Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Preparing for The Half Way Mark Celebration, March 1, 2008

Obviously we all feel that there is something very special about reaching the half way point in the existence of Tribewanted here on Vorovoro and so construction projects (the Ecotricity Hut and new shower walls) will come to a halt sometime tomorrow as work begins on the grounds and gardens so that Vorovoro will look it’s best on Saturday. This celebration is beginning to take on far reaching importance. Food planning has begun, invitations sent and this morning Tevita, Kessa, Frances and I went over the lists of what needs to be purchased to host about 60 people who will arrive at Malau at 8:30 on the infamous Malau Bus and board our boats for the 35 minute boat trip here to Vorovoro.

I am seated looking out to sea in the outdoor kitchen area, TuiMali is here, the guys are singing with guitar accompaniment around the tanoa just in front of the Gran Bure; the sun has just set and the colors are extending across the sky, the seas are calm and the tide is slowly rising. We have had the first sunny day in about four days; a welcome breeze is blowing after a very muggy breezeless day. Everyone did wash today and mattresses and linen came out for an airing in the sun. It is again, one of those perfect evenings. I can hear Marau, Sossi, Leavi and Tale laughing at their non stop teasing and joking as always on these easy evenings when TuiMali comes for his weekly visit and we have SevuSevu for the new arrivals, 5 since last Tuesday.

The very enjoyable film crew from New Caladonia will be leaving on Wedensday and 5 new tribe members arrive, they won’t have much time to learn the Mekes that we will do for our guests on Saturday, but we have had a few good afternoon and evening practices already and things are shaping up quickly. Save has developed some good techniques for helping us to pick up the moves more quickly; Tevita has been joining in to give emphasis to the character of the moves. TuiMali is enjoying that people are less stiff while doing the Meke these days, and really having fun with them. Occasionally they tell us a few bits and pieces of the stories which the Meke hand and body movements are telling and it helps to remember, but still, we have yet to be told the whole story! The Meke is such an important part of the Fijian culture, history is past down through these Mekes, books are still pretty hard to come by here and very expensive. I was told by Save that the reason they can all remember our names and phrases in foreign languages that we teach them is because they learn young to memorize because of the shortage of books in the schools. Sadly enough, the performance of Meke and the singing of traditional Fijian songs just for the enjoyment of it and for local celebration is slowly dying out, thus it is all the more important that these traditions find importance here on Vorovoro, the Tribe being a good excuse for learning the Meke and performing them.

Saturday will also be the chief hand over day, it will be my pleasure to turn the chiefdom over to Jim, to see the continuation of work that has begun this month and so will stay in the same vein. It is too bad that all chiefs cannot come a couple weeks early to fall into the role.

It is not easy to see the end of my stay and my time as chief approaching. How easy it is to become one with this island, and become a part of the Vorovoro family, and for those reasons so very hard to leave.

New members arrive tomorrow and the cycle continues. The half way mark has been reached and with Tribewanted in good health. The challenge now is to solidify this project into something that the Mali people will be proud to carry on with in the form that they choose. Tribewanted is a challenge to the people who have “invented” it, a great thing to be involved with for those of us who have joined, it has also been a big gamble for the chief of Mali who has put his reputation on the line with his own people and here in Fiji to try this new way of bringing people to Fiji. We honor TuiMali and his people this coming Saturday for attempting this experiment with us. TuiMali is very proud that local officials as well as teachers and administrators of The All Saints Secondary School, serving over 1000 students, will be attending. We start at 8 in the morning to ferry the guests from Malau on our 30’ open boats. I am honored to be here to share this moment with TuiMali, our Vorovoro Team of Mali men and women who work daily with us and teach us, and of course, with the tribe members here on the island.

Cheers/Bula
TRIBEWANTED!