I found this poem, tacked on the end of speech by the beautiful and inspiring Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban,MP for Mana, New Zealand. I am an Aussie, not an Islander, but this sentiment is perfect for all women who need to remember how they connect to each other, their communities, their regions, their world.

Women of the Pacific

We, the women of the Pacific are strong.
We gain our strength from our ancestors, our sisters,
our extended families and our places of belonging.

We do not stand alone.
We gain our strength from our cultures,
our Pacific Island languages,
our stories, our art and our traditions.
They shape our past, our present and our future.

We also gain our strength from the sacred waters of the Pacific.
The ocean birthed us and our many islands;
she sustains and connects us together.

We the women of the Pacific are strong.
One people, our family, the Pacific.

You can find Winnies original speech here:http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0703/S00522.htm