Newsletter 2012 - Francis Holland School

When she saw we were not locals, the village health worker greeted us with
excitement and offered us our own “sulus” to wear so we felt part of the community.
After removing our shoes and sitting on a hand-woven bamboo mat in the chief’s
bure (a wooden and straw-roofed hut), Jona offered the chief the customary gift,
Kava. This is the root from the pepper plant, which Fijians usually mash up and
dilute with water to make into a drink. The ceremonial making and serving of Kava
is central to their culture, and Fijians spend many a night relaxing, chatting and
singing together over numerous bowls of Kava. Unfortunately, it was not really to
our taste: it resembled muddy river water and tasting not much different. Kava’s
only benefit was that it made us pleasantly sleepy.
We used our weekends to explore Viti Levu and some of the smaller islands
nearby. In Nadi, we visited the largest Hindu Temple in the southern hemisphere,
which is modelled on ancient Indian Dravidian architecture. It certainly stands out
with its vibrant colours, ornate carvings and frescos. We also went on a fascinating
excursion to the Navua district, where we visited a village, sampled traditional
Fijian food made in a “lovo” earth oven, watched traditional dances and learnt
how to make handicrafts using bamboo and stenciled motifs. Some of our most
memorable moments were those we shared with the family who ran our hostel. We
will never forget the warm evenings spent listening to live Fijian music, drinking
fruit cocktails and eating ‘Pa’s warm grilled bananas with coconut.’ Our whole
Fijian experience was incredible and we are so grateful that we had the opportunity
to learn so much from such lovely, warm and friendly people.