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

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Everyday Life 50 Years Ago.

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Wash day in Ono. VL-280

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

Doing The Dishes

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Outdoor drying rack. VL-281

Washing The Clothes

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Laundry time. VL-282

Water From The Well

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Ground water. VL-284

Daisies And Bure In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Bure on the Onolevu School grounds. VL-286

Search Terms: Thatching, roofline, ridge, bure, traditional, Fiji.

Copra Dries In The Sun

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Coconut drying rack along the beach. VL-300

Medical Doctor Stationed At Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young doctor working in the Ono clinic, early 1970's. Dr. Josaia Taka was a member of the 1987 Fiji Rugby team that got to the Rugby World Cup Final. He also was manager of the 1991 Fiji Team at the World Cup in France. Dr. Taka came from Namuka, Nakelo, and died in 2009.

VL-288

Sticks For Knocking Fruit Out Of Trees By Kitchen Door

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Huge trees full of mangos, breadfruit & other foods are harvested regularly. VL-288

Matches And Bulumakau At The Vasara Store

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji

Luke Cakau, Storekeeper.
Cloth, condensed milk, curry powder, flour, rice. VL-5

The Old "Chinese Store"

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
This store was being used as a personal home. It was replaced by the Vasara Store. A pandanus mat takia sail hangs from the porch to protect it. VL-13

Ono-i-Lau Feast

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Pig and breadfruit in woven palm baskets. F-113

Coconut Grater

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Artful coconut grater. VL-292

Vasara Store In Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls head to the island store. VL-109

Calm, Orderly Island Village

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Swept clean, a spotless trail to an Ono-i-Lau bure. VL-88

Stormy Day With Rain & Wind

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Unusually wet weather and strong winds pelt the Onolevu District School yard. VL-111

Bures With Coconut Tree

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tranquil morning. VL-86

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

Village Life In Ono-i-Lau

Everyday Life 50 Years Ago.

Woman With Laundry

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Wash day in Ono. VL-280

Doing The Dishes

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Outdoor drying rack. VL-281

Washing The Clothes

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Laundry time. VL-282

Water From The Well

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Ground water. VL-284

Daisies And Bure In Ono

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Bure on the Onolevu School grounds. VL-286

Copra Dries In The Sun

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Coconut drying rack along the beach. VL-300

Medical Doctor Stationed At Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young doctor working in the Ono clinic, early 1970's. Dr. Josaia Taka was a member of the 1987 Fiji Rugby team that got to the Rugby World Cup Final. He also was manager of the 1991 Fiji Team at the World Cup in France. Dr. Taka came from Namuka, Nakelo, and died in 2009.

VL-288

Sticks For Knocking Fruit Out Of Trees By Kitchen Door

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Huge trees full of mangos, breadfruit & other foods are harvested regularly. VL-288

Matches And Bulumakau At The Vasara Store

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji

Luke Cakau, Storekeeper.
Cloth, condensed milk, curry powder, flour, rice. VL-5

The Old "Chinese Store"

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
This store was being used as a personal home. It was replaced by the Vasara Store. A pandanus mat takia sail hangs from the porch to protect it. VL-13

Ono-i-Lau Feast

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Pig and breadfruit in woven palm baskets. F-113

Coconut Grater

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Artful coconut grater. VL-292

Vasara Store In Ono-i-Lau

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls head to the island store. VL-109

Calm, Orderly Island Village

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Swept clean, a spotless trail to an Ono-i-Lau bure. VL-88

Stormy Day With Rain & Wind

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Unusually wet weather and strong winds pelt the Onolevu District School yard. VL-111

Bures With Coconut Tree

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tranquil morning. VL-86

Everyday Life 50 Years Ago.

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWash day in Ono. VL-280

Ono-i-Lau, FijiOutdoor drying rack. VL-281

Ono-i-Lau, FijiLaundry time. VL-282

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGround water. VL-284

Ono-i-Lau, FijiBure on the Onolevu School grounds. VL-286

Ono-i-Lau, FijiCoconut drying rack along the beach. VL-300

Ono-i-Lau, FijiYoung doctor working in the Ono clinic, early 1970's. Dr. Josaia Taka was a member of the 1987 Fiji Rugby team that got to the Rugby World Cup Final. He also was manager of the 1991 Fiji Team at the World Cup in France. Dr. Taka came from Namuka, Nakelo, and died in 2009.

VL-288

Ono-i-Lau, FijiHuge trees full of mangos, breadfruit & other foods are harvested regularly. VL-288

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji

Luke Cakau, Storekeeper.Cloth, condensed milk, curry powder, flour, rice. VL-5

Ono-i-Lau, FijiThis store was being used as a personal home. It was replaced by the Vasara Store. A pandanus mat takia sail hangs from the porch to protect it. VL-13

Ono-i-Lau, FijiPig and breadfruit in woven palm baskets. F-113

Ono-i-Lau, FijiArtful coconut grater. VL-292

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGirls head to the island store. VL-109

Ono-i-Lau, FijiSwept clean, a spotless trail to an Ono-i-Lau bure. VL-88

Ono-i-Lau, FijiUnusually wet weather and strong winds pelt the Onolevu District School yard. VL-111

Ono-i-Lau, FijiTranquil morning. VL-86

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Wash day in Ono. VL-280

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Outdoor drying rack. VL-281

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Laundry time. VL-282

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Ground water. VL-284

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Bure on the Onolevu School grounds. VL-286

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Coconut drying rack along the beach. VL-300

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young doctor working in the Ono clinic, early 1970's. Dr. Josaia Taka was a member of the 1987 Fiji Rugby team that got to the Rugby World Cup Final. He also was manager of the 1991 Fiji Team at the World Cup in France. Dr. Taka came from Namuka, Nakelo, and died in 2009.

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Huge trees full of mangos, breadfruit & other foods are harvested regularly. VL-288

Luke Cakau, Storekeeper.
Cloth, condensed milk, curry powder, flour, rice. VL-5

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
This store was being used as a personal home. It was replaced by the Vasara Store. A pandanus mat takia sail hangs from the porch to protect it. VL-13

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Pig and breadfruit in woven palm baskets. F-113

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Artful coconut grater. VL-292

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Girls head to the island store. VL-109

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Swept clean, a spotless trail to an Ono-i-Lau bure. VL-88

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Unusually wet weather and strong winds pelt the Onolevu District School yard. VL-111

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Tranquil morning. VL-86