Daily Life In Ono-i-Lau, Fiji 50 Years Ago : Boys & Girls

Showing posts with label Boys & Girls. Show all posts

Ono's Young People. Boys & Girls

Boys & Girls From Ono-i-Lau, Fiji.

Young Girl From Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
A young girl in a bure with masi behind her. G-81

Copyright © 1970-2019, Northcountry Communications, Inc. These photos were taken on Ono-i-Lau by LInda Weld. All rights reserved. Photos & stories cannot be used without written permission. Contact Linda by email.

Knocking Fruit Out Of A Tree With A Stick

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young boy in Ono gathers fruit. BG-168

Search Terms: House, tree, boy stick, food, Fiji Islands.

Boys With A Bat

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Excited boys display a bat they caught in a papaya tree. BG-158

Search Terms: Bure, trees, 4 boys, large bat, Fiji Islands.

Girls Gathering Fruit

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls with citrus. BGF-159

Search Terms: Fiji, girls, fruit, gathering.

Girl In The Door

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Children, at home. BG-163

Search Terms: Thatch, bure, doorway, girls, Fiji.

Boy On Beach With Spears & Mat

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Enjoying the afternoon on a beautiful day. BG-164

Search Terms: Volcanic rock, colored yarn, pandanus, mat, boy, wood and metal spears, sand, beach.

Girls Carrying Burlap Sacks

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls working. BG-177

Search Terms: Lawn, 3 bures, thatch, girls, burlap sacks, work.

Cutting A Green Coconut

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
After climbing a coconut tree to knock down coconuts, a young boy readies cutting a coconut to drink from.. C-14

Search Terms: Green coconuts, coconut water, machete, boy, chopping, bu.

Working In The Garden

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Boys work in garden. C-28

Search Terms: Banana plants, garden, sticks, boys, working.

Boys On A Takia, Pulled Up On Shore

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Growing up on Ono. C-30

Search Terms: Boys, takia, outrigger.

Portrait Of Two Girls Gathering Wood

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Two girls gather firewood in Ono-i-Lau. C-47

Search Terms: Tropical trees, twigs, branches, coconut frond basket, woven, girls, work, play.

Two Girls In Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Portrait of two girls. C-116

Search Terms: Girls, laughing, Fiji Islands.

Girl Surrounded By Trees & Daisies

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Portrait of girl from Ono. C-100

Search Terms: Building, palms, daisies, girl.

Girl With Pan Full Of Fruit

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young girl carrying full pan of fruit. C-114

Search Terms: Fruit, girl, picking.

Ono-i-Lau Girl At Home

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Portrait of young Ono girl. C-87

Copyright © 1970-2019, Northcountry Communications, Inc. These photos were taken on Ono-i-Lau by LInda Weld. All rights reserved. Photos & stories cannot be used without written permission. Contact Linda by email.

Search Terms: Bure, inside, girl.

Portrait Of A Boy

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Schoolboy. C-68

Search Terms: Boy.

Girl Playing At Home

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young girl plays alone in her house. C-120

Search Terms: Mat, inside, house, girl, playing.

Work & Play

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls play while gathering wood. C-121

Search Terms: Coconut baskets, woods, firewood, girls, playing.

Background

Ono-i-Lau is, by far, the remotest community in Fiji. There are six tiny islands within the reef at Ono-i-Lau. On Onolevu, the largest island, there are three villages: Nukuni, Lovoni and Matokana. There's a fourth village, Doi, on another island. These photos were all taken on Onolevu.

From 1970 to 1972, Ono was reached by either copra boat or a larger boat, the Uluilakeba. Boats came very rarely, every few months, bringing mail and goods for the store, and taking back copra and other items, along with passengers. Tragically, the Uluilakeba sank in a storm, with Ono people on board, in December, 1973. The ship went down only a year after the last of these photographs was taken.

