Newsletter, August 17, 2006
From Tribewanted
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(Please note that this newsletter is a repeat of the newsletter dated August 15, 2006)
Tribal News
Whales teeth, underground ovens, wading through magroves and sanitation goes democratic - a lot can happen in 7 days. The team have now all landed (Sara Jane arriving at last after long delays) and work has begun on Vorovoro. Here is all the news just over 2 weeks before the first footers plant their first feet.
Tribal Podcasts
- Becky talks to the Mali Sharks about clearing on
Vorovoro:
- Bengazi briefs the team about work over the next 2
weeks:
http://community.tribewanted.com/downloads/global/Podcasts/Bengazi%20briefs%20Mali%20Sharks.mp3
Anyone got a whales tooth?
This is the Tambua (a tooth taken from a beached sperm whale) that we presented to Epeli to ask permission to access his land to cut some mangroves for the Great Bure. It took about one and half days of scurrying around Labasa town to find one. Not a straightforward shopping trip! The Tambua goes a long way to building relationships here in Fiji, it is even more significant a gift than kava.
'Lovo' for the Land
Warning the land that we are about to make some noise is very important in Fiji. Becky tells us about the day we experienced a very different kind of BBQ:
We had to get an early start, we had been assured by Epeli that Saturday was to be a busy day. It certainly was! The day began at sunrise (in fact a little before sunrise with the loud morning chorus “can't they at least wait for the sun?!) when we headed to Malau to catch a boat to Vorovoro. Joining us for the journey was our dinner, a healthy plump pig and some locally grown veg. Once we arrived on the island it was clear that there were many people involved with preparing for the festivities, everyone had their job to do and got on with it. Some of the 30+ family members were scraping out fresh coconut flesh, making parcels of vegetables wrapped in leaves, and building the lovo. As I was to learn, the lovo ceremony is a traditional part of the Fijian culture and takes place on special occasions. Lovo literally means "earth oven" and involves a pit being dug and a fire built inside it. Rocks are then heated up in the pit until red hot and then the food added. They cover the pit with leaves and earth and leave it for about 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the feast.
The reason for this particular lovo, was for Tui Mali to warn the land of the forthcoming noise that was going to be made when we start to build on it. It felt really good to show respect to the mountains and trees that are soon to be the tribal village and hopefully this lovo will bring us good luck in the work we're going to do.
Some of the local men suddenly started collecting more palm leaves and stripping them down in order to make skirts and arm bands etc. They looked great and even managed to persuade our very own Dan to get dressed up in the traditional Fijian gear. They all looked very fancy and one of the ladies smeared them with coconut oil and ash for even more effect.
After the official handing over of the food to Tui Mali, we got down to the eating and yes it tasted really good. I highly recommend digging a pit in your garden and giving it a go!
Of course, as follows any good meal, we then started on a long Yquna (grog) drinking session, which lasted well into the night with music, stories and good conversation under a beautiful starry sky. All in all, a busy but thoroughly successful day and a brilliant insight into more of this new and interesting culture.
Clearing work begins on Vorovoro
Dan takes up his machete and joins the Mali Sharks for day 1 clearing the tribal village.
8am came and went and there was still no sign of the Mail Sharks rugby team. 9am, 10am, still nothing, so we started without them. It could have been a very long day with just 5 of us trying to clear an area the size of a football pitch, but just as we were getting to grips with our machetes a boat appeared around the headland carrying a small army of locals from Mali. After the usual happy greetings we all got down to work, well I would say all but I would be lying as the locals have perfected a rotation system that allows half to rest and sharpen their blades as the other half hack away at the undergrowth. At first this system seemed a little too relaxed as every time you looked round you would see a group of lads sitting down. The tribewanted team carried on regardless, this was a big mistake as the heat and exercise really takes it out of you.
With every swing of our blades (try weeding a football pitch with a machete!) we began to open up what will become the tribe's home. It's amazing what you can achieve in a day when you put your mind to something. Hopefully this will be the first of many days that will bring the tribal dream a step closer to reality. Several dips in the sea and a few blisters (all on the tribewanted team!) and we called it a day. Wood chopping in the mangroves tomorrow as well as spending time catching up online, there aren't enough hours in the day.
Composting, septic tanks or just crap in the woods?
A loo with a view! But what will you be sitting on? The tribe decides. Vote now:
http://community.tribewanted.com/vote
Dan gets muddy in the mangroves
I was given the short straw this morning to go with Epeli and the Mali sharks (the local rugby team) to the mangroves. Now some would say this is the short straw, but when we arrived by boat, hacking our way through the vegetation it felt like something out of the movies, plenty of sweat, blisters, laughter and the usual exchange of stories with the boys. After a quick prayer for the land we were off, well there was I was stuck in the mud asking why there were so many holes everywhere. Crabs apparently! 5 hours later we had cut 100 logs. They assured me that this was enough to build the frame for the Great Bure, the supporting beams and main weight bearing supports will have to come from the local saw mill. A good start to what will hopefully be the hub of tribal life on Vorovoro.
Tribewanted HQ
