Features

Fiji's Village Life

30 Nov 2011

Jeremy Tredinnick discovers the real Fiji on an upriver adventure to a rural village

Away from Fiji’s hedonistic, self-indulgent island and beach resorts, the interior of Viti Levu, its largest island, is a vast expanse of mountainous highland and broad, fertile valleys, home to numerous villages where traditional Fijian life still holds sway. Hankering for an authentic local experience, I book a half-day jet boat trip with Sigatoka River Safari to a traditional village.

As our van passes thick fields of cassava and taro, I’m happy to hear that a percentage of everyone’s fee goes direct to the village, and the tour company visits a different village each day to minimise negative tourism impact and “share the wealth” (the Sigatoka River is 120km long so there are plenty to choose from).

At the river dock, we are introduced to our suitably sleek jet boat, operated and maintained to the highest international standards of safety.Once aboard, we power upriver, past waving fishermen, and villages where women and children sit in the shade of massive breadfruit trees. The speed whips our hair into mini-maelstroms, the manoeuvrability of the boat ensures we hang onto the rail in front of us, and the beautiful scenery passes by in a wonderful whirl of curling panoramas.

Our New Zealand-trained jet boat driver introduces himself as “Captain Jack Sparrow”; a character equal to his nom de plume, he is full of quips and interesting stories, periodically stopping the boat to tell tales of how this region was the last to cease cannibalism. The last documented act of cannibalism was on July 21, 1867, when one proselytising Reverend Baker insulted the local chief by removing a comb from his hair. It is taboo to touch a Fijian’s head without a respectful warning or request, and the reverend was unceremoniously cut down where he stood, then cooked and eaten.

After a little less than an hour, we see a huge mountain of vertiginous rock crowned by jungle, and we pull in at a village that lies between it and the river. Before doing anything we must pay our respects to the village chief and other elders; they are waiting for us in one of the huts, so we file in and sit down facing them. First we give a gift of kava root to the village chief – this is the tradition – and he and his companions welcome us with a speech, some singsong chanting, and toasts of kava drunk from a shallow wooden bowl – etiquette requires you to make three hand claps before drinking.

Having been welcomed to the village, we are allowed to wander around – many “Bula!” greetings are exchanged as we pass people going about their daily lives, children playing or doing chores, women cooking, cleaning or processing the vegetables that are the main produce of this farming village.

Finally, we enter the community hall, where the majority of the village population have prepared a lunch of local food to share with us, followed by dancing and singing. It’s a happy, informal get-together, the local women approaching the men among our group to dance with them, while local men do likewise with the women visitors. Arms interlocked, we jig around one of the hall's supporting pillars to the exuberant, soul-lifting sound of guitars and voices raised in simple, joyful celebration of the bounty of nature and the satisfaction of newfound friendship.

We say our thanks to the village chief and elders once again, make a collection of money to present as a donation for the good of the village as they see fit, and finally head back to the boat, waving all the way.

The jet boat ride downriver now also has a party feel to it, and Captain Jack gives everyone a welcome dowsing by doing 360-degree powerslides with the jet boat. Adults and children alike scream with pleasure – it’s a lovely way to end a trip that combines nature, culture and excitement in a genuinely fulfilling way.

GETTING THERE

Air Pacific (www.airpacific.com) flies three times a week direct from Hong Kong to Nadi International Airport, as well as operating routes to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, and Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand. Other carriers with flights to Nadi include Korean Air (www.koreanair.com), Qantas (www.qantas.com.au) and Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.com).

Sigatoka River Safari (www.sigatokariver.com) operates every day except Sundays and religious Christian holidays.

Loading comments...

Search Flight

See a whole year of Reward Seat Availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls