Another overdue update from Auckland, New Zealand
January 14, 2005
Our next & final stop in Fiji was our favorite so far
on the trip. The little village of Daku on the island of Kandavu had been
recommended by our friends the Neals who visit there every time they are in Fiji
(they've logged about 10 visits so far!). We were only the 2nd boat of the
season to arrive in Daku as was no surprise given that there were many coral
heads in the bay which the keel could easily hit. We were greeted on the beach
by a young woman named Senimili (Se). We told her we wanted to present our sevusevu,
gift of kava to the chief, as was expected of any visitors. After presenting
our kava, we met Epi (a village elder) who was friends of the Neals. Epi
invited us to his house where we chatted a while. As were leaving, he invited
us to join his family the next day at Sunday church & feast afterwards.
The pics below show our host Epi, Bob & Epi in front of the bure
(traditional Fijian house) that Epi built for the village’s peace corps
volunteer, & some village children playing on the bili bili (traditional
raft) that Epi was building for an eco resort’s river trips.
We spent all day Sunday in the village, going to 2 church services! The
singing was amazing even though the congregation was fairly slim (There were
about 200 folks in the village, but the Methodist church we attended was not
winning the popularity game; that would go to the chief & his Assembly of
God where he is the pastor.) Afterwards, we joined in a big feast that was
prepared especially for the paramount chief, Ratu.
We were lucky to be there when Ratu came from the other side of the
island. It was a big deal that he was there. As paramount chief, he presides
over a district and has responsibility to the government in Suva,
kind of like a cross between a governor and a congressman on a small scale. He
has to get the 7 village chiefs to come together when matters affecting all of
them are concerned. Ratu’s district is the largest of the three in the province
of Kandavu (there are eleven total provinces in Fiji).
One very interesting thing is that Ratu was working on was a bill just
developed and being proposed for lay on returning the ownership of territorial
fishing rights from the central government back to the villages. He asked me
(Bob) to read the bill and give him my thoughts. He was actively interested in
getting my opinion and it was really fun to discuss it with him. I also enjoyed
learning about a contract negotiation he was holding with his chiefs and a
local dive operator who wanted exclusive diving rights for his tourists. I
think I even helped with the language on the counter offer. It was fun to be
really right in the middle of the village and larger Fiji
affairs. (Bob & Ratu below after our rainforest hike)
Having these discussions with Ratu was very stimulating and while all
the other men went off to work, Ratu and I walked and talked one day. Of
course, the real talk occurred in the evening Kava sessions with various
village men hosted by Epi. Epi had been named the Kandavu Ambassador to the USA
by Ratu and he certainly has the presence, manner, and charisma of a statesman
and leader. Epi was very well spoken & had great traditional Fijian myths
& stories to share. Many of the stories involved the devil who was
curiously cast as a “beautiful European woman wearing a skirt of sea
cucumbers and carrying a basket of live fish”. The kava sessions were
long with much talk at the beginning, yet slowing down as the kava buzz wore
on. Epi would do 5 claps indicating another round and we had to always finish
the bowl so the devil wouldn’t get the leftovers.
I (Courtney) spent time with Se, Epi’s 20 year old daughter. She
served as her dad’s co-host while her mother was away. Se’s brother
& sister were away at the island’s only high school (about a 3 hour
boat ride away) & her mother was there cooking & cleaning for them
during their final examinations. Now that’s a support team. Se was very
entertaining & a great guide on our snorkel trip & rainforest hike. She
was somewhat curious about the U.S. but mostly talked about
wanting a boyfriend as most of her village friends had already settled down.
Epi also told us of the village’s plans to start an eco-tourism
program where guests will do homestays. He showed us the traditional canoe he
was building and the traditional bure (house) for the homestays. We tried two of
their “eco-tours” including a hike to a forest of pygmy trees &
snorkeling at their protected marine reserve – one of the first in Fiji.
While we wish them success, we hope the eco-tourism won't mar the village &
its pristine atmosphere. Given its location and lack of roads or ferry service
and the coral heads entering the lagoon, we doubt many will find their way to Daku.
We learned that a US Peace Corps volunteer was stationed in Daku and
after a few days she returned from Suva and her weekend off. It
was interesting to talk to Karen & hear of her experiences in Daku over the
last year. She had helped create the women’s club with projects like
setting up the capability to raise bees for honey & assisting with plans
for eco-tourism, among other things. Here’s Karen with the uber chief Ratu
– no the baby doesn’t belong to either of them.
One thing is for certain, the villagers were as friendly as any we have
met & incredibly happy with their simple, yet abundant life. The children
obviously thrived in the environment where they could just roam around on there
own while the extended village family watched after them. Each day when we
arrived on the beach on our dinghy, they were thrilled to see us & have a
diversion from their regular play. One little boy named Manu clung to Bob &
cried as we left.
