Losing a loved one to death inspired former Fijian national Elina Turaga Onno to take up a music career in her adopted country of Papua New Guinea.
The former Fiji journalist moved to PNG 17 years ago but tragedy struck on November 26, 2008 when she lost her two-year-old daughter Moët to an unexpected bout of epilepsy.
“It was a really hard time for me to get through,” admitted the mother of seven.
Losing her youngest daughter had such a profound effect on Onno that it motivated her to take up singing with a vengeance.
A year earlier Onno had taken to the stage to help pay off a work permit and before long had become immersed in the dynamic life of a musician, constantly travelling and playing around PNG.
Onno explained that in order to pay off her permit she had agreed to sing every Friday night for a Chinese businessman named Bernard Fong at the Beehive club in Port Moresby.
Before long she was attracting the attention of many, including former PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare who frequented the club and who personally likes Fijian music.
“I didn’t know that people like Sir Michael often come to the club, and eventually I got to meet him.”
This started a long-term relationship between Onno and Sir Michael and his family that continues today.
So much so that Sir Michael’s eldest daughter was Moët’s godmother, with the latter named after her favourite French Champaign.
Onno’s music career started picking up shortly after composing and releasing a song Natuqu in 2009 dedicated to her daughter.
Natuqu, in PNG’s Motu dialect, means my child.
The song was part of a 12-tune collection released under the album Natuqu and backed by her outfit called Bula Tale Band.
Although she initially tried the club circuit in Port Moresby, Onno and the Bula Tale Band now play for specific occasions and is very much in demand.
Bula Tale Band included Lita Laka, a lead guitarist who used to play for the late songstress Lia Osbourne whenever she toured PNG.
Onno says that generally PNG people enjoy and respect Fijian musicians, with Sir Michael a good example of this fan base.
“His favourite Fijian songs are Ni Lutu Na Yakavi and Lomaloma,” she said.
Onno often travels to Sir Michael’s province of East Sepik, where he is governor, to perform.
Her music career has taken this former Suva woman to very diverse parts of this giant Pacific nation even as far as Daru, the capital of the western province of PNG.
PNG people often react emotionally to Fijian music but the feedback she got during a live concert in Daru left Onno stunned.
“I was singing Isa Lei Au Diva and the audience started crying and reacting in a very emotional way to the song even though they didn’t know what the song was about,” she recalled.
“I suppose it is because we Fijians sing with a lot of emotion and put our hearts into it.”
“They (PNG people) have so much respect for us and they appreciate our music now.”
The songstress, whose musical leaning began from devotional hymns sung at home daily, has collaborated with other PNG artists like Noel Asi, Moses Tau and Demas Saul.
The native of Mualevu Village in Vanuabalavu, Lau recently returned to PNG after completing two singles with Jale Mareau in Suva.
“It was a privilege working with Jale on these songs. Jale is indeed one of a kind,” she said.
The singles, Mareau’s original Tu Vei Yawaki and another Na Noqu Senikau were a home production in collaboration with Procera Music Studios.
The songs can be heard on Viti FM but are likely to be released when Onno, Bula Tale Band and number of other PNG musicians arrive for a tour of Fiji in November.
The songstress’ two children are educated in Fiji in efforts to retain their culture and language.
She is supported in her music career by husband Sam Onno, a pilot in Port Moresby.
Onno’s music career is forging ahead comfortably, particularly as musicians in PNG are fiancially better off than their contemporaries in Fiji.
“These days I have been moving away from the nighclub scene and concentrating on only the big gigs,” she said.
One gig in Port Moresby recently netted her close to $8000 Fijian dollars.
Not bad for one night’s work.
Living in PNG is challenging, from a safety and security perspective, but the musician adds that “its good to live in a dangerous place because it keeps you alert.
When danger does come you are prepared.
In saying that, the Lau woman has fallen in love with PNG and is hard pressed to say where she consideres home.
Onno still pines for Fiji but in saying that she also added “Fiji may be paradise but PNG is still heaven.”
