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

Showing posts with label Masi. Show all posts

Lovely, Historic Masi.

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Applying natural inks to a piece of tapa cloth (masi). MAS-124

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi decorating the beams of an Ono home. MAS-143

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.

Detail Of A Piece Of Ono Masi

Ono-Made Stencils For Tongan Style Masi

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tongan style stencils for tapa. MAS-196

Making Masi Under The Trees

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi is made by pounding paper mulberry bark. MAS-197

Placing Dye On A Piece Of Tapa (Masi)

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi. MAS-202

Woman Pounds Mulberry Bark To Make Masi

Photo of Olivia Lasa

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Child watches as bark is beaten with a mallet. MAS-199

20-Foot Long Piece Of Masi, Drying In The Sun

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Huge piece of masi, traditionally favored at weddings and for local ceremonies. MAS-200

Woman Prints Tapa Cloth In Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Placing ink on tapa cloth.. MAS-201

Tongan Style Ono Masi

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tapa cloth made in Ono, in the Tongan style. MAS-16

Making Masi In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman pounds paper mulberry cloth to make tapa (masi). MAS-20

Large Tapa (Masi) Made On Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Expert elder at work on a huge ceremonial piece of masi. MAS-25

Woman Making Tapa Cloth (Masi)

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Pounding paper mulberry to make tapa cloth. MAS-31

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

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

Tapa Cloth (Masi) Of Ono

Lovely, Historic Masi.

Making Masi In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Applying natural inks to a piece of tapa cloth (masi). MAS-124

Roof Of A Bure With Masi

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi decorating the beams of an Ono home. MAS-143

Detail Of A Piece Of Ono Masi

Ono-Made Stencils For Tongan Style Masi

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tongan style stencils for tapa. MAS-196

Making Masi Under The Trees

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi is made by pounding paper mulberry bark. MAS-197

Placing Dye On A Piece Of Tapa (Masi)

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi. MAS-202

Woman Pounds Mulberry Bark To Make Masi

Photo of Olivia Lasa

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Child watches as bark is beaten with a mallet. MAS-199

20-Foot Long Piece Of Masi, Drying In The Sun

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Huge piece of masi, traditionally favored at weddings and for local ceremonies. MAS-200

Woman Prints Tapa Cloth In Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Placing ink on tapa cloth.. MAS-201

Tongan Style Ono Masi

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tapa cloth made in Ono, in the Tongan style. MAS-16

Making Masi In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman pounds paper mulberry cloth to make tapa (masi). MAS-20

Large Tapa (Masi) Made On Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Expert elder at work on a huge ceremonial piece of masi. MAS-25

Woman Making Tapa Cloth (Masi)

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Pounding paper mulberry to make tapa cloth. MAS-31

Lovely, Historic Masi.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiApplying natural inks to a piece of tapa cloth (masi). MAS-124

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMasi decorating the beams of an Ono home. MAS-143

Ono-i-Lau, FijiTongan style stencils for tapa. MAS-196

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMasi is made by pounding paper mulberry bark. MAS-197

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMasi. MAS-202

Photo of Olivia Lasa

Ono-i-Lau, FijiChild watches as bark is beaten with a mallet. MAS-199

Ono-i-Lau, FijiHuge piece of masi, traditionally favored at weddings and for local ceremonies. MAS-200

Ono-i-Lau, FijiPlacing ink on tapa cloth.. MAS-201

Ono-i-Lau, FijiTapa cloth made in Ono, in the Tongan style. MAS-16

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman pounds paper mulberry cloth to make tapa (masi). MAS-20

Ono-i-Lau, FijiExpert elder at work on a huge ceremonial piece of masi. MAS-25

Ono-i-Lau, FijiPounding paper mulberry to make tapa cloth. MAS-31

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Applying natural inks to a piece of tapa cloth (masi). MAS-124

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi decorating the beams of an Ono home. MAS-143

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tongan style stencils for tapa. MAS-196

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi is made by pounding paper mulberry bark. MAS-197

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Masi. MAS-202

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Child watches as bark is beaten with a mallet. MAS-199

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Huge piece of masi, traditionally favored at weddings and for local ceremonies. MAS-200

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Placing ink on tapa cloth.. MAS-201

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tapa cloth made in Ono, in the Tongan style. MAS-16

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman pounds paper mulberry cloth to make tapa (masi). MAS-20

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Expert elder at work on a huge ceremonial piece of masi. MAS-25

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Pounding paper mulberry to make tapa cloth. MAS-31