada apa yang didengarnya, pria itu memutuskan

untuk meminta hal-hal terbaik yang diinginkan seorang manusia. "Aku

minta uang yang banyak, jabatan yang tinggi, istri yang cantik,

kawan-kawan yang setia dan kesehatan yang prima," katanya.

Mendengar hal itu, Tuhan pun tersenyum, "Kukira, engkau salah

menafsirkan Aku," kata-Nya. "Kami tidak menjual buah di sini. Yang

kami jual adalah benih."

 

Pembaca yang budiman, tahukah Anda mengapa Tuhan tidak mengabulkan doa

kita? Karena, kita salah berdoa. Ada tiga hal yang membuat doa kita

salah. Pertama, karena ketika berdoa kita meminta buah, bukannya

benih. Buah adalah akibat, sementara benih adalah sebab. Berdoa yang

benar adalah meminta sebab, bukannya akibat.

 

Kita sering meminta kesuksesan, jabatan, kekayaan dan ketenaran.

Padahal, Tuhan tak akan mengabulkan permintaan seperti ini karena

bertentangan dengan hukum alam. Bagaimana mungkin Anda akan sukses

jika Anda tidak menguasai prinsip-prinsip kesuksesan? Bagaimana

mungkin Anda akan mempunyai uang yang banyak bila Anda tidak

meningkatkan kemampuan Anda untuk mencari uang? Bagaimana mungkin Anda

akan mendapatkan banyak pelanggan kalau Anda tidak menghubungi lebih

banyak orang dan meningkatkan kemampuan persuasi Anda? Bagaimana Anda

bisa dihargai dan dihormati orang lain kalau Anda tidak meningkatkan

kemampuan komunikasi Anda?

 

Jadi, yang harus kita minta kepada Tuhan adalah "kemampuan kita

menghasilkan". Adapun "hasilnya" haruslah kita usahakan sendiri.

Karena bukankah dunia malah akan menjadi kacau-balau kalau Tuhan

mengabulkan doa orang-orang yang sekadar meminta "hasil" ini? Bukankah

pengabulan doa yang meminta hasil seperti ini hanya akan menjerumuskan

manusia menjadi orang yang malas, manja dan bodoh? Bukankah nantinya

akan banyak manusia yang tidak pernah meningkatkan kemampuannya,

tetapi hanya hidup dengan mengandalkan doa?

 

Yang lebih buruk lagi adalah karena dengan cara seperti ini tidak akan

ada lagi perbedaan antara orang yang punya kemampuan dan yang tidak.

Kalau doa semacam ini dikabulkan, bukankah dunia justru akan berjalan

dengan tidak adil? Bila tak ada lagi beda antara orang yang kompeten

dan yang tidak, bukankah yang terjadi hanyalah kehancuran?

Lagi pula, bukankah sering ketika berdoa kita meminta sesuatu yang

juga diminta oleh orang lain padahal yang kita minta itu hanya ada

dalam jumlah yang terbatas? Bayangkan saja, kalau ada tiga kandidat

beserta para pengikutnya berdoa untuk jabatan presiden, padahal

jabatan presiden itu hanya satu dan ketiga orang tersebut berdoa

dengan sangat khusyuk. Doa siapakah yang akan dikabulkan Tuhan? Kalau

hanya ada satu orang yang doanya terkabul, hal apakah yang dapat

membuat Tuhan mengabulkan doa orang ini dan bukan orang yang lain?

 

Alasan kedua mengapa doa kita tidak terkabul adalah karena doa

tersebut tidak punya tujuan lain selain untuk kepentingan kita

sendiri. Anda ingin sukses, tetapi kalau sudah sukses, apa rencana

Anda? Anda ingin kaya, tetapi kalau sudah kaya, lantas mau apa? Ini

yang masih tidak jelas. Dan karena ketidakjelasan ini, doa kita

bertentangan dengan asas manfaat.

 

Padahal, pengabulan doa kita oleh Tuhan selalu berkaitan dengan asas

manfaat. Bukankah Tuhan menjalankan alam semesta ini berdasarkan asas

manfaat? Bukankah tidak ada segala sesuatu – sekecil apa pun – yang

diciptakan Tuhan yang tidak memiliki manfaat?

