| Fiji --- 1987 |
In 1986 one of our sons, John, an engineer working in Houston for Texas Instruments, obtained a
2.5 year leave-of-absence to join the U.S. Peace Corps.
2.5 year leave-of-absence to join the U.S. Peace Corps.
The Peace Corps was interested in John mainly because of his experience as a beekeeper, as well as
his background in business planning. After brief introductory training in the United States John
was sent to Fiji, in the South Pacific, where he spent a few weeks with an East Indian family to
learn basic Hindi, followed by a few week with a Fijian family for basic Fiji language training. He
then served in Fiji for two years mainly to help develop a honey industry in Fiji, but he also became
engaged in other projects.
The Indians were brought to Fiji in colonial times by the British to work on the sugar plantations;
the Indians now account for almost half of Fiji's population and are engaged in commercial
activities. About half of the people in Fiji are indigenous, culturally Polynesian but racially
principally Melanesian. About 3% are "other".
his background in business planning. After brief introductory training in the United States John
was sent to Fiji, in the South Pacific, where he spent a few weeks with an East Indian family to
learn basic Hindi, followed by a few week with a Fijian family for basic Fiji language training. He
then served in Fiji for two years mainly to help develop a honey industry in Fiji, but he also became
engaged in other projects.
The Indians were brought to Fiji in colonial times by the British to work on the sugar plantations;
the Indians now account for almost half of Fiji's population and are engaged in commercial
activities. About half of the people in Fiji are indigenous, culturally Polynesian but racially
principally Melanesian. About 3% are "other".
After John had been in Fiji for about a year Virginia and I visited him for a couple of weeks.
John met us upon our arrival at the
International Airport at Nandi, Fiji. He took
us to the village of Nayaulevu, Ra, about 20
miles (30 km) south of the town of Rakiraki.
International Airport at Nandi, Fiji. He took
us to the village of Nayaulevu, Ra, about 20
miles (30 km) south of the town of Rakiraki.
Shortly after our arrival in Fiji John took us to meet
the Indian family with whom he had lived for month of
Hindi language training. Almost half the population of
Fiji is of East Indian ancestry, brought to Fiji in
colonial times by the British to work in the sugar cane
fields.
the Indian family with whom he had lived for month of
Hindi language training. Almost half the population of
Fiji is of East Indian ancestry, brought to Fiji in
colonial times by the British to work in the sugar cane
fields.
A day or two after arriving in Nayaulevu we were honored
participants in the kava drinking ceremony pictured above. That
ceremony consisted mainly of a small bowl being dipped into the
large bowl of kava shown above. After each participant drank
the small bowl's contents veryone gave three claps; the small
bowl was then refilled and presented to the next person and the
process repeated again and again.
participants in the kava drinking ceremony pictured above. That
ceremony consisted mainly of a small bowl being dipped into the
large bowl of kava shown above. After each participant drank
the small bowl's contents veryone gave three claps; the small
bowl was then refilled and presented to the next person and the
process repeated again and again.
Indigenous Fiji villages, such as Nayaulevu usually consist
mainly of thatch-roofed family huts with walls of woven
bamboo.. The villages are very well maintained, no trash.
mainly of thatch-roofed family huts with walls of woven
bamboo.. The villages are very well maintained, no trash.
Most indigenous Fijians live in villages
growing mainly subsistence crops, often
also some sugar cane as a cash crop.
growing mainly subsistence crops, often
also some sugar cane as a cash crop.
Partial view of John's Peace Corps honey project in Fiji,
consisting of developing a honey-producing and marketing
cooperative, as well as helping individuals get into honey
production. John,s website, http://outdoorplace.org
describes and illustrates his projects in detail.
consisting of developing a honey-producing and marketing
cooperative, as well as helping individuals get into honey
production. John,s website, http://outdoorplace.org
describes and illustrates his projects in detail.
Nayaulevu villagers at work. We can't
remember what they were doing.
remember what they were doing.
Our friend Monica, an indigenous Fijian,
in the honey project display area.
in the honey project display area.
The coast of Viti Levu, the island where John worked.
John on one of Viti Levu's beautiful beaches.
We had the wonderful experience of attending a special Fijian ceremony. A young man in
Nayaulevu a few years earlier had married a woman from another village. In accordance with
tradition the people of Nayaulevu chartered several buses to go to the wife's former village to thank
the people there for providing the husband with such a wonderful wife.. To express thanks to the
wife's original village the visitors from Nayaulevu brought a huge number of gifts consisting mainly
of fabrics, kerosene, whale teeth, pigs, chickens, and other foodstuff. The gifts were presented to
the wife's former village in a very colorful procession.
