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

Showing posts with label Making Mats. Show all posts

Making Mats In Ono

Industrious, Talented Women Of Ono-i-Lau.

Group Of Women Making Mats In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Women making mats outdoors. W-258

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.

Woman Making A Mat In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Outdoor mat making. MAT-187

Woman, Young Child In A Bure

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Mat making. MAT-188

Women Of Ono Making Their Mats Together

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Small children accompany their mothers as they work. MAT-188

Preparing A Mat

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman at home, making mats. MAT-189

Ono Women Gather To Talk & Make Mats

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Women making mats together. MAT-190

Ono Woman Making A Pandanus Mat

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman constructs mat in Ono. MAT-192

Photo of Anaseini Vokiticolo

Mat Made 50 Years Ago Is Still In Good Condition

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
This mat has been used for 5 decades. MAT-193

Woman Prepares Pandanus For A Mat

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Mother with child working on pandanus. MAT-195

Mat Making At Home In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Working on a mat. MAT-195

Mat Making On Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Making a mat in Ono. PM-23

Preparing Pandanus In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman working outdoors. PM-27

Airing Household Mats

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman airs mats on the lawn near Onolevu School, 1970's

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

Industrious, Talented Women Of Ono-i-Lau.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWomen making mats outdoors. W-258

Ono-i-Lau, FijiOutdoor mat making. MAT-187

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMat making. MAT-188

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSmall children accompany their mothers as they work. MAT-188

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman at home, making mats. MAT-189

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWomen making mats together. MAT-190

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman constructs mat in Ono. MAT-192