Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so says the old saying. That adage means what one person finds beautiful or admirable may not appeal to another.
But for Jese Momo, a resident of Korovuto in Nadi, all flowers and leaf petals exude elegance and can be used to create something beautiful.
Jese, who hails from Yanuca Island in the province of Cakaudrove, with maternal links to Cikobia in Macuata, has been arranging flowers for 10 years, an experience she describes as fulfilling.
She participated in the recent floral arrangement competition held at the Vodafona Arena in Suva as part of this year’s World Food Day and National Agriculture Show.
To make it to the exhibition and compete among fellow enthusiasts, she had to catch the bus from her home town at 4am.
Her arrangement was themed around the use of green leaves to show the beauty of using them without flowers.
“If you see my arrangement, it is mainly about leaves,” she said.
“I used two types of coloured leaves, white and green.”
Her arrangement spoke of the simple truth that while intricate blossoms may get all the attention, leaves can be equally delightful to the eyes.
Jese encouraged people to broaden their appreciation of the unique features of leaves.
After retiring from the civil service where she worked for more than 20 years, it was through the ministry of women and after witnessing what was done to promote women in society, that inspired her to delve into the art of flower arrangement.
“I know they used to sponsor a flower arrangement at the Suva Civic Auditorium where women would assemble to arrange flowers, so I used to walk down to have a look.”
Now, being able to participate in these shows has further empowered her and enhanced her creativity.
Furthermore, learning from and sharing with other florists has rewarded her with an enhancing experience.
Jese, who currently works at the Fiji Cultural Village in Nadi as a sales consultant, grows her own flowers, and this allows her to save money.
She said her arrangement at the World Food Day show would have cost her about $80 if she had to buy flowers.
