全球樂土萬那杜 不為錢操煩

【聯合報╱編譯陳世欽／報導】 2008.06.02 03:15 am

快樂的秘密萬那杜民眾樂天知命，幾個小朋友有顆足球，就在草地上玩得不亦樂乎。 （美聯社） 南太平洋島國萬那杜曾被選為全世界最快樂的國家，英國廣播公司（ＢＢＣ）記者柯迪最近實地走訪這個與世隔絕的群島，想了解當地人快樂的秘密。他問住在梅托馬島的皮耶：「快樂的秘訣是什麼？」皮耶回答：「不用擔心錢的問題。」 記者說同樣問題問英國人，答案大概一樣。唯一差別是，皮耶根本不需要錢，而英國人的定義卻是要賺得夠多，才不必怕沒錢。 ＢＢＣ記者發現，小島生活似乎不如外人想像的那麼愜意，當地人卻樂天知命。以住在梅托馬島的皮耶一家人為例，他們的食物悉數來自島上或周圍水域：日常所需的椰子、馬鈴薯、木薯種在島上，海裡盡是隨手可得的魚鮮。如果吃膩了魚，他們偶爾還可以拿島上群居的狐蝠打打牙祭。 最北部的梅托馬島沒有電、自來水、收音機或電視機，當地人以茅草屋為家，聯外交通工具是小船，賺錢的機會很少。 皮耶一家人因為食物唾手可得而得以享受悠哉游哉的日子。如果因為賣掉飼養的牛隻而稍有進帳，他們會買肥皂粉與點燈用的煤油。如果沒有額外收入，他們也可以用島上的傳統方法解決：壓碎枝條後製成肥皂與椰子油，取代煤油。一些仍然堪用的物品甚至會隨著潮水沖上岸；他們會將船上的浮筒切半後製成碗碟，將魚網稍加整理後成為吊床。 除了不為錢操煩，另一個快樂的原因是，皮耶的家人全部陪在他身邊，而且相互尊重。孩子們欣然接受他的一切要求，並不是出於強迫，而是因為他們想要取得他的歡心。 快樂能否衡量人言言殊，然而無疑的，梅托馬島乃至於萬那杜全國均具備令人快樂的要件，家庭關係鞏固與物質欲望幾近於零是兩大支柱。越簡單的事物越能夠使人快樂。 【2008/06/02 聯合報】

高所得國家 不見得快樂

【聯合報╱國際中心】 2008.06.02 03:15 am

英國新經濟基金會二○○六年「快樂地球指數」調查，台灣在一百七十八國排名八十四，亞洲四小龍中拿第一。 「快樂地球指數」計算方式為生活幸福感乘以平均壽命，再除以對環境的影響，也就是衡量政府能否在尊重地球資球下，提供高品質生活。有錢不見得快樂，高所得的工業國家排名均低，連前五十名都沾不上邊。 【2008/06/02 聯合報】

萬那杜 人人是慢活專家

【聯合報╱編譯陳世欽／報導】 2008.06.02 03:15 am

萬那杜人民樂天知命，不需昂貴餐桌餐具，席地就準備起社區聚餐。 （美聯社） 萬那杜人民快樂的原因是什麼？包括一年之中的多數日子天氣良好，擁有樂園般的優美海岸線，獨一無二的雨林，以及國家不徵收所得稅。 另外，萬那杜土地肥沃，隨便種都可長出作物，人民雖然沒錢卻不會挨餓。而且，萬那杜人尊重土地，不破壞環境，更不會炒地皮，隨便找個地方搭起簡陋的房子，再窮也不愁沒地方住，當然不像西方國家需要背負高額房貸。 萬那杜的就業機會很有限，就西方國家角度來看，平均所得一千六百美元實在是相當貧窮，氣候變遷與海平面上升趨勢也已對部分小島構成威脅，迫使許多島民遷居其他小島。 萬那杜電信公司財務總監安妮卡‧帕里隆吉表示：「萬那杜不完美；它是第三世界國家。然而在萬那杜，即使沒錢也可以過得很快樂。在這裡，你可以種植食用的植物。如果有機會賺錢，人們也會把握，不過這不是他們的終極目標。」 曾經住過萬那杜的「萬那杜英國之友協會」會長夏克雷表示，萬那杜人民絕大多數沒什麼積蓄，挨餓的人卻很少。他說：「無論再怎麼窮，萬那杜人絕對不會挨餓。土地非常肥沃，人們可以種植各種食用植物，或在原野中覓食。」 對土生土長的萬那杜人民來說，土地非常重要，而且是傳統文化的重要環節。人們尊重土地是萬那杜得以躍居舉世最快樂國度的關鍵之一。 萬那杜一九八○年脫離英國和法國獨立後，依法土地所有權將歸還給英法殖民前的原地主，但究竟誰是原地主，沒有人拿得出證據，也沒人能斷定。由於土地所有權完全無法釐清，因此難以買賣開發，讓萬那杜因禍得福。羅賓森表示：「這使土地不至於受到蹂躪。如果任何人都可以買地，萬那杜極可能不是今天的樣子。許多土地處於閒置的狀態。」 生活態度是另一個關鍵，當地民眾不用學習，天生就懂得「慢活」。帕里隆吉表示：「萬那杜人民的生活步調符合自然節奏，不像英國匆匆忙忙。他們使用多種不同語言，卻能和睦相處，彼此關係緊密。在萬那杜，生命非常和睦。」 【2008/06/02 聯合報】

