Leg 10 - Fiji (June-July, 2006)
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| As always, just click on any picture for full size impression |
Vacaleya, Kandavu Island
Our missionary friend's village was a somewhat larger, and much more traditional village. Here our
sevusevu as a much more structured presentation for which we were required to wear the native sulu
(similar to the Samoan lavalava). The ceremony involved most, if not all of the village elders, many of
whom participated in the ceremony with formal words of welcome. Everything of course takes place in the
Fijian language (of which we are told there are some 300 dialects, but fortunately one common to all).
Once the formal presentation is made and accepted, one of the elders extends the welcome in English,
and we all adjourned to join the rest of the villagers around a kava bowl.
We spent 10 days in Vacaleya, staying one night in our host's home, hiking high into the hills to visit some
of the farms, helping with minor projects such as maintaining the village generator, cutting weeds and
grass, and generally being assimilated into the village life. One day we took a group of men out to the reef
to shot some fish; it was an exceptional day, and the men were happily dreaming of the day when they
would tell their grandchildren of the time they sailed on a yacht. Men, women and children all went out of
their way to share their homes and their culture. By the time we left, I was generally known by all the kids
as "Tutu Paulo" or grandfather Paul.
We invited David's family to dine with us on DreamWeaver one night, and that was a new experience for
the entire family. Junior spent the night aboard, just so that he could report the experience.
Most native Fijians are Christians and their faith plays an important role in their lives. As we prepared to
leave on Monday, we were invited to join the village for Sunday service and Mike and I were humbled as
the service was dedicated to us in appreciation for our visit and our friendship. Reluctantly, we sailed the
next day, bound for the western side of Viti Levu, and from there to the Yasawa Islands.
Our missionary friend's village was a somewhat larger, and much more traditional village. Here our
sevusevu as a much more structured presentation for which we were required to wear the native sulu
(similar to the Samoan lavalava). The ceremony involved most, if not all of the village elders, many of
whom participated in the ceremony with formal words of welcome. Everything of course takes place in the
Fijian language (of which we are told there are some 300 dialects, but fortunately one common to all).
Once the formal presentation is made and accepted, one of the elders extends the welcome in English,
and we all adjourned to join the rest of the villagers around a kava bowl.
We spent 10 days in Vacaleya, staying one night in our host's home, hiking high into the hills to visit some
of the farms, helping with minor projects such as maintaining the village generator, cutting weeds and
grass, and generally being assimilated into the village life. One day we took a group of men out to the reef
to shot some fish; it was an exceptional day, and the men were happily dreaming of the day when they
would tell their grandchildren of the time they sailed on a yacht. Men, women and children all went out of
their way to share their homes and their culture. By the time we left, I was generally known by all the kids
as "Tutu Paulo" or grandfather Paul.
We invited David's family to dine with us on DreamWeaver one night, and that was a new experience for
the entire family. Junior spent the night aboard, just so that he could report the experience.
Most native Fijians are Christians and their faith plays an important role in their lives. As we prepared to
leave on Monday, we were invited to join the village for Sunday service and Mike and I were humbled as
the service was dedicated to us in appreciation for our visit and our friendship. Reluctantly, we sailed the
next day, bound for the western side of Viti Levu, and from there to the Yasawa Islands.
Kava farming and drinking
Nabouwalu Bay, Ono Island
Fiji's Great Astrolabe Reef is reputedly the second longest barrier reef in the world, and we were keen to
get started with some serious diving. Unfortunately though, mother nature had different plans and for
nearly the month we spent along the reef, the wind and currents were too strong for safe diving. Rather
than hurry through a series of anchorages, we chose to linger in just a couple of villages, helping out with
village (and personal) projects where we could, and experiencing village life in a very real sense.
Especially in the villages, the Fijian people are extremely friendly and do all in their power to make a visitor
not only feel welcome, but actually become a part of the village.
