Panapasa Balekana
Encyclopedia
Panapasa Balekana, MBE
, SIM, (1929 – January 22, 2009) was a Fiji
an-born Solomon Islander
who composed
the national anthem
of the Solomon Islands
, God Save Our Solomon Islands
, with his wife, Matila Balekana
. Panapasa Balekana co-wrote
the anthem's lyrics
with his wife while he composed the accompanying music.
The anthem was adopted by the country upon its independence in 1978 following a government competition.
. He moved to the Solomon Islands
in 1953 to work as a mechanic
for the government, which was under British
colonial administration at the time. He was unmarried when he first moved to the Solomon Islands. He eventually married a Fijian woman, Matila Balekana
and resided in the Solomon Islands for most of his adult life. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter.
Balekana "fell in love" with the Solomon Islands and decided to stay in the country rather than return to Fiji
. On many occasions, Balekana publicly called the Solomon Islands ""my home".
Balekana and his family joined the Wesley United Church in Honiara
. He remained heavily involved with the congregation, serving as a church pastor
and choirmaster.
for the occasion. The government announced on the radio
that it would accept submissions from the general public for a new anthem.
Panapasa Balekana and his wife, Matila Balekana
, decided to jointly enter the competition as a team. The couple agreed that the new anthem should be in the form of a prayer
, asking God
to support and guide the new island nation.
Balekana claimed in interviews
to have received his inspiration
for the anthem in a dream. After he woke up from the dream, Balekana and his wife immediately began writing words and lyrics, as well as composing the tune. Panapasa and Matila Balekana co-wrote the lyrics for the anthem, while Panapasa Balekana composed the accompanying music. The couple credited prayer and God for their success in creating the anthem, noting how well the song came together.
Once the lyrics and music had been composed, Panapasa and Matila Balekana received help recording the prospective anthem from the Wesley United Church choir at the couple's own congregation. The choir sang the song for the first time, which was recorded on tape and submitted to competition officials.
The Balekanas' submission, God Save Our Solomon Islands
, won the competition, and became the national anthem of the Solomon Islands. It was sung on the country's first independence day, July 7, 1978. Balekana was overjoyed and explained the importance of the anthem and its meaning, "Solomon Islands national anthem was written in a form of prayer asking God for safe keeping and protection of our new nation. By the power and grace of God, we may receive joy, peace, progress and prosperity, if only we can be able to work together in harmony. These may be the foundation of building our nation, as we can be rest assured that we will reach our destination- stands forever more."
and director
of a Solomon Islander soft drink
company, Szetu Enterprise.
In 2000, Panapasa was asked by police to leave the country with his family for his own safety due to the ethnic unrest sweeping the Solomon Islands at the time. Panapasa refused to seek refuge from the violence abroad explaining his loyalty to his adopted country, "I refused and told them that this is my home and should anything happen, this is where I'm supposed to die, this is the place - my home."
Panapasa continued to work as the Wesley United Church choir director until he became too weak in his later years. His son took over the position.
. He was 79 years old. He was survived by his wife, daughter, son and five grandchildren.
Balekana was give a state funeral
by the Solomon Islands. Balekana's body was laid in state in the main chamber of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands
in the morning of January 26, 2009. VIPs were allowed to lay wreaths in honor of Balekana at the Parliament.
Diginitaries attending the viewing and funeral included the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands
Nathaniel Waena
. Governor-General Waena and Lady Waena led the viewing procession. Other leading officials at the viewing, by order of precedence
, included Prime Minister Derek Sikua and his wife, Doris Sikua; Speaker to Parliament
Sir Peter Kenilorea
his wife, Lady Kenilorea; the Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer; and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Fred Fono and his wife. Several former Governors-General, cabinet members, opposition leaders, members of parliament, the diplomatic corps
, and the Mayor of Honiara Andrew Mua also attended the state viewing and funeral.
A procession, which included members of the general public, went from Parliemant to the Wesley United Church in Honiara for the funeral in the afternoon. The national anthem, God Save Our Solomon Islands, was performed during the funeral service in Balekana's honor.
A police escort brought Balekana's body from the church to the cemetery at Number 3, near the Honiara High School, for burial. Wreaths were laid by the public before the casket
was lowered into the gravesite.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, SIM, (1929 – January 22, 2009) was a Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an-born Solomon Islander
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
who composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
the national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, God Save Our Solomon Islands
God Save Our Solomon Islands
God Save Our Solomon Islands is the national anthem of the Solomon Islands. It was adopted in 1978 following the independence of the country. The text was written by Panapasa Balekana and Matila Balekana, the music was written by Panapasa Balekana....
, with his wife, Matila Balekana
Matila Balekana
Matila Baleilekutu Balekana is a Fijian-born Solomon Islander, who co-wrote the national anthem of the Solomon Islands with her husband, Panapasa Balekana....
. Panapasa Balekana co-wrote
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
the anthem's lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
with his wife while he composed the accompanying music.
The anthem was adopted by the country upon its independence in 1978 following a government competition.
Biography
Balekana was originally from Kandavu, FijiFiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. He moved to the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
in 1953 to work as a mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
for the government, which was under British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial administration at the time. He was unmarried when he first moved to the Solomon Islands. He eventually married a Fijian woman, Matila Balekana
Matila Balekana
Matila Baleilekutu Balekana is a Fijian-born Solomon Islander, who co-wrote the national anthem of the Solomon Islands with her husband, Panapasa Balekana....
and resided in the Solomon Islands for most of his adult life. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter.
Balekana "fell in love" with the Solomon Islands and decided to stay in the country rather than return to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. On many occasions, Balekana publicly called the Solomon Islands ""my home".
