Tribewanted: Vorovoro

A few months ago, I was contacted by the German magazine “GEO Special” for an interview about my adventures on Vorovoro. They wanted to make a special about islands this time and one section in the magazine was to be about six people and their favourite island. I skyped with a journalist for about an hour (in English fortunately, my German isn’t that well) and had photos of me (in sulu) taken at the ZOO in Amsterdam (not quite Fiji, but it did the trick). Finally, on february 3th, I got to see the result. Even though a lot of what I said got cutted or phrased a little different, I’m really happy with it!
So here’s the interview. It’s in German, but I’ve written a translation underneath. The magazine is spread around the world, so hopefully it will attract some people to our little paradise.

Moce, Nienke

Nienke Krook, born 1983, student from The Netherlands and member of the internet community Tribewanted, lived on the Fijian island Vorovoro for two months.

I get up with the sun and go to sleep with it. In the morning I bath in the sea. We get together around 9 o’clock. Our chief then explains the projects of that day: we repair chicken coops, get firewood, built a place to sleep in… One day, we went to Mali by boat and danced the Meke, the traditional dance, for the Fijians. It was an amazing feeling! We bring them their dance! For thém!
It all started on the internet. Tribewanted is a community project, a virtual tribe, that leased a real island: Vorovoro in the South Pacific. The idea: members from all over the world live on and off on the island, for a maximum of 30 days in a row, far from the Western civilization, in unison with the Yavusa-tribe and nature. Membership costs 220 euros per year, one week of island life included.
On Vorovoro, it’s all about doing things together, I like that. I also like that Tribewanted is democratic. About mayor things, we vote on the internet. For example who the next chief will be, or if we should built a new water tank. About every-day things, we decide on the island itself.
I dream about being a chief once, and to direct the island’s destiny for a month, that would be great.