A virtual paradise: The Guardian
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Decca Aitkenhead , writer for The Guardian, visited Vorovoro at the end of 2007 to check on the status of Tribewanted more than a year after it’s initial launch. Her article is an interesting read and covers everything from the controversial existence of slugs on the island , to real challenges confronting the project on Vorovoro.
Her article, A Virtual Paradise , is a summary of her week on Vorovoro and her conclusions about Tribewanted.
Decca doesn’t speak for everyone who has experienced Vorovoro, but she does capture a powerful quote from Tui Mail that everyone involved with Tribewanted can relate to:
“It’s a big thing, a new thing,” Tui Mali reflects later, “to build a tribe all over the world to come and live together under one roof. Eat from one pot. And we have done it. This is the world the way it should be. How can people live together when they come from everywhere? But they do it. They’ve got the money, anything in this world they can buy it, but there is something on Vorovoro they can’t find anywhere else.”
Comments
Email I sent to Decca below. Great debate on the forums > http://www.tribewanted.com/forums/15/topics/1260?page=2
—-—-—-—-—-——-Decca, I have to thankyou. Your piece today has created more debate online than we’ve had in ages! But which is nowhere near as bitchy as most guardian blog comment writers (well nearly all of them).
I was nervous opening the web page sitting in the gardens this morning because I knew what was coming.
It didn’t totally surprise me; I laughed, gasped, smiled, swore, and then read it again.
I then read it to the current on island tribe members who promptly went off looking for slugs.
I told the 12 reading members online that I thought although stinging in places it is good that this project got a bit of a spanking. Its the best form of motivation to improve.
Social dynamic – as we discussed on vorovoro, was off that week. I’ve since worked on it. I hope tribe members visiting now feel less intimidated
Hygene – something we’ve worked on from day one but have always found difficult to set good standards, especially in the kitchen. Maybe we do need a resort standard kitchen. But resort vs village?
Online/offline breakdown – will not be fixed or scaled until we have proper online connection on vorovoro. I was hoping the new vodafone tower that went up this week would help but no difference. I’m more than happy to admit that I will use the attention from doc and book to try and get a tech solution on the island.
Community relationship – I am glad that you were touched by this. For me it has become the most important aspect of the project as I’ve seen a number of times before tribewanted that all too often the locals are exploited in even supposedly responsible tourism. I’m determined not to let that happen here. The challenge is not forgetting those that are funding this opportunity, which I never will (I look at the bank balance everyday), and reminding everyone else involved in running the project – fijian or otherwise as to the reason we’re living this life.
I think you would find the forum debate interesting, let me know if you’re having problems logging on.
Vinaka for the motivation to keep trying to make things better.
Ben
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