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

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Bushells Tea With Sugar

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
A calm evening with tea. M-81

Photo of Noa Yavala.

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.

Men Of Ono

The Men Of Ono-i-Lau.

Telegraph Operator In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
A great friend. Photo of Epeli. M-130

Man With Axe & Machete

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Walking through the village toward another chore. M-210

Man Seated In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Ono elder. M-211

Ready For Sunday Services

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Dressed for the day. M-213

Man Carries Basket From Garden

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Everyday work. M-214

Ono Elder

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Man sitting beside the kitchen. M-215

Calm, Cool, And Collected

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Man comes back from the garden. M-216

Man Cuts Wood With A Saw

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Sawing wood in Ono. M-217

Confident, Self-Assured Ono Men

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Typical Ono patriarch.. M-3

Photo of Noa Yavala

Return From The Bath

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Man comes back from the bath with a towel on his shoulder, 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

Ono-i-Lau, FijiA calm evening with tea. M-81

Photo of Noa Yavala.

The Men Of Ono-i-Lau.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiA great friend. Photo of Epeli. M-130

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWalking through the village toward another chore. M-210

Ono-i-Lau, FijiOno elder. M-211

Ono-i-Lau, FijiDressed for the day. M-213

Ono-i-Lau, FijiEveryday work. M-214

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMan sitting beside the kitchen. M-215

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMan comes back from the garden. M-216

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSawing wood in Ono. M-217

Ono-i-Lau, FijiTypical Ono patriarch.. M-3

Photo of Noa Yavala

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMan comes back from the bath with a towel on his shoulder, 1970's