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

Showing posts with label Paths of Ono. Show all posts

Trails Of The Islands.

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young man carries a heavy load from the gardens. P-12

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.

Carrying Water Home

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman hauls water in buckets down an Ono path. PA-226

Sister Takes Two Little Children Down The Trail

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Going down the path. PA-227

Man With Stick

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Heading along the shore. PA-228

Too Heavy A Load

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Juggling the load on the path. PA-231

Down The Path

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Man and boy with basket. PA-232

Back Again, On Another Errand

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Man walking on the path in Ono. PA-233

Girls Head Down The Path To School Picnic

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Carrying their best baskets, young girls walk to the shore. PA-225

Walking Jauntily With A Heavy Load

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young man carries heavy root crops on the path. PA-235

Children Sing In 10-Part Harmony

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Cheery trek on a narrow trail. PA-2

Hauling Firewood Down The Trail

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman and girls with firewood. PA-44

Singing Children

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
School children sing as they march along the path. PA-56

Man Carrying Wood Down The Path

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Man carries wood to the village. M-126

Paths Of Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Along the path, carrying an Ono-made handbag. PA-107

Carrying Things

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Hauling things down the path. VL-62

Bringing Tapers Home

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Women and girls return with tapers. VL-11

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

Trails Of The Islands.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiYoung man carries a heavy load from the gardens. P-12

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman hauls water in buckets down an Ono path. PA-226

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGoing down the path. PA-227

Ono-i-Lau, FijiHeading along the shore. PA-228

Ono-i-Lau, FijiJuggling the load on the path. PA-231

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMan and boy with basket. PA-232

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMan walking on the path in Ono. PA-233

Ono-i-Lau, FijiCarrying their best baskets, young girls walk to the shore. PA-225

Ono-i-Lau, FijiYoung man carries heavy root crops on the path. PA-235

Ono-i-Lau, FijiCheery trek on a narrow trail. PA-2

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman and girls with firewood. PA-44

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSchool children sing as they march along the path. PA-56

Ono-i-Lau, FijiMan carries wood to the village. M-126

Ono-i-Lau, FijiAlong the path, carrying an Ono-made handbag. PA-107

Ono-i-Lau, FijiHauling things down the path. VL-62

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWomen and girls return with tapers. VL-11