by Frederica Elbourne
Fiji Times - Sunday, October 03, 2010
Ilisoni Naivalurua with his children Bill and Liana at home. Picture by: FREDERICA ELBOURNE.
THE older you grow, the more love you get, says 49-year-old Kadavu man Ilisoni Naivalurua.
"But it's a tragedy because the young keep away, the Tavuki gentleman said.
The beauty of old age is in the benevolence they feel for everyone, he said.
The tragedy is that there is no celebration about it.
There isn't a token of appreciation for the older aging generation or recognition for the effort they put in raising a generation, he said.
As such, a scheme resembling the dole system in Australia should be introduced by the State in Fiji to cater purely for the elderly, Mr Naivalurua said.
The State, he said, should initiate programs where the young and old can work together.
"Like farming - retirees can be foremen of certain farming communities and the younger generation - the young blood - can provide the force, the labour. The elders in this case can be the overseers," the farmer and fisherman said.
With the philosophy to never envy anyone above him, or abuse those beneath him, Mr Naivalurua - an athlete in his time, contemplates the prospects of being a senior citizen as he approaches the big five-o.
"I want to live forever. There are many doors to live long. Music is my chance," the former Rootstrata and Exodus guitarist and vocalist said.
His search for longevity rests in the Bible, he said.
"I fight temptation, push it away from the mind by following biblical precepts," Mr Naivalurua said.
Both young and old don't live forever, however together they can search and attain it, he said.
Of his past, and the fact that he served time behind bars, Mr Naivaluarua said nothing will or should be hidden.
He attributes his music career to the peers and pals he found in his young days at Nadera. He credits the Nadera parishioners for his musical attributes saying through them he learnt the cords.
His dream of being an international volleyball player fell through following an ankle injury. However, he maintains he is still fit. Just this week, he went for a run up a steep slope in one of Wailoku's many winding roads.
Mr Naivalurua is a lyricist and has written and sung 20 originals.
"I write songs about saving the world. There is no better time than now to do so.
"Today's culture is disparaged. We're at line zero ready to step on the red line, but we have a chance to reverse it. If this were a story about the individualist approach, then you might have to put a full stop there - because that's not what I stand for. How can you move forward if you're only looking after yourself?," he said.
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