The origins of Fiji's red prawns

The origins of Fiji's red prawns

www.fijilive.com

The prawns are called ura-buta [cooked prawns].

The origins of the red prawns in Fiji is said to have begun on the island of Vatulele, which is also known for the exquisite taoa designs. Story goes that long ago on the island, lived a beautiful daughter of a chief.

She was so beautiful that every eligible chief who visited Vatulele wanted her as his bride.

Yalewa-Ni-Cagi-Bula, however, was hard to please and scorned all their approaches.Not far away on Viti Levu, lived a handsome Chief's son - heir to the thrown of mainland tribes.

He heard of Yalewa-Ni-Cagi-Bula and decided she was the one for him. After much preparation, the bold young chief set off, laden with gifts, to seek Yalewa's hands.

He was welcomed by the Vatulele Chiefs and confidently, he produced the special gift which he had personally carried from Viti Levu.

This gift was Fiji's greatest delicacy, a bundle of giant prawns from the coastal streams of Viti Levu, cooked to perfection in coconut milk.

Any other maiden would have melted at the sight of this gift but Yalewa-ni-Cagi's heart was cold.
She got very angry and commanded her servants to capture the young Chief and throw him off Vatulele's highest cliff into the sea. As he tumbled down the cliff, his gift of bright red prawns fell from his hands into a rocky pool at the base of the cliff, and the leaves in which they were wrapped fell among the rocks around the pool.

Fortunately the young chief survived the fall and returned home heartbroken. And his spent his days pining for his lost love. Everyday he went down to the sea and look towards the South where on clear days, he could just make out Vatulele on the horizon.

And what of the red prawns? They came alive where they fell into the rocky pool, and today, the pools under Vatulele's cliffs are filled with bright red prawns. The prawns are called ura-buta [cooked prawns].

Considered sacred by the people of Vatulele, who believe that anyone who harms them will surely be shipwrecked. Their respect for these prawns are so high that no one is allowed to catch it or eat them.

Ratu Mara Book Launch

Regional leaders at Rt Mara book launch

www.fijilive.com - October 09, 2009

Three prime ministers from the region will be in Suva on October 10 for the launch of a major biography of Fiji’s late “founding father” Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, head of the Papua New Guinea Government, and a close friend to Ratu Mara for many years, is to be the principal guest at the function, which coincides with the 39th anniversary of Fiji’s Independence.

Also expected at the launch, at the invitation of Sir Michael, are Solomon Islands premier Dr Derek Sikua and Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapel.

Sir Michael will be honoured on Saturday with rare and elaborate Fiji ceremonies by the ‘Vanua ko Lau’ of Suva.

According to a press statement, the ceremonies were last performed for Ratu Mara at a meeting of the Lau Provincial Council in 2000. Similar rituals were staged for Sir Michael when he visited Ratu Mara’s home at Lakeba, Lau, about 35 years ago.

Historian Dr Deryck Scarr, the author of the biography, Tuimacilai: A life of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, said Sir Michael regarded Ratu Mara as “the pillar of the Pacific” because he was a great champion of the region in international affairs and a believer in co-operation between South Pacific States.

The biography is the first substantial account of Ratu Mara’s life and career since his death over five years ago.

Ratu Mara, a former Prime Minister, President and paramount chief of Lau in the eastern Fiji Islands, was Fiji’s pre-eminent political figure in the lead up to independence and in the first decades of nationhood.

Ratu Mara has close links to the current administration. His daughter Adi Koila is the wife of Acting President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.

Ratu Mara’s eldest daughter Adi Ateca is the wife of Ratu Epeli Ganilau – current Acting Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, former military commander.

Lieutenant Colonel Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara, his second son, is the head of the Fiji military’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, responsible for much of the military’s “clean-up” of the Laisenia Qarase-led Government in 2006

Giant whale dies, villagers share 34 tabua

post by Matavuvale.com

VILLAGERS of Kubulau in Bua watched a 53-foot male whale die after it swam aground at the mouth of the Yanawai River early this week.

Hundreds of villagers witnessed the monstrous mammal try unsuccessfully to free itself.

Kilaka Village headman Manueli Pita said on Tuesday a villager from neighbouring Dawara, on the border of Cakaudrove and Bua, spotted the injured whale.

"We tried to help by digging around it in the sand, even attempted to free it using an outboard but all our attempts failed," he said.