Nayaulevu a few years earlier had married a woman from another village. In accordance with
tradition the people of Nayaulevu chartered several buses to go to the wife's former village to thank
the people there for providing the husband with such a wonderful wife.. To express thanks to the
wife's original village the visitors from Nayaulevu brought a huge number of gifts consisting mainly
of fabrics, kerosene, whale teeth, pigs, chickens, and other foodstuff. The gifts were presented to
the wife's former village in a very colorful procession.
People from Nayaulevu arriving
for the ceremony of thanks.
for the ceremony of thanks.
Women from Nayaulevu preparing for
the gift-presentation ceremony.
the gift-presentation ceremony.
Women visitors from Nayaulevu getting ready for the procession
to display the gifts being given to the people of the host village.
to display the gifts being given to the people of the host village.
Taking the bus to the Fiji International
airport for our flight back to the USA.
airport for our flight back to the USA.
Our visit to John in Fiji was a great experience, of which we have shown only a small part on this
page. John's excellent website, http://outdoorplace.org , describes and illustrates his Peace Corps
projects in Fiji and includes many pages devoted to Fijian culture.
page. John's excellent website, http://outdoorplace.org , describes and illustrates his Peace Corps
projects in Fiji and includes many pages devoted to Fijian culture.
Our plane landed in Fiji's international airport at Nandi, in the southwestern part of the island of
Viti Levu. From the airport we went by bus for two or three hours along the coastal road to the
town of Rakiraki, where John met us. In another bus we continued along the coast for about another
half hour to a road junction where we transferred to a pickup truck to take us inland to the village
of Nayaulevu, where John was stationed.
Viti Levu. From the airport we went by bus for two or three hours along the coastal road to the
town of Rakiraki, where John met us. In another bus we continued along the coast for about another
half hour to a road junction where we transferred to a pickup truck to take us inland to the village
of Nayaulevu, where John was stationed.
The village of Nayaulevu consists of around a couple dozen huts, most with woven bamboo walls,
thatch roofs, woven floor-mats and generally consisting of two rooms and no indoor plumbing. The
village gave us a very neat impression, with no visible trash. Upon our arrival in the village John
met with the village chief to get permission for us to stay in the village with John.
The village of Nayaulevu had no electricity, no TV, no telephones, no computers, no indoor toilets,
no private cars, no paved streets, and no shops, The village was very neat, without any trash to be
seen.. Subsistence agriculture provided most of the village's food supply. Some cash was generated
by the seasonal sale of sugar cane, and by women taking fruits and vegetables by bus to Rakiraki
for sale in the market.
The people in Nayaulevu and other villages inhabited by indigenous Fijians had a very complex
traditional social structure of which Virginia and I just barely understood but we got the impression
that wealth was measured mainly by how many favors you were owed. Villagers were very welcoming
to us, and pleasant and helpful to each other. The children were extremely well behaved and
assumed responsibilities at a very early age. Everyone seemed content. We were very favorably
impressed.
John was probably the only non-Fijian between Nayaulevu and Rakiraki (about 20 miles), and
everyone seemed to be his friend, or at least knew of him. During our visit we were not known by
our names, but simply as John's mother and father.
thatch roofs, woven floor-mats and generally consisting of two rooms and no indoor plumbing. The
village gave us a very neat impression, with no visible trash. Upon our arrival in the village John
met with the village chief to get permission for us to stay in the village with John.
The village of Nayaulevu had no electricity, no TV, no telephones, no computers, no indoor toilets,
no private cars, no paved streets, and no shops, The village was very neat, without any trash to be
seen.. Subsistence agriculture provided most of the village's food supply. Some cash was generated
by the seasonal sale of sugar cane, and by women taking fruits and vegetables by bus to Rakiraki
for sale in the market.
The people in Nayaulevu and other villages inhabited by indigenous Fijians had a very complex
traditional social structure of which Virginia and I just barely understood but we got the impression
that wealth was measured mainly by how many favors you were owed. Villagers were very welcoming
to us, and pleasant and helpful to each other. The children were extremely well behaved and
assumed responsibilities at a very early age. Everyone seemed content. We were very favorably
impressed.
John was probably the only non-Fijian between Nayaulevu and Rakiraki (about 20 miles), and
everyone seemed to be his friend, or at least knew of him. During our visit we were not known by
our names, but simply as John's mother and father.
Since his Peace Corps service in Fiji John and his wife, Judy, have returned to Fiji several times to
see their friends in Nayaulevu. In 1996 Virginia and I accompanied John and Judy to Fiji, another
wonderful trip!
see their friends in Nayaulevu. In 1996 Virginia and I accompanied John and Judy to Fiji, another
wonderful trip!