Today is Territory Day, a public holiday in the territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands. The day commemorates the islands becoming a French Overseas Territory on this day in 1961.
Wallis and Futuna is a French Island Collectivity located in the South Pacific situated between Tuvalu to the northwest, Fiji to the southwest, Tonga to the southeast, Samoa to the east, and Tokelau to the northeast. Mata Utu is its capital and largest city. The territory’s land area is 142.42 km2 (54.99 sq mi). It had a population of 11,151.
The islands became a French protectorate at the end of the 19th century, before being annexed by France in 1917, becoming a colony, under the authority of New Caledonia.
In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory, effective on July 29th 1961, thus ending their subordination to New Caledonia.
Today is the birthday, in 1953, of American singer-songwriter Patti Scialfa who has worked with The Rolling Stones and on Keith Richards’ Talk Is Cheap album. She toured with Bruce Springsteen Band from the 1984 Born in the USA tour and later married Springsteen on June 8th 1991. She has released two solo albums. Scialfa was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band. Here are Bruce and Patti in this wonderful song that has special meaning for us older couples. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYlZcFuAXmI
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