Original Apia markets burnt down...

So sad to find out yesterday that the original Apia markets had burnt down. I remember going shopping there last November when we visited with our families and even more sad that my husband's sister had a stall there with her beautiful designs and hoping that she and many other stall holders will have the opportunity to develop their businesses again after a rebuild.

Now awaiting the news about when the rebuild can occur as I also read in a local Samoan Facebook article that some think that the present government may take this opportunity to build another government building there in place of the markets that would service Samoa's relationship with Chinese investors. I hope that this is not the case and that the Samoan people and particularly families and villagers of the stall holders will stop this as there are few places in the world where you can buy products directly from the so called 'indigenous people' in the capital or close to town.

In Waikiki, this was not the case as one would have to go outside of the main city centre and I would say the same for Fiji apart from the local fruit and vege's markets. In Australia, you don't see much in the way of indigenous Aboriginal arts in Brisbane and Sydney where I traversed in June of last year. And it is so important that indigenous people are able to be self sufficient in selling their arts directly to the public without having to have their arts replicated by corporates for the tourism industry.

Wishing my sis' and other stall holders the best in what the future holds as there were no fatalities and hopefully the best is yet to come...