UGHELE Market in South Rendova, Western Province is an economic hub for Ughele women.
When passenger ships call in the Ughele wharf, local women bring their cooked food, stone oven-baked food, green coconuts and lime juice to the market for sale.
From the money earned, they buy household necessities and pay for their children’s school fees.
Ughele market is famous for its wide variety of yummy and nutritious local food.
As a number one market for cooked local food, passengers who travel to the Western Province by ship, are always eager to arrive at the Ughele port just to buy hot pudding, Masimasi (slippery cabbage baked with Ngali nuts), motu fish, BBQ fish and other cooked foods and tasty, juicy drinks.
Woven coconut fronds are always available for passengers to buy to carry and store their purchased food.
Ughele market always comes alive on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. These are the days when passenger vessels travel from Honiara to the Western Province and return.
Passenger boats that travel to the Western Province from Honiara to all ports in the Western Province are MV Marina 2, MV Fair Lady and Pelican Express.
Buruku Seventh-Day Adventist Church’s former Treasurer Flyn Samuel said while he worked as the Church Treasurer, he saw huge money circulating in Ughele village.
As the Church Treasurer, Mr Samuel was responsible for collecting church tithes and offerings from all church members and therefore was able to estimate how much money was circulating in the village because after their hard sell for the week, Ughele women usually put aside their tithes and offerings, which is mandatory for the SDA Church members.
He said when the women earn more money from their market, they would bring more tithes because tithes are 10 per-cent of their total income as stated in the Holy Bible.
The Ughele market house was built by an election candidate for South Rendova Peterson Boso when he contested the Ward 18 Seat of the Western Provincial Assembly.
Until today, Ughele women still benefit from the market house because it is where they sell their cooked foods and juicy drinks and weave coconut frond baskets to vessel passengers who travel down and up the Western Province passenger shipping service route.
Not only Ughele women are benefiting from the market house, but also other people from different communities in Rendova.
The marketplace is not only a place where women can sell their produces and products, but is also an avenue for meetings and campaigns.
By LACHLAN SHYVES EDDIE
Solomon Star, Honiara
