Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Readers worldwide, wakey wakey rise and shine, it’s the beginning of a new era: The Hammock Society is now running Vorovoro so it’s goodbye Gapper FM and hello Hammock Society FM – Go Hammocks! And today, swinging away in the hammock is a man who embodies everything that is good about Fiji. A man who is a big fan of high tides and rough seas… welcome Api.

Bula sia.

So tell the readers who don’t know you what you do?

I am the Boat Captain, boat management. I look after the boat, make it clean, look after the fuel – make sure we have enough for all the trips, everything… make everything safe. I enjoy it so much. The best part is going out snorkelling and surfing with the reef trip.

Surfing! On a surfboard?

No, on my boat. We follow the waves on the outer reef. Wait for the big ones. Chase them… up, down, up, down hahahahaha… has to be high tide otherwise we crash into coral.

Have you ever crashed a boat?

Not yet. No crash. Well, one time during cyclone the boat got stuck on one big rock. Got trapped because of the bad weather. Everyone is always safe with me. We keep life jacket on the boats. We keep first aid box. Everybody OK. I enjoy my job very much. I am a happy man.

I notice you’re covered in tatoos. Tell me more, any prison stories?

Hahahahaha… I’m not a bad man, no no no…

The tattoos look home-made, where are they from?

They from my school times, was made by some of my friends, made for rememberance, memories. We buy a needle from the shop, file it down, heat it up, put in black ink, put in skin. It’s painful. No more pain for me.

I like the one on your back declaring ‘I’M PROUD THAT I’M BLACK’… what is your favorite one?

My favorite is the shark, the one on my chest, one of my cousins done that. I have enough now, no more.

As the new Project Director, one of my biggest fears is the tribe becoming shark food. Is that a realistic worry?

Got plenty sharks around. But it is OK. If you play with them they play back, no eating, no bites, no scars.

Readers, Tribewanted does not recommend playing with sharks. Nor do we offer shark playing lessons from our crazy captain.

I had a shark accident once.

Oh no…

It was at night time. I was night diving, the water was dirty. Me and the shark couldn’t see eachother, it was dark, we come at eachother and we bashed into eachother. CRASH!

Did he bite you?

No, his skin is rough like sandpaper. Cut my ear. I just got inside boat, put my band aid on and went back in, fish again.

You nut job! Sharks are attracted to blood. Why are you so fearless?

Because I know God is with me. Everything will be OK.

You’ve been working for tribewanted since the beginning, when it was just a baby, we’re now two years old. How did you find out about it?

My boss told me, an Indian man, he my boss at the time. Ben and him on the same flight from Nadi to Labasa. They had a yarn. Ben asked if he knew someone with a boat. My boss said “yes”. Ben asked if the boat had a captain. The boss said “yes, a Fijian man”, that is me. Ben came to my home, told me to pack my bags. Now here I am.

Here you are indeed, making friends from all over the world.

Many friends. From the start until now I have plenty friends from all over the world. All over the world.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would like to go to England. Visit the Queen.

What would you say to her?

Bula sia Queen. I bring my sevusevu so we can drink grog together.

Wouldn’t you prefer to sip some tea instead from her finest china cups?

No. Drink grog with the Queen. Sing some songs, some Vorovoro songs, make party.

What song would you sing to her?

A love song. We sing that in Vorovoro with the tribe.

Nice, serenading Queen Liz. That would make some great TV. But tell me Api, why do Fijians prefer love songs? Cos when you look through ipods you always select love songs.

Love song has meaning. We like to feel what we sing. Love song is the best. But better to learn the Fijian songs, good songs. ‘Daru Mai Lele’ is my favorite.

The tribe will be learning that song this afternoon as part of a language lesson. And then we can sing it together and drink some grog.

I enjoy grog, that is the place I always mess around. I play the guitar very well, I drink grog very well. Most days we drink grog. I need rest on Sunday but I’m still having grog on Sunday with the tribe.

Ah yes, we call it ‘Api Hour’!

It’s not bad, it’s good. We sit outside my house near the beach, drink grog , tell stories, sing songs and look at Kia… very pretty place.

Is this where you’re from?

My dad is from Kia, My mother is from Nabotini – the same village as Va, my father’s side from Kia. We have a family home there. My grandfather was chief, Tui Kia. In Kia there is no mosquitos. You can sleep on the beach without a mosquito net. No sand flies. Kia is my island but when I’m working I live on Vorovoro. My family live on the mainland now because of children schooling.

How many children do you have?

I’ve got four children: three daughters, one boy and one wife living in a village called Naqai. My oldest daughter is 16, my second is 14, my next is 12 and Johnny is 10. He looks just like the daddy.

He certainly does, it’s like a mini Api running round.

My boy Johnny make sulu for the tribe. He buys all his paint and all, buy material, writes message. He has his own bank account now with bank book. He saves his money for his schooling. Schooling is expensive in Fiji.

Do you miss your family when you’re working on Vorovoro?...

Sometimes, but I worry about the tribe. I enjoy being with them. New family.

You’re a good man Api, crazy, but good none the less. It’s time for our weekly reef trip to the world’s third largest reef, any last words Captain?

Thanks for cooperating with eachother, working with eachother and drinking grog with eachother. I think we better stop’Api Hour’ this week, save the water. We using to much water, we should use it for the food, it’s more important. I’m thinking of that, save water. See you.

Until next time… Chill out, don’t workout!