"The whale was just too big, in all my 56 years I have never seen a fish so big.

"We called the authorities because we felt so sorry because it was trying to get free. It was injured with bites visible over its body."

Early on Thursday, the big visitor rising 11 feet high, heaved its final breath with a shrill wail in a sad moment witnessed by people from Nakorovou, Kilaka and Dawara.

"It was really sad, some of the villagers even cried when they saw the whale crying," he said. "Seconds before it died it flapped its tail repeatedly and let out a sad cry like the sound of a davui (conch shell).

"It was as if it was making a final attempt to get free, then it stopped and we somehow knew it was dead.

"The spot in the sand where it had dug its tail had become deep and we all felt sad knowing the whale had tried so hard." Fisheries Department officials and those from the World Conservation Society arrived shortly after the whale died.

Mr Pita said the whale brought good fortune to the villagers. "After it died we cut some meat and ate it, and shared about 34 tabua," he said.

The first whale ran aground near Kilaka in 1986.

Kerekere Bad for Fijian Business: Professor

‘Kerekere’ bad for Fijian business: Professor
www.fijilive.com - July 29, 2009


The Fijian traditional system of ‘kerekere’ or borrowing is being blamed as one of the reasons why small village-based farming efforts do not succeed commercially. In a paper presented at yesterday’s Fiji Economic Update, held at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Professor Ron Duncan of the National Australian University said the ‘kerekere’ system posed difficulties in the viability of indigenous farming businesses established within Fijian villages.

‘Kerekere’ is the Fijian custom of borrowing from kinsmen. It is shameful for a Fijian not to give something that is asked for within the ‘kerekere’ system.“Attempts to overcome this difficulty through the formation of joint-management groups within the village do not appear to have been successful, as they have proven prone to governance problems,” Duncan said. “There is still belief in some quarters in the viability of village cooperatives, but experience is such as to not inspire much confidence in this form of enterprise.”

Duncan’s paper discussed the failure of agricultural policymaking in Fiji.It paid much attention to prevalent government policy support and focus on state-driven large scale commercial agricultural enterprises which often left out small scale agricultural activities in Fijian villages.“The poor policies and projects that have been implemented by various governments appear to have their roots in poor understanding of the economic, cultural and social environment in which they are to be implemented,” Duncan said. He said small village commercial efforts would need to reach a point of effective management and control before they could realise commercial success.

“Experience of management groups among Maori tribes in New Zealand has seen greater success, where the need to ensure good governance and efficient management groups structures seems to have been realized. “Until this point is reached in Fiji, joint ventures between villagers and non-indigenous entrepreneurs might offer a better means of ‘quarantining’ village businesses from onerous cultural and social obligations,” Duncan said.

Duty to Vanua at 82

82 and still climbing
By SERAFINA SILAITOGAMonday

http://www.fijitimes.com/ - July 06, 2009

Sailosi Lalakoro climbs a coconut tree at Tuatua, Labasa

AT the age of 82, Sailosi Lalakoro is his clan's top coconut tree climber.
Whether it is sold in the village or by the roadside, money earned from selling coconuts has helped supply Mr Lalakoro's daily needs, especially transportation costs to Labasa town.
The Dreketi native, from Nabiti Village in Macuata, who is head of the landowning unit of Naikorokoro, says he never gets tired climbing coconut trees, no matter how high.
During village functions, he is always on standby to speed up any tree trunk to fetch coconuts.
Mr Lalakoro said that every time he is requested to head a team of collecting coconuts, he humbly accepts and does the job. Serving his people and mataqali is paramount for him.
Apart from serving his people in village functions, Mr Lalakoro also sells coconut by the Dreketi highway, one and a half hours drive from Nabouwalu.

Macuate Chiefs Want Officials Present

Chiefs want more presence
www.fijitimes.com - Friday, May 15, 2009


DISTRICT representatives to the Macuata Provincial Council meeting yesterday called for the presence of government officials at their district meetings.

Turaga Sauvou Udu Ratu Emori Waqanivalu said officials would know the needs of the people if they were present. Ratu Emori said people in his district were suffering because of high transportation costs." The last village in our district is about 90 kilometres from Labasa and villagers pay as much as $300 to $400 in boat hire charges from there to Nayaroyaro," he said.
"Because they have to pay that much, they don't want to make a living off copra because almost all the income they get is flushed into paying transportation costs. "We want roads to be built so that all the villages in the district don't have to keep on paying boat hire charges. "Most cannot afford to pay so they just live off the sea and usually run into high debts during times of emergency when they have to rush a relative to hospital."

