Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Sounds of the wickedness, lyrical blissness, we’re coming in like this. Yes yes! It’s time for some Tribewanted Gapper FM in association with the almighty Hammock Society. And let me tell you, I have a hottie with me in the hammocks here today, a true Vorovoro beauty – say hello Va.

Bula sia.

In Western culture it is rude to ask a lady her age, is this the same in Fijian culture?

It’s not rude. We are open about our age. I hear in western culture there are three things you should never ask a lady.

Educate me Va…

First is the age. Second is the wage. And the third one is the weight. Hahahahahaha. Yes, the weight, mustn’t tell them they look fat.

I once offered a pregnant lady my seat on a packed train. She got all angry on me. Turns out she wasn’t pregnant… just plain old fat.

Ohhhhh Timoci…

For the readers out there, Timoci is my Fijian name. So Va, what is your beautiful age?

I’m 62 now. Birthday already gone, 11 January. Born 1946. I celebrated it on the island this year with tribe members. They presented a big mat to me, that was their gift to me. It is really useful, I am grateful for their gift. Ahhhhh isa…

So with 62 years of stories, we’ve got loads to chat about. Let’s go way back into time to the village you grew up in…

Naboutini village. My father was a teacher. My mother looked after us six children, two of them died when they were young from sickness.

I’m sorry to hear that.

Isa. Later, my elder brother married an Irish woman. They came back to the village in 1971 and took some photographs. I can bring them next time, black and white.

Cool and I’ll upload them.

The village very different from now, plenty of bures at that time, just like Vorovoro. But now there are none, they have demolished all the bure. All corrugated iron with wooden walls now. I think corrugated iron buildings look better because it’s easy for painting, make colourful, the corrugated iron roof lasts longer, more than ten years, a bure’s leaves need changing every three years.

That’s how long the average marriage lasts now in the UK. When did you get married?

I been married in 1969.

Just the one husband?

Hahahahaha. Yes, just one. Married more than forty years now. We have six children and plenty grandchildren hahahahaha…

One of your children works here as our Cultural guru, Sava, and he has big hair just like his mum, it’s very endearing. Do you share hair products?

Hahahaha oooooooooooo Timoci…

I’ve also met your husband and he told me that a man without facial hair is like bread without butter. What do you think?

Don’t listen to what he says. He’s a very funny man, he jokes a lot.

Do you think I should grow a beard?

No. Makes you look dirty hahahahahahaha… your choice.

I just want to look sexy. Sexy like a movie star, speaking of which… you starred in the BBC documentary Paradise or Bust which was watched by over a million viewers. How do you feel about so many seeing you and feeling like they know you?

I dunno hahahahaha… it makes me happy to be known by people I don’t know yet.

How did you hear about Tribewanted?

I first heard when I was still at home in Maitilabasa. I came on holiday to Vorovoro with my grand children because my daughter, Skipper, is married to Poasa’s son – Bogi. That’s how I come to hear about it. Ben, Sarah… who else… Dan, Rebecca were here when I came.

What are your feelings about this cross cultural project?

Tribewanted make me really think about my culture, the thing I grow up in. We’re getting used to western culture, forgetting our own, wearing dresses instead of sulus, we want to copy you people, put on pants hahahahahahaha…

What were you wearing before sulus?

Before, in 1800s, we used to wear grass leaves. They were woven in such a way to cover our body. Women wear skirts made from vasili leaves and also cover the top as well. The men, they just wear the leaves to cover front part and back part.

I think I know which part you mean.

Hahahahaha Timoci. The men cloth is made from the bark of a tree called masi but it’s also called tapa materiaL

That’s the same material we use to make the meke costumes.

Yes. When tribe members come and learn about our culture it makes us realise how important it is. We should restore it. It is very important to us, for example, when we drink kava and someone goes past you and say “tulo” we don’t do that in our own village but here in Vorovoro we do that, we remember the Fijian way.

What did you do before Tribewanted?

I’ve been teaching all my life, almost twenty years. Head teacher for seven years in remote islands and big schools… isa. That’s where I learn to cook, with the other Indian teachers.

Do you miss teaching?

Of course! I miss it a lot. But now whatever the tribe members want I teach them hahahahahahahaha… like the meke.

I’ve seen you teaching the fan meke to the girls, where did you learn it?