Our first village, Nabouwalu, was a very small village and many of the families had moved to Suva to be
with their children during the secondary education years. Nonetheless, in a very simple ceremony, the
chief accepted our "sevusevu" (a gift of 1/2kg of Kava), welcomed us to the village, and instructed all the
villagers to open their doors to us. We spent a week or so helping to fix the village outboard motor, setting
up solar panels and doing other minor projects while we learned the local style of cooking with coconut
milk, and many other aspects of the Fijian culture. We shared church services, meals, kava bowls, fishing
and snorkeling excursions and the occasional beach volley ball game.
During our stay, we met a Fijian missionary who lived on the neighboring island of Kandavu, and since we
were heading in that direction, we offered to take him home on the boat. He was thrilled, but there was one
minor hitch...it seems the village had presented him with a live pig in thanks for his assistance, and so the
pig would have to sail with us as well. You can only imagine what an adventure ensued...it was a hoot!
Fiji's Great Astrolabe Reef is reputedly the second longest barrier reef in the world, and we were keen to
get started with some serious diving. Unfortunately though, mother nature had different plans and for
nearly the month we spent along the reef, the wind and currents were too strong for safe diving. Rather
than hurry through a series of anchorages, we chose to linger in just a couple of villages, helping out with
village (and personal) projects where we could, and experiencing village life in a very real sense.
Especially in the villages, the Fijian people are extremely friendly and do all in their power to make a visitor
not only feel welcome, but actually become a part of the village.
Our first village, Nabouwalu, was a very small village and many of the families had moved to Suva to be
with their children during the secondary education years. Nonetheless, in a very simple ceremony, the
chief accepted our "sevusevu" (a gift of 1/2kg of Kava), welcomed us to the village, and instructed all the
villagers to open their doors to us. We spent a week or so helping to fix the village outboard motor, setting
up solar panels and doing other minor projects while we learned the local style of cooking with coconut
milk, and many other aspects of the Fijian culture. We shared church services, meals, kava bowls, fishing
and snorkeling excursions and the occasional beach volley ball game.
During our stay, we met a Fijian missionary who lived on the neighboring island of Kandavu, and since we
were heading in that direction, we offered to take him home on the boat. He was thrilled, but there was one
minor hitch...it seems the village had presented him with a live pig in thanks for his assistance, and so the
pig would have to sail with us as well. You can only imagine what an adventure ensued...it was a hoot!
Passage from New Zealand to Fiji
After departing the idyllic setting of the Bay of Islands in New Zealand, we took nine days to
make the 1100 mile passage. Only two of those days were in near gale conditions which, in
the scheme of things, was rather mild for this time of year. Nonetheless, we certainly weren't
thrilled with those two days while we were bashing our way through the storm. We took one
wave on our beam which ripped our dodger, shredded our spray guard, bent one of our 1-1/4"
stanchions at a 45 degree angle and stripped our after rail of all our safety equipment. We are
always strapped to the boat with our safety lines and inflatable life jackets, so no problems in
that regard, but it did remind us yet again just how powerful the sea can be.
Suva, Fiji
After finishing our formal entry procedures, we anchored the boat at the Royal Suva Yacht
Club, a quite nice facility very close to the center of activity. After a couple of days of shopping
at the fabulous fresh market, and testing a couple of restaurants, we were ready to leave the
city for a more intimate taste of Fijian life.
After departing the idyllic setting of the Bay of Islands in New Zealand, we took nine days to
make the 1100 mile passage. Only two of those days were in near gale conditions which, in
the scheme of things, was rather mild for this time of year. Nonetheless, we certainly weren't
thrilled with those two days while we were bashing our way through the storm. We took one
wave on our beam which ripped our dodger, shredded our spray guard, bent one of our 1-1/4"
stanchions at a 45 degree angle and stripped our after rail of all our safety equipment. We are
always strapped to the boat with our safety lines and inflatable life jackets, so no problems in
that regard, but it did remind us yet again just how powerful the sea can be.
Suva, Fiji
After finishing our formal entry procedures, we anchored the boat at the Royal Suva Yacht
Club, a quite nice facility very close to the center of activity. After a couple of days of shopping
at the fabulous fresh market, and testing a couple of restaurants, we were ready to leave the
city for a more intimate taste of Fijian life.
"And this little piggie goes
wee-wee-wee all the way home"
wee-wee-wee all the way home"