Tribewanted: Vorovoro

As Tribe Wanted’s 2nd birthday is looming, the island is eagerly getting excited about the big day next Tuesday. Although this week has been a quiet one for tribe numbers, the place has been busy preparing. At 5.30am on Friday morning, an echoing thud was heard through the village…surely they aren’t still pounding grog from the night before?! It turned out to be Team Fiji putting up impressive shelters for Tuesday’s festivities right behind the Grande bure. Help was also gained by a few local boys from the youth group from Kesa and Jelli’s church. Before breakfast had been finished, the main structures were up and an important place for the chiefs had been made. Unbelievable! Throughout the day, dried coconut leaves were found and balanced on top of the frames to provide shade for everyone and Te even landscaped a huge piece of driftwood with shells balanced on the top as part of the decoration…I am sure the posts will be covered with flowers and palm leaves on the day too!

Earlier this week, formal letters were sent out to local companies and neighbouring villages as well as businesses such as the taxi company we work with, Govindas internet café and the schools we have strong connections with. We also have asked other contacts around Fiji and as well as the recently founded group H.O.P.E (Helping our Polluted environment), Labasa’s Agriculture Department and contacts from Peace Corps and WWF. We are hoping to have up to 80 people from all over Fiji visit the island and join in with the celebrations. Tui Mali has also spread the word across Mali so Ligaulevu, Vesi and Nakawaga villages might all rock up too…the more the merrier!

September chief Paul has also decided to use his legacy budget to give all of Team Fiji, including the girls and the team a really special gift which will be worn on the day. Yes, you’ve guessed it! As we speak, Anita’s, the Tailors in Labasa is making 16 shirts and 9 Sulu chambas all out of the same fabric….oh yes! Paul came up with the idea after recently going to a wedding in Ligalevu and having a long piece of fabric draped over us whilst performing the meke. We managed to find the same fabric in town so we had enough to make the whole lot. Matching fantastic! All the girls are having different designed Sulu chambas too so its all very exciting…

Va has even written the food list for the huge feast we are going to have already and it has been decided that one of our pigs will be used for the lovo. Marau is going on a couple of fishing trips too, to make sure we have enough food to feed everyone! There will be plenty of food preparation in the kitchen next week so I am sure most of the tribe members will help throughout Monday and Tuesday morning with plenty of cake to be made. Yummy!

Meke is also on the cards as always so although we have had a few hard core sessions this week, Monday will be meke madness! We are hoping to perform the famous boys meke ‘The Viki Malua’, the cross legged, mixed meke as well as the girls ‘Lai tei dalo’. Tuesday will also be chief’s handover which is a huge event in itself and we will witness Tui Flapjack pass over the Salusalu to the legend Paul who has been on the island for the last couple of months. Dan has done a brilliant job and managed to almost complete the shower project as well as being excellent at bamboo making, pontoon rust scraping, homemade bread baking and of course making delicious flapjack!

The excitement will pick up over the weekend too as seven tribe members arrive today with another four on Monday taking the tribe up to twenty two….Eeeeh HoOOo! Bring on Tuesday!