 

Karena itu, segala sesuatu yang tidak memberikan manfaat senantiasa

bertentangan dengan hukum-hukum Tuhan. Nah, ketika kita berdoa meminta

kekayaan dan kesuksesan tanpa rencana yang jelas, berarti kita telah

gagal meyakinkan Tuhan mengenai manfaat dari apa yang sedang kita

minta. Ini tentu saja akan membuat doa kita tidak terkabul.

 

Pembaca yang budiman, prinsip ini sangatlah penting bagi terkabulnya

doa kita. Karena itu, bila sudah menguasai rumus ini, ketika berdoa

kepada Tuhan kita harus senantiasa menyertakan rencana kita yang jelas

mengenai bagaimana kita akan memanfaatkan segala yang kita peroleh

bukan untuk kepentingan kita sendiri, melainkan untuk kepentingan

banyak orang.

 

Agar doa kita berhasil, kita harus mampu meyakinkan Tuhan bahwa kita

mencari kekayaan karena kita mempunyai rencana untuk orang banyak.

Kita ingin menyekolahkan orang lain, membangun sekolah, rumah yatim

piatu, dan melakukan berbagai hal bagi kemaslahatan orang banyak.

Sayangnya, dalam berdoa sering motif kita hanya untuk kepentingan diri

sendiri. Bahkan, untuk diri sendiri pun kita masih tidak mengetahui

apa yang akan kita lakukan bila doa kita terkabul.

 

Alasan ketiga mengapa doa kita tidak terkabul adalah karena kita kerap

salah meminta kepada Tuhan. Kita meminta diberikan "ketenangan",

padahal kita sedang menghadapi sesuatu yang "bisa kita ubah".

Sebaliknya kita meminta diberikan "keberanian", padahal yang sedang

kita hadapi itu adalah sesuatu yang "tak bisa kita ubah". Doa semacam

ini terbalik, karena itu tidak aneh kalau Tuhan tidak mengabulkannya.

Padahal, ketika menghadapi sesuatu yang "bisa kita ubah", bukankah

yang seharusnya kita minta adalah "keberanian"? Dan bukankah ketika

menghadapi sesuatu yang "tak bisa kita ubah", kita justru perlu

meminta "ketenangan"?

 

Pembaca yang budiman, doa adalah alat yang paling mujarab yang telah

terbukti keandalannya dari masa ke masa. Doa yang benar senantiasa

mengandung kekuatan yang luar biasa karena dengan berdoa kita sedang

meminjam kekuatan Yang Maha Kuasa. Bahkan, dengan berdoa kita

sebenarnya sedang berusaha memengaruhi keputusan Tuhan. Bukankah Tuhan

sendiri sudah menjanjikan, "Mintalah kepada-Ku nanti akan Aku

kabulkan." ?

Artikel dari majalah SWA

 Oleh : Arvan Pradiansyah

 

URL : http://www.swa.co.id/swamajalah/pernik/details.php?cid=1&id=9700

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Where do the terms “port” and “starboard” come from?

Before ships had rudders on their centerlines, they were steered using a specialized oar held by an oarsman located in the stern (back) of the ship. Since there were many more right-handed sailors than left-handed, the oar was affixed to the right side of the ship. The word starboard comes from the Old English word steorbord, literally meaning the side on which the ship is steered.  The term for the left side of the boat, larboard, is derived from the practice of sailors mooring on the left side (i.e., the larboard or loading side) to prevent the steering boards from being crushed. As "larboard" and "starboard" sounded too similar, larboard was changed to port.