Acting Commissioner Northern Inia Seruiratu assured delegates the district office has been directed to organise a team that would attend every district meeting. "Only the heads of department must be available at provincial council meetings to answer to questions that come from the floor," he said.

Macuata chair vacant
By Theresa RalogaivauFriday, May 15, 2009

THE Macuata Provincial Council does not have a chairman after an amendment to the Provincial Council Regulation, which falls under the Fijian Affairs Act. Under the new rules, former chairman Isireli Leweniqila's has relinquished his position one year before his term was to have expired. The chairman is elected every three years, however the amendment requires that any person chosen to be a district representative to any provincial council must have lived in the district 12 months prior to the appointment. That disqualified Mr Leweniqila, the mata ni tikina (representative) of Udu district, because he lives in Suva. Soon after the opening of the two-day meeting on Wednesday the bose vanua or meeting of chiefs of Macuata decided to accept and implement the amendment made late last year.

According to the Macuata Provincial Council Office, further determinations about which of the 12 district representatives would lose their position would be made soon. "We will have to look into their place of residences and identify who will be removed from their position because of the amendment," a council official said. Tui Macuata Ratu Aisea Katonivere said Mr Leweniqila was an unfortunate victim of change and as such the province had lost a good chairman. "It's sad that he had to leave because of a technicality but we are happy with his resolve in accepting the decision of the bose vanua to implement the change," he said. The council will decide on deputy chair Adi Senimili Dyer chairing the council in the next half-yearly meeting in October.

Province's $3.2m debt under scrutiny
By THERESA RALOGAIVAUFriday, May 15, 2009

MACUATA'S $3.2m debt with the Fiji Development Bank was scrutinised at the province's council meeting on Wednesday. Macuata district representative Vereti Veisamasama raised the matter. Mr Veisamasama said an initial amount of $3.2m was borrowed for the construction of Macuata House yet the total amount of repayments has exceeded $7m over the past 10 years.
However Mr Veisamasama said the current debt level remained at about $3m despite the $7m repayments. "The interest rates are just too high and we should be informed about why it's too high," he said. Fiji Development Bank manager Mosese Uluicicia said the current loan repayments and debt levels reflect a true picture of what should happen.

"We receive about $500,000 year in loan repayments and from that about $200,000 is interest, $11,000 insurance and other money for fees so the debt is decreasing by only about $200,000 every year," he said. Mr Uluicicia said that the bank chopped interest rates from 13 per cent to 7 per cent on the loan late last year on the request of the provincial council office.
"The council saved about $100,000 for interest alone as a result of that while the bank lost," he said. Roko Tui Macuata Sitiveni Lalibuli said the council paid about $36,000 a month in loan repayments; of which $32,000 was for interest. "However that was when interest rate was at 13 per cent yet now that they have reduced it, it has also dropped to about $18,000," he said.
"As at April 6 the debt level is $2,922,963.51," he said.

New Policy New Roko Tui - What a Sham by an Illegal Regime

Provinces have new Roko Tui
Thursday, May 14, 2009

PROVINCIAL offices now have their new Roko Tui after a new policy on the posts by the Indigenous Affairs Ministry came into effect. The policy says no person is to serve as roko is his or her province.

In Lau, the new Roko Tui is Ratu Josefa Navakaroko, who previously served in his home province, Naitasiri. Ratu Josefa has been replaced by Peni Sokia who was Roko Tui Lau. Samisoni Tuilawaki has been demoted to Assistant Roko for Namosi while Sakiusa Karavaki has been given the Roko Tui post. In Serua, Setefano Osonamoli has replaced Ratu Vananalagi Vesikula. Roko Tui Tailevu Joape Nalatu, from Nadroga will continue in the position. For Kadavu, Osipati Tuicalau has been replaced by Vuniyali Dawai from Nadi. The ministry is yet to confirm the Roko Tui Cakaudrove but acting in the position is Penijamini Tokaduadua. In Lomaiviti, the post is held by Ratu Etonia Seru, eldest son of the late Tui Levuka, Ratu Kolinio Rokotuinaceva. In Nadroga, Viliame Naburenivalu from Ba replaced Lote Naitasewa who has retired from active service.