Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Watching Tui Mali cry its amazing how fast emotions and feelings run through your own mind. A big chief. A big man. A big gentle man that had opened up his home to hundreds of visitors. Id never meant to make him cry. Struggling to talk, stopping to wipe away the tears with his flannel and pausing to compose himself. But he his real after all, a human, a kind caring welcoming man, im sure Ben didn’t propose this afternoon to Tui Mali back in early 2006…”you’ll welcome hundreds of people to your island, and then for some of them, when they leave you will break down into tears and we’ll put you in a place of emotional strain. Ok?”

But it was happening. The grog mat was filled with tears, Tui Mali, Tale, Save, Jonny Robinson, Mess, Tevita, Sossi, Marau, Bogi and numerous others. It was too hard for Api to even turn up. My great friend. The one guy I wanted to be there, wasn’t.
All because 5 white people from the UK were leaving Vorovoro – they were crying too. It was hard enough to watch Marau perform the receiving speech for the opening ceremony grog. Where was his big booming laughter and smile? His massive “yeeeeehoooooo” sign of amusement and happiness? He struggled to string 2 words together through his speech. Head bowed throughout and tears rolling. And then there were the moments after Craig, Anna, and then Duncan and Julia had presented there Tatou’s. Even after Craigs speech I was contemplating just chucking my grog behind me, and not performing a Tatou, so I could stay and continue to live the dream. The community needed me, but because of a decision made 4 months previous, in the next few days I would be walking away from them.

Id only joined for 2 weeks, but somehow managed to spend almost 60 weeks living on Vorovoro and being wholly accepted into the Mali community.
It would have probably been easier to just do the 2 weeks and go. But I didnt. I hung around for what was possibly the best, happiest year of my life, full of highlights, lowlights and in between bits…..
Id seen maybe 300 tribe members arrive and then leave 1 or 2 weeks later. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay.

I could write a book about my time on Vorovoro, maybe I will, but for now I must thank Ben (and Mark) for giving me the opportunity to do what I have done in the last 14 months. And of course all of you that I have worked with in that time (Murray, Raina, Anna, Craig, Duncan, Julia, James Strawbo, Aaron, Masayo, Adam, Dan Keene & SJ, – think that’s everyone – and all the chiefs of course).

Attending the gatherings in summer 2006, never did I think that this project we’d all signed up to for 2-3 weeks, would I be the one that would eventually work for Tribewanted and play such a pivotal role in building the island project in its first year, and learning and developing within a Fijian community and a Fijian lifestyle – and trying to help those tribe members learn it in there time on Vorovoro also. But I did it, and I damn <expletive> proud that I did it and for what I have achieved for the longevity of the project and importantly for all my Fijian mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters (and 1 wife)…

I have watched the island develop over the year, and watched as different groups of different cultures have come together and shared a few weeks of there life together. To be able to say I have had a hand in the majority of the constructions on Vorovoro makes me proud. Who knows where this journey will end? But I have been there from (almost) the start. That will not be taken away from me. Do I deserve all of this – I don’t know…but its happened, and maybe once I take a step away from Fiji for a while it’ll begin to sink in whats been achieved on a 200 acre dot in the south pacific. Who cares if the world has such a large land mass – all I need to be content is the 100sqm of the grog mat with my friends around me and a tanoa in the middle. What else do you need in life??

Thanks mustgo to all those tribe members that arrived and mucked in and helped out. It’s great to watch members and locals mixing together. Thanks for listening to us, and performing Sevusevu’s and mekes so well! Listening to other peoples stories, and watch them develop in there time on Vorovoro, and love it so much is great to see. The shy person that wouldn’t really talk to anyone, but then extended there time, wouldn’t stop talking, and even though it cost her 2 weeks wages to stay just so she could meke for Tui Mali on Lali ceremony day stands out as my favourite! x

I have got so many highlights – too many to list – and unfortunately it tends to be the recent ones first, so hopefully the documentary will shake up my memory and remind me of the olden days on Vorovoro!
The respect the Fijian boys showed me is overwhelming. All because I was doing what I thought I had to do. I just wanted to learn from them and do it there way….i did it, and they trusted me like I was family…maybe I was. Traditionally, as you meet your village chief you’re supposed to move to one side, kneel and clap 3 times. In my isa lei I decided to show this sign of respect to those that fully deserved it. Poasa was first, then Tevita further down the line, and then with Epeli. When Epeli did the same to me, to show a white guy the same respect you show to a chief, the emotions came to much. I love epeli, his stories, his work ethic, his love for grog! He always puts other people first. the fact that he showed this respect to me, all because I thought I was doing my job, working with them, learning there traditions, but to him obviously I was doing so much more, this makes me very proud.

How can 14 months of island living be summed up in 1 tatou speech, and 1 long isa lei line? They only way I can thank them more and give them something back for all they’ve shown me, is to go back and carry on living a life with them. I will be back, I just don’t know when. For now, my head is full of emotion. I have walked away from possibly the best job ill ever have. The tightest closest family unit ill ever have – and for what. I don’t know. I never knew what would happen with Tribewanted, Ben took a risk. I took a risk, and it worked out pretty darn good. I just hope the next year does the same.

Its difficult to comprehend whats happened so far. This doesn’t happen to everyone. The worlds first unique online sociological experiment that’s benefits a remote Fijian community, and I played a role in its development……is that supposed to happen. Maybe it is, maybe that’s why ‘FATE’ is tattooed on my back. Ill trust the rest. ‘trust’ is also tattooed on my back.

For now the future is ? If opportunities arise to get involved with similar projects, then it seems the natural route, but we’ll see what other opportunities come through with what ive already been offered. If it doesn’t work then ill be back in Fiji pretty soon…….

I am still going to play a part online. Offer experience and guidance to when it’s requested, and hopefully see Vorovoro grow further in year 2. Vorovoro is more than a 3 year project…much more. For now, the island dream has finished and it’s somebody else’s turn to have a life changing experience….but I will be back to see it through at the end and further……

On tatou day, Tui Mali asked for answers. He doesn’t know why that when people go to other parts of the world, they come, do there thing for a few weeks and go. But when people come to Vorovoro, they stay for 2 weeks, 4 months, 14 months, and they cry when they leave. He doesn’t know why we do this.

Living on Vorovoro and sharing in his family are more than words – that’s why we couldn’t answer him. I remember in the first few months of the project, you can’t really describe Vorovoro to anyone else – you have to live it for yourself – I guess it’s still true now.

If my mum never asked me to buy the Daily Mail that day, maybe I would never have heard about Tribewanted until the yet to be aired Documentary. But she did, and I joined, lived the dream, and I had a great time….and I still think she owes me the 90p for the paper…..

Thanks to one and all. It’s been amazing. Moce, Vinaka Mark James Bowness for the idea. Vinaka Ben Keene for making it happen. Vinaka Tribe. Vinaka vakalevu.

Talo Na Yaqona.

Kimbo
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