Although sugar, salt, tea, and other basic items entered the island through the store, much of what people ate came from the island itself: Shellfish, fish, octopus, land crabs, bananas, leafy vegetables, coconut, root crops, breadfruit… and, during special times, pork, chicken and beef.

In the early 1970's, copra was the cash crop. Many residents were Methodists, and attended the Methodist church. Onolevu District School, which ended in Class 8, had a large number of students. In October, 1970, Fiji gained independence from Great Britain.

Everyone in Ono walked everywhere; there were no vehicles. Sometimes older boys rode the family horses. All boats were classic takias, or outrigger canoes, in the Fijian tradition.

Fiji's indigenous people come from two different roots. Western Fiji is Melanesian. The islands in the eastern, or Lau group, are Polynesian. In some ways, Ono is almost Tongan. Its art, the physical appearance of its people, and even the language all tend toward the Polynesian.

For example, the Fijian "v" was not used in Ono. It was replaced by the very Polynesian "p." In Western Fiji, that most basic of foods, the pig, is known as "vuaka." But, in Ono, a pig is a "puaka."

About These Photos

When we went to Ono 50 years ago, we were very young and just married. The people of Onolevu taught us many things. We hope this portrait of local life reveals the warmth, capabilities, dignity and confidence that we saw in the people of Ono. We think these photos of everyday life show the lessons we learned:

1. Working together is important.

2. Division of labour gets the job done.

3. Make time for yourself, your family, and your community.

4. Men, women and children all have equal value.

5. Respect tradition.

Linda & Jeremy Weld

Peace Corps Volunteers, Fiji IV

Onolevu District School

Sitiveni Gaunavinaka, Headmaster

Boys & Girls From Ono-i-Lau, Fiji.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiA young girl in a bure with masi behind her. G-81

Ono-i-Lau, FijiYoung boy in Ono gathers fruit. BG-168

Ono-i-Lau, FijiExcited boys display a bat they caught in a papaya tree. BG-158

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGirls with citrus. BGF-159

Ono-i-Lau, FijiChildren, at home. BG-163

Ono-i-Lau, FijiEnjoying the afternoon on a beautiful day. BG-164

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGirls working. BG-177

Ono-i-Lau, FijiAfter climbing a coconut tree to knock down coconuts, a young boy readies cutting a coconut to drink from.. C-14

Ono-i-Lau, FijiBoys work in garden. C-28

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGrowing up on Ono. C-30

Ono-i-Lau, FijiTwo girls gather firewood in Ono-i-Lau. C-47

Ono-i-Lau, FijiPortrait of two girls. C-116

Ono-i-Lau, FijiPortrait of girl from Ono. C-100

Ono-i-Lau, FijiYoung girl carrying full pan of fruit. C-114

Ono-i-Lau, FijiPortrait of young Ono girl. C-87

Copyright © 1970-2019, Northcountry Communications, Inc. These photos were taken on Ono-i-Lau by LInda Weld. All rights reserved. Photos & stories cannot be used without written permission. Contact Linda by email.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSchoolboy. C-68

Ono-i-Lau, FijiYoung girl plays alone in her house. C-120

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGirls play while gathering wood. C-121

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
A young girl in a bure with masi behind her. G-81

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young boy in Ono gathers fruit. BG-168

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Excited boys display a bat they caught in a papaya tree. BG-158

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls with citrus. BGF-159

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Children, at home. BG-163

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Enjoying the afternoon on a beautiful day. BG-164

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls working. BG-177

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
After climbing a coconut tree to knock down coconuts, a young boy readies cutting a coconut to drink from.. C-14

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Boys work in garden. C-28

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Growing up on Ono. C-30

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Two girls gather firewood in Ono-i-Lau. C-47

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Portrait of two girls. C-116

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Portrait of girl from Ono. C-100

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young girl carrying full pan of fruit. C-114

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Portrait of young Ono girl. C-87

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Schoolboy. C-68

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young girl plays alone in her house. C-120

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls play while gathering wood. C-121