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

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Village Life: Part Two

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Village event. VL-279

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

Pounding Coconut Husk To Make Magimagi

Hauling Water

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Getting water from the cistern. VL-81

Bure With Outdoor Bathhouse

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Onolevu District School Compound. VL-84

Under The Trees

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young people gather for a family meal outdoors. VL-65

Woman In Doorway Of Bure

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Woman in doorway. VL-89

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.

Keeping The Outdoors Clean & Tidy

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
Young woman sweeping the village square. VL-96

Washing A Pot With Sand In The Ocean

Ono-i-Lau, Fiji
A job often also done by young girls. W-258

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, FijiVillage event. VL-279

Ono-i-Lau, FijiGetting water from the cistern. VL-81

Ono-i-Lau, FijiOnolevu District School Compound. VL-84

Ono-i-Lau, FijiYoung people gather for a family meal outdoors. VL-65

Ono-i-Lau, FijiWoman in doorway. VL-89