Keterikatan Duniawi

Om Swastyastu,   Pada jaman dahulu di Nusantara, tersebutlah seorang pendekar ternama, yang sangat disegani oleh kawan dan lawan-lawannya. Dia sangat mahir memainkan berbagai jenis senjata, dia memiliki banyak ilmu-ilmu aneh yang sulit dimengerti oleh pendekar-pendekar lainnya, gerakannya sangat lincah dan gesit, sehingga tak satupun lawan yang bisa mengalahkannya. Setiap kali ada pertandingan di daerahnya, sudah bisa ditebak pemenangnya. Namun walaupun dia demikian hebat, tapi sang Pendekar sangat rendah hati dan hidup sangat sederhana, suka menolong dan membela yang lemah dan tidak segan-segan menurunkan tangan besinya pada para pelaku kejahatan. Masyarakat sangat gembira dengan kehadiran sang Pendekar, negeri jadi aman dan tentram. Dia selalu mengingatkan murid-muridnya untuk setiap saat membacakan doa berikut:   "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah; Sarve Santu Niraamayaah; Sarve Bhadraani Pashyantu; Maa Kashchida-Dukha-Bhaag-Bhav eta Om Shantih Shantih Shantih   Artinya: Semoga setiap orang berbahagia. Semoga setiap orang terbebas dari penyakit. Semoga Setiap orang mendapatkan keberuntungan. Semoga tak seorangpun jatuh pada kejahatan. Semoga damai dihati semua mahluk, damai di dunia dan damai selalu dan selamanya.   Suatu hari sambil duduk di pinggir danau Sang Pendekar menimang-nimang batu permata yang sangat bernilai tinggi. Sambil terus memperhatikan keunikan dari benda antic yang satu ini, dia mengamati permukaan batu permata itu dengan sangat serius, ups….. batu itu terlepas dari tanggannya, hampir saja jatuh ke dalam danau. Dengan sigap gerakan reflek yang dia miliki sebagai hasil dari latihan yang keras, dia berhasil menangkap batu yang nyaris tenggelam ke dalam danau. Keringat dingin mengucur di seluruh tubuhnya, tangannya gemetaran, sambil mengelus-elus batu permata tersebut dia bergumam: "Huh… hampir saja permata ini tenggelam di dalam danau…"   Sesaat sang Pendekar termenung sambil menatapi benda antik ditangannya,..dia kemudian berkata pada dirinya sendiri: "Saya tidak pernah gentar menghadapi kematian, saya mengalahkan banyak sekali jagoan-jagoan ternama dinegeri ini, entah berapa pinpinan rampok dan begal yang saya tumpas.. Lalu mengapa saya menjadi sangat cemas oleh sebuah permata….?" Sambil tersenyum sang Pendekar kemudian melemparkan permata itu ke tengah-tengah danau.." sambil melangkahkan kakinya beranjak dari tepi danau itu dia bergumam: "Hmmmm…keterikatanlah yang menyebabkan saya demikian takut kehilangan, dan menderita.   Dalam kehidupan ini disadari atau tidak kita seringkali mengikatkan diri pada banyak objek seperti kisah di atas. Bahkan kini objek-objek pengikat bentuknya sangat beragam bukan lagi berupa benda kasat mata seperti batu permata milik sang Pendekar. Sebut saja objek kesuksesan, kegagalan, kemenangan, kekalahan, nama baik, penghargaan, pujian, hinaan, kata-kata, dan lain sebagainya. Kalo diperhatikan dengan seksama ternyata dimana ada pengetahuan dan perasaan akan dualisme, kalah dan menang, sukses dan gagal, maka penderitaan itu akan selalu menjadi sahabat sejati yang tidak pernah meninggalkan kita.   Kalo ada yang gagal, pasti ada yang sukses, orang yang gagal akan berdukacita, orang yang sukses akan bersukacita. Kalo ada yang menang pasti ada yang kalah, pihak yang kalah akan sedih, pihak yang menang akan senang. Gagal dan sukses, menang dan kalah adalah produk buatan manusia, keduanya bisa menjadi guru agung dalam kehidupan ini. Dalam banyak hal kegagalan lebih agung dari kesuksesan, Kegagalan kerap membimbing kita menemukan celah-celah dalam diri. Sukses dan gagal merupakan bagian hidup manusia. Kesuksesan jangan sampai menimbulkan kesombongan, demikian pula kegagalan jangan sampai menimbulkan demotivasi. Seorang kawan pernah berkata, gagal dalam bahasa Inggrisnya : FAIL = First Action In Learning, Kegagalan banyak memberitahu kelemahan dan kekurangan kita, bahkan konon orang-orang besar adalah mereka yang mampu mengelola setiap kegagalannya menjadi vitamin untuk menambah energi menuju sukses.   Mengikatkan diri pada sesuatu hal akan menyulitkan kita bergerak maju, bukankan kebebasan yang membuat kita bisa bergerak cepat…. Belenggu yang kuat akan menghambat setiap gerakan kita, apapun bentuk dari belenggu itu…. Bagaimana melepaskan diri dari semua belenggu…? Hidup ini untuk dijalani bukan untuk mengikatkan diri padanya… Ahh…ini sih hanya pikiran saya belum tentu juga benar… jangan-jangan saya menulis ini juga karena saya terikat dengan tulisan ini…sama saja dong…hihihiihihi…ngabur ahh..   Om Santhih Santhih Santhih   http://singaraja.wordpress.com Made M. Abu Dhabi

