Daily Life In Ono-i-Lau, Fiji 50 Years Ago : Kitchens

Showing posts with label Kitchens. Show all posts

Kitchens Of Ono-i-Lau

The Kitchen Is The Heart Of The Home.

Kerosene Lamp & Pineapple Dangle From A Beam

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Inside an Ono kitchen. VL-257

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: Fijian bure, thatched palm, kerosene, pineapple.

Kitchen Bure With Dish Drying Rack

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Typical kitchen under the trees. PF-132

Search Terms: Trees, palms, thatching, kitchen, bure, dishes, drying, rack.

Kitchen Pots & Pans

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Outdoor kitchen. VL-80

Brand New Kitchen

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Two men use coconut fronds to build a new kitchen roof. Woman with child. B-79

Search Terms: Thatching, 2 men working, woman, child, building a kitchen.

Thatching A Kitchen Bure In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Thatching for walls of a small kitchen. KIT-144

Search Terms: 2 men, thatching, machete, stick, construction, bure, kitchen, Lau, Fiji.

Bananas & A Tea Pot In The Bure

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Bananas, a teapot, clothes and coconut tapers in a bure. VL-93

Cooking Supper

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman cooks supper in her kitchen. W-116

Breezy Cooking Spot

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Open air kitchen. VL-93

A Fire Under The Cooking Pot

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman cooking in an Ono kitchen. PF-96

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

The Kitchen Is The Heart Of The Home.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiInside an Ono kitchen. VL-257

Ono-i-Lau, FijiTypical kitchen under the trees. PF-132

Ono-i-Lau, FijiOutdoor kitchen. VL-80

Ono-i-Lau, FijiTwo men use coconut fronds to build a new kitchen roof. Woman with child. B-79

Ono-i-Lau, FijiThatching for walls of a small kitchen. KIT-144

Ono-i-Lau, FijiBananas, a teapot, clothes and coconut tapers in a bure. VL-93

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman cooks supper in her kitchen. W-116

Ono-i-Lau, FijiOpen air kitchen. VL-93

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman cooking in an Ono kitchen. PF-96