I briefly introduced these two aspects of Dravuni in earlier postings. In the posting: Solo Lighthouse: beams light to ward off mariners from its treacherous rocks; hides secrets from the past, I touched on the volcanic characteristics of the Solo Reefs and the Solo rock on which Solo Lighthouse stands today. In my Reflection: It…
Tag: Kadavu
The Legend of Tanovo and Tautaumolau Published
The last blog on this subject, posted on 18/12/17, was titled: History in the Making in Children’s Books Soon to be Published. The legend, as a reminder, has been published in both English and in the Dravuni dialect. Much has happened since then. Publication, dated 2017, was done through the Institute of Education (IOE) of…
Reefs’ names reveal either prominent features or star occupants
In ‘Solo Lighthouse: beams light to ward off mariners from its treacherous rocks; hides secrets from the past,’ I referred to the collective ownership of the Great Astrolabe Reef and Lagoon under the headship of Tui Ono. That is the legal position. Throughout the length of the Great Astrolabe Reef and Lagoon, however, there are…
Solo Lighthouse: Beams light to ward off mariners from its treacherous rocks; hides secrets from the past
Solo Lighthouse was built in 1888. The lighthouse stands on a massive rock surrounded by the circular Solo Reef, also known as the North Astrolabe Reef, adjacent to the Great Astrolabe Reef and Lagoon. The Solo Reef is actually the crater of a distinctive volcanic system, now extinct, and the massive rock in its centre…
Three-tailed Comet Marked an Unprecedented Early 1800s in Fiji
In The village site changed with Time, I discussed “the most infamous cargo brought in by the crew of the ‘Argo’ – being the Asian cholera, which became known as the ‘wasting disease’ or lila balavu to the Fijians. I added that: “The lila balavu reached Dravuni, like it did in many parts of Fiji, and…
A new poem has been added to the archive…
Check out the Poetry page for select poems written by Kaliopate Tavola since 1980. The newest poem to be added to the archive is Vunilagi… Vunilagi Once With toes in the wet sand I could see it – with the innocent lens of a sun-baked village lad It was all around me I was imprisoned by…
Reviving the Dravuni Dialect
In the previous blog post, “Benefit from the Exhibition Continues,” published on 12.02.17, had referred to the two planned publications arising from the ‘Dravuni: Sivia yani na Vunilagi – Beyond the Horizon’ exhibition. The illustrated publications are based on the legend: ‘Tanovo and Tautaumolau’. The Dravuni children provide the illustrations. The publications are essentially children’s…
Prospect of Growth in Tourism
You will note from ‘Dravuni – Rural Village Economy’, posted on 13.03.17, the prominence of the tourism sector in this rural island economy. The prospect of further growth is on the cards given the interests from various hoteliers to date. Yaukuve Sewa or Yaukuve Lailai is adjacent and very close to Yaukuve Levu, location of…
Collective vis-à-vis Individualistic Approach: Seeking Solution
The phenomenon of collective vis-à-vis individualistic approach has been broached in some of my earlier posts. In Dravuni – Rural Village Economy, for example, I mentioned that the pursuit of individual employment in Kokomo Resorts has reduced the amount of labour available for collective tasks in the village. In Recalling When Copra was King, I…
Recalling When Copra was King
In Dravuni–Rural Village Economy, I briefly referred to the copra industry being at death’s door after decades of prominence on the island. Like many islands in Fiji – large and small, the industry was the economic lifeblood for those islands and islanders. I grew up in the village during the heyday of the copra industry….
Babale: the Sea Serpent of much of my Life
In the blog post: ‘Romanticizing Village Life’, published on 08.10.16, I had reminisced about the bounty of the sea and reflected on the annual visitations of shoals of small fishes: daniva and sara. I also commented on how village culture was necessarily adapting itself to welcoming and accommodating these annual visitations, specifically on how to…
Early Schooling was Fraught with Loneliness and Drudgery
In my blog post, ‘Benefit from the Exhibition Continues’, I referred to Dravuni Primary School (classes 1-4 only) and the kindergarten. These are learning institutions on the island that did not exist at the time when I was attending primary schooling. There certainly was no pre-schooling opportunity at the time. I attended Naqara District School…
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