Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Tui Viti, Fijian Government and a mongoose have all visited Vorovoro this week!

So fish update – still on 0. Tried fishing last Sunday. But as we had no bait Poasa suggested using Roti and bread. So myself and the chief tried for about an hour and a half before giving up. I decided to give the fishing trip a miss this week as the past 4 weeks have been unsuccessful. A new tribemember Natalie, only arriving on Vorovoro about 4 hours before the fishing trip, caught a fish first go. I’ve been here almost 4 months. And have not caught any! Api our second boat captain is here this week so im going to try with him!

Last Sunday was Jim’s birthday. So as pawpaw is his favourite meal I made sure there were lots for his birthday. I cooked Pawpaw Curry with Roti for lunch and even wrote birthday messages in Jim’s roti. Then Tui Mali arrived on the island – and this was the start of when things started to go wrong… Some of the tribemembers had cooked Jim a Pawpaw upside-down cake for his birthday which we were going to eat for Afternoon Tea. Frances called Jim down to the village just before Tea time to have some food with Tui Mali. So shortly after the tribe went down with the cake to join Tui Mali and Jim. Jim, already full from half a block of chocolate, Pawpaw Curry, Roti, Bread, Tea, Wundi (Banana) and fruit, managed to eat a small piece of cake as well. Then before we knew it we were drinking kava. Starting sitting at the back, I somehow managed to work myself forward to be sitting right next to the Tanoa. Now on my birthday, i had about 5 or 6 Hospital Bus bowls (The biggest bowl of kava we serve here) on my birthday, so I thought it was only fair that Jim had at least 1. 1 turned out to be more than enough, after Jim quickly removed himself from the Grog Mat, and threw up behind Tui Mali’s house! And despite this, Jim returned for more looking refreshed where as before he looked a touch green.

On Monday, Chief Mike and I had plans of a quiet day but our hopes were dashed when Tui Mali made a surprise appearance with as boatload of Government Officials from Suva. They were going around the area checking in on all the villages. So after an impromptu tour I took them up to see the Dam. The Dam was completely dry when we got there. They all agreed that we need a Borehole on Vorovoro and were going to do their best to ensure it happens in the future. After this myself and the chief joined the officials for some grog, where Tui Mali told them about Jim’s incident the day before. We couldn’t understand what Tui Mali was saying as he was talking in Fijian, but his actions and facial expressions were brilliant!

Tuesday was set to be a normal sevusevu day, up until the point were Jim called to say Tui Mali was bringing the biggest chief in Fiji with him – Tui Viti! So Team Fiji did an amazing job rushing around getting flowers and material all set up before he arrived. Tui Viti himself seemed really cool. He had heard stories of our Malau Bus Bilo (one of our big kava bowls) and decided that he and his entourage should all try one! I wish I had of been quicker with my camera because it was brilliant! My favourite quote of the week – “That was a good bus ride!”. Jim and I also meke’d for Tui Vitu – which is something I’m sure not many people have done!

The rest of the week we have been busy working on our new Pig Pen. The concrete has been laid; the fence has been put up. We just need to build as roof now – so fingers crossed there will be some little piggies, and some very huge piggies, arriving later this week!
Tevita has been away this week, so with help from Tale and Nemani, I have been teaching the tribe to Meke! Jim made a guest appearance to help teach Meke 3 with his own interpretation of the movements. These included “strangle, strangle” and “stab, stab, stab”.
This week there has also been a group of men from Vesi, re-thatching the roof of the Family Bure. I helped with a few parts and it was really fascinating to see how it is done.

The nights this week have been really clear and the stars have been incredible! On Thursday night we sat outside and had some kava under the stars. I don’t know if there was something in the air, or if we were drinking super strong kavas, but that was the first night I actually felt proper Lambchopped off kava. While walking back to my house I couldn’t walk in a straight line and found myself lost in some bushes. Then the next morning I felt really sick..

Also this week, lots of the fruit in the gardens have been turning ripe. Especially pawpaw and bananas, so ive been enjoying eating bananas straight off the trees this week!

Dream Foundation Friday was as huge success. Kids were back from School Holidays so we planned some fun classes for them. We went to Ligaulevu, where the school is, a few hours earlier to do some raking and pick up some trash in the school grounds. We packed some sandwiches for lunch, and then afterwards it was time for school!

Sadly the Head Teacher had been re-posted to a new school on the mainland. I got on really well with him and he was really supportive of Tribewanted so it’s sad to see him gone. Also the grade 1+2 teacher was retired, also a really lovely lady so sad to see her go as well. So at the school this week there were only 2 teachers looking after 4 classes, that is until new teachers arrive.

We had a brilliant day at the school, reading books, doing arts and crafts and playing games. As always the kids sang some amazing songs and did some hilarious meke’s! I did some filming, for my final webcast – which im really excited about! Next week will be my last week at the school and theres a good chance there will be tears. I’ve had so much fun there over the past 4 months and made so many new friends that im going to miss seeing them every week and hearing them sing, playing rugby and just hanging out and talking.

It’s not Saturday night on the island. Amy is back from New Zealand and she brought chocolate! The tribe is currently watching a movie and im sitting at the Bounty Bar writing this in-between hitting mosquitoes, and listening to the first rain we have had all week.
So it’s my final full week on the island. I’m determined to catch a fish. Going to attempt to climb a coconut tree. Recruit some more members for the Lambchop Society and make the most of spending time with everyone here..

Sevusevu Day Webcast will be going up this week and my final one about the school, the following week. Will also attempt to upload some more photos in town this week.

That’s all for now!

Wavu Out.
wavu@tribewanted.com