Tribewanted: Vorovoro

So paradise? Absolutely. The island is beautiful the stuff dreams are made of. We’ve all got a few mosquito bites but its ok they exist on the island for the tribe members, a few pinches a day just to remind us it’s real. The real heart and essence of the island is the people. Rarely a minute goes by when you don’t hear the roar of joyous laughter. The Fijian boys work so hard on the projects set for each week and still find time to explain what they are doing and how to do it. Team spirit here is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It doesn’t matter what your skills are, everything can be learnt and there’s always someone with time to teach.

Learning the Fijian culture is so refreshing, it makes you wonder how we’ve got it so wrong. No one is ever on there own and there’s always a friendly smile near by. One would go as far as to say these people are magical. Walking on the beach at night the sky is an explosion of diamonds twinkling and smiling. Its quite hard to walk on the sand and you have to watch out for rocks and pebbles, which I always seem to find. With frustration after several stubbed toes I asked why they find it so easy to walk on the sand to which my reply was “the sand knows when you are a stranger”.

The kava ceremonies are fantastic a real social gathering. The boys play their guitars and sing long into the night. I fear I will not be able to sleep again when I get home without the relaxing harmonies of the boys. This week were going to learn one song so we can sing along with them. They really appreciate and enjoy the fact we want to learn from them. Saturday was the big celebration of tribe wanted half way point. There was a big crowd and we, the tribe members, performed the Meke for them. I was quite nervous because I didn’t want to let the boys down. I only arrived on Wednesday so had three days to learn six meke’s and the girls meke. But there was no need to worry it all looked fantastic and whilst we were performing everyone came around us put talc in our hair, cake in our mouths and the men tried to kiss us, even made a few dollars! This was all a sign of appreciation that they were all enjoying the show. I feel so privileged that I was a part of it. I cant bring myself to leave the island just yet one week is not long enough so I have extended for another week, well watch this space. I wonder if anyone has been exiled yet from Vorovoro!!!!!