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

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That Other Way Of "Learning"… School.

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Class at Onolevu District School. SCH-312

Girls In Picture (left to right):

Row #1 Mere, Taina. Row #2 Rai, Ema, Sera. Row #3 Kini, Silipa

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.

Schoolboys

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Six boys at the Onolevu District School. SC-242

Boy In A Garden

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Planting at school. SC-162

Schoolchildren On An Island Picnic

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls and boys preparing to picnic. SC-243

Headmaster Of Onolevu District School, Early 1970's

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Relaxing after a long day at school. SCH-314

Photo of Headmaster Sitiveni Gaunavinaka.

Children In The Yard Of Onolevu District School

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Children in the schoolyard. SC-247

Boy At School In Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Schoolboy at his desk. SC-248

Boys Bring Branches To Use As Brooms

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
School boys on an errand. C-17

Girls Build Shelter For A Seaside Picnic

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
School girls settle into a picnic shelter they just built. C-118

Joyful Girls Escape From School

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
The littlest kids rush out of class at Onolevu District School. C-123

Schoolboys With Machetes Cutting Grass

Ono-i-Lau
Boys at Onolevu District School cut grass at the school with machetes. SC-74

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

That Other Way Of "Learning"… School.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiClass at Onolevu District School. SCH-312

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSix boys at the Onolevu District School. SC-242

Ono-i-Lau, FijiPlanting at school. SC-162

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGirls and boys preparing to picnic. SC-243

Ono-i-Lau, FijiRelaxing after a long day at school. SCH-314

Photo of Headmaster Sitiveni Gaunavinaka.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiChildren in the schoolyard. SC-247

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSchoolboy at his desk. SC-248

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSchool boys on an errand. C-17

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSchool girls settle into a picnic shelter they just built. C-118

Ono-i-Lau, FijiThe littlest kids rush out of class at Onolevu District School. C-123

Ono-i-LauBoys at Onolevu District School cut grass at the school with machetes. SC-74