The fan make comes from a girl’s school I attended, Abi Cakobau School. That school most of the teachers were European and we used to have meke practice every Monday and Monday night seven till eight. The fan dance I am teaching here now we performed at the first South Pacific Games to the VIPs at Suva Grammar School. I sill remember that meke very well mmmmmmmmmmmm… very, very pretty meke, the way it’s done is outstanding, that’s why I want to teach it.

Sounds like you had a good education?

I was sponsored by my province, Cakudrove Province, paid for all of it. I only pay for my trip. It is a boarding school, one of the top, highest schools in Fiji. All the great leaders come from here. We were taught how to prepare in all sorts of life in that school.

What do you mean?

They taught us to live in Fijian bure for three months and cook our own food before we go to school because if we marry a Fijian man we have to be prepared for that. We were taught on how to cook on a gas stove and an electric stove in case we marry a European man. I don’t know what it’s like nowadays.

It sounds like Fijians firmly believe a woman’s place is in the kitchen – that wouldn’t go down to well in the western world. Maybe it’s changed? Maybe you learn how to use microwaves and electric guitars now… rocking out?

In that school time, every Friday night was social night. We had our own band. We take it in turn to play the guitar, drums. We dance. Even the teachers come to dance with us, do the tango hahahahahahahahaha. I remember we used to do that. I love dancing. At home we dance in the village at Christmas and New Year.

I’ve seen you dancing at the back of the grog mat before Va, shaking your booty…

Hahahahahahaha…

So it was during your career as a teacher that you learned how to cook?

Yes, I learn to cook Indian dishes like curry, chutney, all these I learn from Indian teachers.

And you brought these skills to Vorovoro to feed the bellies of all the tribe members. You work in the kitchen as Joint Chief Chef on a small gas stove and a rather innovative cocrete barrel oven, sometimes cooking for 30+ people, do you prefer cooking when there’s fewer tribe members?

I think to me the most important thing is you people. The numbers don’t matter to me, big numbers, small numbers. When I cook your food I do it to the best of my ability. I am so glad you people like the way I cook.

The papaya curry ‘n’ roti – I run to the kitchen for that dish. And then there’s the donuts… oh my goody goody gosh. You know Va, there’s an old saying that goes ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’. How do you stop people falling head over heels in love with you?

Hahahahahahahaha. Well, I really love the people here. I like doing things for the people who are here whether it’s food or friendship. Some come for a hug. Some feel very low, broken hearts, seperated, it’s really hard to be like that… isa… I remember all these people. I help others to with their problems. So many boys and girls come for a chat and tell me things and I give them a hug to make them feel better. Share love. I’m sure it is God’s will that brings them to this island. I tell them that time is a healer because time they spend here is very peaceful, the atmosphere to. I think Vorovro is a rehab centre hahahahahaha…

You certainly have a lovely aura about you. Do you see the world differenty to most people?

I think when we come to this age I can tell people are hurt or feel low about something. I can tell. Maybe it’s a gift.

Is it true you have the gift of healing hands?

Well, us in a village we have all sorts of healers. In my family, we heal broken bones, ligaments, cuts… we massage that. It happens like that. My children have this gift too.

Yes, I’ve seen Save (Team Fiji) massaging Tui Mali, tribe members and even myself. I had a stiff neck one day, it was really pauinful to move my head and he massaged my arm. The pain disappeared. It’s true. I notice you’ve got a flower behind your ear.

The one I’m wearing now… hahahahahahahahaha… when we drink grog I bring these flowers, make everybody feel at ease. Someone asked me about them and I tell them the secret: in all villages we plant this flower, it is called ‘uci’. We use it to keep away evil spirits!

Ahhh man, Freddie Krueger messed me up as a teenager and now you’re busting me up with evil spirits. I’m a pussy when it comes to ghost stories. Is this really true?

I dunno. I just want to show them how happy I am to give them flowers. It’s OK Timoci, you can have this one.

Cheers Va. Any last words to all the readers ‘n’ believers?

My message out there to come to Vorovoro, to come here and see what it is all about. I think Vorovoro is for the lost soul, make them feel at peace, know themselves, feel happy in this place. Any pain in the body I can massage them hahahahaha… I am here for those people and give them a big hug.

You heard it readers, Vorovoro Rehab is open with healing hugs from the lovely Va… get yourselves into gear and get over here.