Pandangan Kita Terbatas, Pandangan Tuhan Tidak Terbatas

Pada suatu hari, Tuhan memanggil dua malaikat, yang satu senior dan yang

satu junior untuk diutus ke Bumi. Sebelum diutus ke Bumi, Tuhan berpesan

kepada malaikat yang junior untuk tidak banyak bertanya. Boleh bertanya bila

benar-benar penting. Tugas yang junior hanya memperhatikan apa yang

dilakukan oleh seniornya.

 

Maka turunlah mereka ke Bumi dengan menyamar sebagai hamba Tuhan. Pada suatu

ketika, sampailah mereka pada sebuah rumah tua yang sangat mewah, yang baru

dibeli oleh seorang kaya. Orang kaya ini sangat pelit. Maka diketuklah pintu

rumah orang kaya itu. Orang kaya membuka pintu rumah dengan tidak ramah dan

terjadilah pembicaraan sebagai berikut:

 

Orang kaya: Ada apa? Kenapa malam-malam begini berkunjung ? (dengan nada

yang tidak senang)

Malaikat senior: Saya seorang hamba Tuhan yang sedang dalam perjalanan, tapi

karena sudah malam, saya ingin menumpang tinggal di rumah bapak, dan besok

kami akan berangkat lagi untuk meneruskan perjalanan kami.

Orang kaya: Waduh, saya tidak punya kamar buat kalian, bagaimana kalau

tinggal di lantai dasar rumah saya? Kalian tidak ada makan malam ya, dan

besok pagi-pagi benar harus sudah keluar dari rumah saya (dengan nada yang

tinggi).

Malaikat senior: Oh tidak apa-apa, asal kami ada istirahat saja. Terima

kasih atas bantuannya.

Malaikat junior sangat kesal atas perlakuan orang kaya itu, ia ingin

menghukum orang kaya tersebut, tapi dia ingat akan pesan Tuhan untuk tidak

melakukan apa-apa.

Maka sampailah mereka di basement yang sangat lembab dan penuh kotoran, lalu

beristirahatlah mereka, ketika mau tidur malaikat senior melihat ada sesuatu

yang bolong pada tembok dan segera dia menutup tembok yang bolong itu dengan

rapi lalu tidur. Dalam hati malaikat junior bilang, "Wah hebat senior saya,

dia membalas kejahatan dengan kebaikan, saya telah belajar sesuatu dari dia.

Pantas dia menjadi senior saya."

 

Keesokan harinya pergilah mereka dari rumah orang kaya tersebut dan

meneruskan perjalanan mereka. Ketika hari mendekati malam, tibalah mereka

pada rumah gubuk milik keluarga yang miskin dan minta izin untuk tinggal di

gubuk tersebut. Terjadilah percakapan sebagai berikut:

 

Malaikat senior: Bapak, saya hamba Tuhan yang sedang dalam perjalanan, hari

hampir malam, bolehkah saya tinggal di rumah bapak?

Bapak tua: Oh boleh, silakan tinggal di sini. Bapak-bapak sekarang mandi

dulu dan setelah mandi kami akan siapkan makan buat bapak.