The secret of Vanuatu's happiness

By Huw Cordey BBC, South Pacific

The South Pacific country of Vanuatu has been voted the happiest place in the world so what makes its inhabitants such a happy lot?

Not having to worry about money - the secret of Jean Pierre's happiness (photo: James Mair)

Jean Pierre John is living the dream. That popular fantasy of owning one's own island, complete with swaying coconut palms, coral sea and tropical forest, is his for real.

On the island called Metoma, in the far north of Vanuatu, Jean Pierre can look around and truly say that he is master of all he surveys.

This single fact would put Jean Pierre in an exclusive club, you would think, one made up of billionaire businessmen, royalty and rock stars.

But Jean Pierre is none of these things. In fact, he could not be more different.

On Metoma, Jean Pierre and his family live in thatched huts.

They have no electricity or running water, no radio or television, and their only mode of transport is a rowing boat, which pretty much limits them to trips to the neighbouring island.

On top of that, they have little money and few opportunities to make any.

No money?! Suddenly their island life does not sound all that glamorous. But here's the thing, the Johns really are happy.

This may sound surprising but living on their island they want for nothing.

Local produce

All the family's food comes from on or around Metoma. Coconuts, yam, and manioc - their staple diet - are all grown on the island and then, of course, there is a sea full of fish to harvest.

And if fish protein gets boring, there is always the occasional fruit bat, from a colony that roosts on the island.

Indeed, food is so easy to gather that the family appears to have a lot of relaxation time.

When the Johns do have money - perhaps when they sell one of the few cows they own - they will buy soap powder and kerosene for their lamps.

But if not, they are just as happy to make do with island solutions - sticks which can be crushed to make soap and coconut oil in place of kerosene.

Some useful items are even washed up onto their island - buoys from boats are cut in half to make bowls and old fishing nets are recycled as hammocks.

It may sound like a Robinson Crusoe existence, and in many ways it is, but the Johns are not castaways. They live on Metoma out of choice.

It is not as if they have not experienced some of the trappings of a more modern world.

The Johns are the real McCoy: one happy family (photo: James Mair)

Jean Pierre grew up on one of Vanuatu's larger islands and still makes the occasional visit. His eldest son, Joe, even went to school in the nation's capital.

In fact Joe, a very easy-going 28-year-old, had recently returned to Metoma to live full time and he told me that the only thing he missed was hip hop music, but that it was a small price to pay for living on the island.

No money worries

Jean Pierre had not heard that Vanuatu had been voted happiest country in the world but, when I told him, he nodded in a knowingly happy sort of way.

So what is his secret of happiness?

"Not having to worry about money," he immediately replies, while picking his nose in an uninhibited way.

If you asked the same question in the UK, you would probably get the same response. The only difference is that, in Jean Pierre's case, it means not needing any money, rather than having bundles of it.

We can all repeat the mantra "money can't buy you happiness" until we are blue in the face, but deep down, how many of us in the West really believe it to be true?

But I can see that Jean Pierre's happiness is more than just a question of money. It also comes from having his family around him, and there is undoubtedly an enormous respect between them.

Absence of materialism

His children - and this includes those of adult age - do anything their father asks, not out of coercion but because they genuinely want to please.

Forget the Waltons, the Johns are the real McCoy: one happy family.

While talking to Jean Pierre, I find myself wondering whether he is the most contented person I have ever met.

But he is keen to know whether I am having a good time on his island too. Every day he asks me if I am happy. When I tell him things are great, his eyes light up and he replies in pidgin, "Oh, tenkyu tumas."

Whether happiness can truly be measured is a debatable point, but there is no doubt that Metoma - or indeed Vanuatu as a whole - has the ingredients to encourage a greater sense of happiness.

The twin pillars of a classically happy life - strong family ties and a general absence of materialism - are common throughout this island nation.

The simple things in life, it seems, really do make you happy.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7427768.stm