LAUTOKA, FIJI

LAUTOKA, FIJI

FEBUARY 5, 2014

Fiji is comprised of 800 islands over 7,054 miles.  It was a British Republic up until 1970 when it gained its independence.  It has had a hard time governing itself and they have had a bloodless coup. It hurt tourism to the extent they have decided they have to have democratic elections. They made it a law that no one can make a coup.

They export bamboo, sandalwood, and sugar. There are many people from India that have come to work in the sugar farms.  We saw a beautiful Hindu temple.

 

The people of Fiji in the past have been cannibals.  I couldn’t find out when they stopped this practice.  It may not have been until John Wesley came to this island and started Methodist churches. They sell cannibal forks as souvenirs.  

There are a number of villages around the island. They are self-contained communities. They elect a Chief and he makes all the decisions for the village. Everyone who goes out to work brings a portion of his/her money to the chief to be used for the community. If a lady is widowed the community takes care of her. The elderly are cared for.  The system seems to work well. We went on a tour to visit a village. The young men and women performed a welcoming ceremony in their native language.  It was very impressive. The drinking of “Kava” was a part of it. Kava is made from a root. Tom said it tasted rather bitter. They said it was not alcohol but if you drank enough of it you were very happy. Tom had his picture taken with the village chief. He had given the chief the lime green bracelet he always wears and the chief was so happy. The Fiji people are larger and strong and their skin is very dark compared to other Polynesian people. 

Fiji does not have any pretty beaches, at least not on this island. They have a factory that makes furniture from coconut trees.  These people call the coconut tree “the tree of life” because they can use every bit of it for some purpose. 

 

Fiji countryside

Performing song for us

Tom with Village Chief

Tom and the guys

Village Chief's House