Maka mandilah kedua malaikat itu, setelah mandi mereka makan dengan makanan

yang telah disediakan.

Bapak tua: Di rumah kami hanya ada satu kamar, tapi biarlah bapak-bapak

tidur di kamar kami dan kami akan tidur di dapur.

Malaikat senior lansung masuk ke kamar dan istirahat. Dalam hati malaikat

junior merasa tidak adil atas perlakuan malaikat senior, seharusnya yang

tidur di dapur adalah mereka bukan pemilik rumah. Tapi ia pendam hal itu

dalam hatinya. Pagi-pagi terdengarlah kabar yang menggemparkan di rumah

bapak tua ini, karena domba satu-satunya milik mereka mati. Malaikat senior

tetap tenang dan hanya berkata:

Malaikat senior: Bapak, saya turut prihatin atas kejadian ini, namun saya

akan pergi untuk melanjutkan perjalanan kami. Lalu pergi meninggalkan rumah

tersebut.

 

Malaikat junior merasa kesal dengan sang senior, dia berpikir kenapa

malaikat senior begitu baik pada orang kaya yang pelit dengan menambal

tembok yang bolong, sedangkan dengan orang tua ini tidak melakukan apa-apa.

Seharusnya malaikat senior menghalangi kematian domba itu, sehingga domba

itu tidak mati, karena mereka sudah melakukan kebaikan. Malaikat junior

tidak tahan dengan kekesalannya, maka bertanyalah ia kepada malaikat senior.

Malaikat junior: Senior, kenapa kamu pilih-pilih kasih menolong orang? Orang

kaya yang pelit kamu tolong dengan menambal tembok yang bolong, sedangkan

orang tua yang baik hati kau biarkan domba satu-satunya mati?

 

Malaikat senior dengan tenang menjawab kepada malaikat junior: "Apa yang

kamu lihat itu baru sebagian, belum keseluruhan dari kejadiannya". Malaikat

junior bingung, dan minta penjelasan pada malaikat senior.

Malaikat senior: Kamu tahu, ketika kita tinggal di tempat orang kaya yang

pelit itu, kita melihat tembok yang bolong. Tahukah kamu apa yang ada di

dalam tembok bolong itu? Di dalam tembok bolong itu terdapat harta karun

yang sangat besar banyaknya. Karena dia orang yang pelit maka saya tutup

tembok tersebut supaya dia tidak tahu ada harta karun di situ.

 

Malaikat junior manggut-manggut baru mengerti, lalu dia bertanya, "Bagaimana

dengan orang tua yang baik hati itu?"

Malaikat senior: Kamu tahu, waktu kita tinggal pada tempat orang tua yang

baik hati itu, dia memberikan kamarnya untuk kita tidur, ketika kita tidur

malaikat maut datang untuk mangambil nyawa istri bapak tua itu. Beginilah

ceritanya:

 

Malaikat maut: Loh, kok kamu yang tidur di sini, seharusnya seorang ibu kan?

Malaikat senior: Oh, ibu itu memberikan kamarnya buat kami untuk istirahat,

dia tidur di dapur.

Malaikat maut: Waduh bagaimana ini, saya harus mencabut nyawa orang yang

tidur di kamar ini, kamu enggak mungkin saya cabut, kita kan sahabat.

Malaikat senior: Yah bilang saja kalau saya yang tidur di sini.

Malaikat maut: Wah tidak bisa, saya tetap harus mencabut nyawa.

Malaikat senior: Bagaimana kalau kamu cabut nyawa dombanya?

Malaikat maut: Ya deh, dombanya saja. Maka matilah domba itu, sebagai ganti

nyawa istri bapak tua yang baik hati.

 

Ternyata apa yang sering kita lihat itu tidak sempurna, kadang-kadang kita

curiga pada Tuhan kenapa tidak memberikan yang baik pada kita, sesungguhnya

yang terbaik dia sediakan bagi kita. Pandangan kita terbatas, pandangan

Tuhan tidak terbatas. (SN)*

 

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