Bula!

Bula! That's the standard hearty Fijian greeting that makes you feel welcome and happy! The literal translation is "life" and is a shortened version meaning "to your good health". "Bula" shows up everywhere - on beer mugs, t-shirts, signs. It has become the country's slogan for tourism and it's such a warm and inviting word, so easy to say and infectious. Every country should have a word like "BULA"!

Vanua Levu Island

Yesterday we toured the island of Vanua Levu with Jimmy, our Fijian guide, and learned much about Fiji and its people.

Vanua Levu is the second largest island in Fiji and has two distinct climates zones divided by an interior mountain range. On the damper southeast side, copra farming (coconuts used for oil) is the main agricultural industry while sugarcane and pine forests grow in abundance on the dryer northwest side. On the north side, miles of narrow railroad tracks criss-cross the countryside for the sole purpose of transporting sugarcane to the large government-owned mill. The island is littered with small Fijian villages and a main market town on each side of the mountain range. Labosa, the northern town, was our main destination for the tour where we meandered through the market while Jimmy identified unfamiliar fruits and vegetables for us. Savusavu is the market town on the southeast side, where we are anchored in its harbor.

Near the towns, you will find many Indo-Fijian people - descendents from indentured laborers recruited in the late 19th century to work the sugar fields. Although the Indo-Fijians and native Fijians have developed a peaceful co-existence on Vanua Levu, their distinct cultures continue to be obvious in dress, language, religion, food and customs. For example, no Fijians work on Sundays but the Indian shops are open. In other parts of Fiji, tensions between the races continue to be a contentious political matter even 125 years later. Having become an independent republic (under the Commonwealth of Nations and the Queen of England) in 1970, government instability has plagued Fiji ever since, with full blown coups as recently as 2006. The balance of power between Indo-Fijians and Fijians is out of whack. Fijians own most of the land while Indo-Fijians dominate commerce. Even though racial tensions here are subdued, we heard prejudice in our guide Jimmy. He warned us that Indian merchants will charge higher prices to tourists, a practice he found dishonest and dispicable. (We experienced this ourselves when Eric bought the same batteries ranging from $2 to $15!) He told us Fijians do not care about money. They strive to earn only what they need and no more. Indians want more and more, a concept Fijians, and much of native South Pacific, do not understand.

Another tour stop was to Naag Mandir, a Hindu temple designed around a serpent-shaped rock that represents the Hindu snake god. This rock reportedly grows, so much that the roof of the temple has had to be raised to accommodate its larger size. Never having seen a Hindu temple before, I was intrigued by its bright colors and amusement-park architecture qualities. At the top of the 108 steps to view manequin representations of importants gods, I expected there to be a water slide. Each step represents a blessing so the steps were built half-size to create more steps and make climbing easier. Two young Indian girls were there pouring milk offerings to the snake god and others had left food. One of Jimmy's sisters converted to Hinduism so he was able to explain some of the rituals. It seems to be an interesting religion.

Our final stop was the Palmlea Lodge built five years ago and run by friendly ex-cruisers, Joe and Julie. Lunch was fabulous and I got an Indian Pumpkin recipe from the Fijian cook. Bear and I swam in the lap pool while Joe told Eric about his Boer goats that he is breeding to increase the meat yield per animal.

We are just beginning to explore Fiji but so far we are loving it!

Tonga recap

As I made my final morning jog through the streets of Neiafu this morning, I reflected on our six weeks in Tonga. We certainly enjoyed our time here - especially our week with good friends from the states, Paula and Tom Millar, and our island adventures with cruiser friends on Totem and IO. However, I leave with a strange feeling of negativity that is difficult to explain and makes me sad.

 

There are two distinct worlds attempting to co-exist in this small country: the native people and the ex-pat community, referred to as palangi (foreigner). The fallout of the collision of these polarized cultures has resulted in an uncomfortable setting. One Tongan woman, Ana, described the relationship between Tongan and palangi, "The palangi....," she scoffed, "they fight among themselves all the time. They always want to take each other to court. Tongans don't do that. We just laugh at them." Although it is not fair to categorize all palangi together, many in Tonga seem to have a superior attitude. They want to live in paradise and make a decent living. So they exploit this beautiful country and its natural resources, including the whales. They charge American prices but pay Tongan wages. Many don't bother to learn the Tongan language. On the morning cruisers net, they inappropriately bicker about petty things. Frankly, my uncomfortable feeling comes from being embarrassed by the fact that I am a palangi myself and somehow associated with "them". I even felt the Tongan people were not as friendly to me because I was one of "them". I wanted to get away from "them"! 

 

Being anchored away from the town (Neiafu) was a completely different feeling. On many islands, we visited villages, attended traditional feasts and went to churches and schools. We went diving, snorkeling and hiking.  The people were welcoming and sincere. In the Hapai group of islands we met palangi who were not saddled with the pettiness of Vavau. It was refreshing and pleasant. I felt disassociated with the full-time palangi of Vavau and that uncomfortable feeling dissipated. When I remember Tonga, these are the feelings and memories I hope will resurface from my time here.

 

Ann - September 14, 2010

SCUBA

Bear logged his tenth dive in Tonga when we went SCUBA diving with friends from Delos and Ghost. An octopus came within two feet of Bear at the end of the dive!

 

Karting around Tonga

For Ann's birthday, we rented go-kart type vehicles and toured the island of Uta Va vau. These karts will go anywhere! We zoomed through villages, carreened around jungle dirt roads and skidded down sandy beaches!

Beer Keg Raft

Our friends on Delos and Ghost stocked up on these awesome Heineken beer kegs in Papeete. Having consumed a couple dozen, it was time to put the empties to good use. A day at the beach resulted in the Beer Keg Raft, test piloted by Bear.

The Millars visit Tonga

Our good friends, Paula and Tom Millar, came to visit during our first week in Tonga. We had a fabulous time exploring caves and the nightlife in Neiafu.

Below, Bear and Ann enter Mariner's Cave.

 

 

Tom got a little fresh with one of the Faka Ladies!