Balekana and his family joined the Wesley United Church in Honiara
Honiara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...
. He remained heavily involved with the congregation, serving as a church pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and choirmaster.
National anthem
In the run-up to independence on July 7, 1978, the government of the Solomon Islands decided that it needed a national anthemNational anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
for the occasion. The government announced on the radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
that it would accept submissions from the general public for a new anthem.
Panapasa Balekana and his wife, Matila Balekana
Matila Balekana
Matila Baleilekutu Balekana is a Fijian-born Solomon Islander, who co-wrote the national anthem of the Solomon Islands with her husband, Panapasa Balekana....
, decided to jointly enter the competition as a team. The couple agreed that the new anthem should be in the form of a prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
, asking God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
to support and guide the new island nation.
Balekana claimed in interviews
Interviews
Interviews is:# the plural form of "interview"# a compilation album by Bob Marley & the Wailers, see Interviews # a C++ toolkit for the X Window System, see InterViews...
to have received his inspiration
Artistic inspiration
Inspiration refers to an unconscious burst of creativity in a literary, musical, or other artistic endeavour. Literally, the word means "breathed upon," and it has its origins in both Hellenism and Hebraism. The Greeks believed that inspiration came from the muses, as well as the gods Apollo and...
for the anthem in a dream. After he woke up from the dream, Balekana and his wife immediately began writing words and lyrics, as well as composing the tune. Panapasa and Matila Balekana co-wrote the lyrics for the anthem, while Panapasa Balekana composed the accompanying music. The couple credited prayer and God for their success in creating the anthem, noting how well the song came together.
Once the lyrics and music had been composed, Panapasa and Matila Balekana received help recording the prospective anthem from the Wesley United Church choir at the couple's own congregation. The choir sang the song for the first time, which was recorded on tape and submitted to competition officials.
The Balekanas' submission, God Save Our Solomon Islands
God Save Our Solomon Islands
God Save Our Solomon Islands is the national anthem of the Solomon Islands. It was adopted in 1978 following the independence of the country. The text was written by Panapasa Balekana and Matila Balekana, the music was written by Panapasa Balekana....
, won the competition, and became the national anthem of the Solomon Islands. It was sung on the country's first independence day, July 7, 1978. Balekana was overjoyed and explained the importance of the anthem and its meaning, "Solomon Islands national anthem was written in a form of prayer asking God for safe keeping and protection of our new nation. By the power and grace of God, we may receive joy, peace, progress and prosperity, if only we can be able to work together in harmony. These may be the foundation of building our nation, as we can be rest assured that we will reach our destination- stands forever more."
Later life
Panapasa Balekana retired from his work as a government mechanic in 1988. Following his retirement became the managerManagement
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of a Solomon Islander soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
company, Szetu Enterprise.
In 2000, Panapasa was asked by police to leave the country with his family for his own safety due to the ethnic unrest sweeping the Solomon Islands at the time. Panapasa refused to seek refuge from the violence abroad explaining his loyalty to his adopted country, "I refused and told them that this is my home and should anything happen, this is where I'm supposed to die, this is the place - my home."
Panapasa continued to work as the Wesley United Church choir director until he became too weak in his later years. His son took over the position.
Death
Panapasa Balekana died on January 22, 2009, at his home in Henderson, Solomon Islands, which is located east of the capital city of HoniaraHoniara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...
. He was 79 years old. He was survived by his wife, daughter, son and five grandchildren.
Balekana was give a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
by the Solomon Islands. Balekana's body was laid in state in the main chamber of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands
National Parliament of the Solomon Islands
The National Parliament of Solomon Islands has 50 members, elected for a four year term in 50 single-seat constituencies.It is presided by a Speaker - currently Sir Allan Kemakeza.-Latest elections:-Members:...
in the morning of January 26, 2009. VIPs were allowed to lay wreaths in honor of Balekana at the Parliament.
Diginitaries attending the viewing and funeral included the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands
Governor-General of the Solomon Islands
The Governor-General of Solomon Islands is the representative of the Queen of Solomon Islands, Elizabeth II. The Queen does not reside in the islands, and so the Governor-General serves as the country's de facto head of state in her absence....
Nathaniel Waena
Nathaniel Waena
Sir Nathaniel Rahumaea Waena GCMG, CSI, KStJ was the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands from 2004 to 2009.Waena was a Member of the National Parliament for Ulawa-Ugi constituency in the Makira-Ulawa Province from 1984 to 2004...
. Governor-General Waena and Lady Waena led the viewing procession. Other leading officials at the viewing, by order of precedence
Order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
, included Prime Minister Derek Sikua and his wife, Doris Sikua; Speaker to Parliament
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
Sir Peter Kenilorea
Peter Kenilorea
Sir Peter Kenilorea KBE is a Solomon Islands politician, officially styled The Rt. Hon. Sir Peter Kenilorea as a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom....
his wife, Lady Kenilorea; the Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer; and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Fred Fono and his wife. Several former Governors-General, cabinet members, opposition leaders, members of parliament, the diplomatic corps
Diplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
, and the Mayor of Honiara Andrew Mua also attended the state viewing and funeral.
A procession, which included members of the general public, went from Parliemant to the Wesley United Church in Honiara for the funeral in the afternoon. The national anthem, God Save Our Solomon Islands, was performed during the funeral service in Balekana's honor.
A police escort brought Balekana's body from the church to the cemetery at Number 3, near the Honiara High School, for burial. Wreaths were laid by the public before the casket
Casket
A casket, or jewelry box is a term for a container that is usually larger than a box, and smaller than a chest, and in the past was typically decorated...
was lowered into the gravesite.