The chief's blog on the tribewanted site informs that the big bure (building) on Vorovoro Island is now complete. Photos are here.
The sides are partly open on the bure, by the look, so let's hope the rain and wind don't come in horizontally in the hurricane season! Apparently it has been raining in Fiji nearly every day for the past six weeks. No wonder people are edgy about politics in Suva - not that politics really affects people in Vorovoro!
It seems that there are numerous occasions where the visitors spend time with the local people so this is quite unlike an adventure island/the beach movie/Survivor type of experience where you have the island to yourself and just have to manage. It seems that at every step they take there is interaction with Fijian people and that might be great for some, but annoying for others! Some of the Mali women are pictured here;
They mention getting a Fijian horticulturalist to advise them on planting seeds, etc. They should have done this the very first week and they would have green leafy veggies by now. Cassava and dalo take several months also.
I wonder if the money is still coming in, because their costs must be rather high without subsistence living and growing their own fruit and vegetables, catching fish and other seafoods. If they have to purchase rice etc. in town, then with travel in and out of Labasa the costs will be higher than expected. Part of the deal apparently is that food is free for the tribewanted members who come. So has that worked out okay I wonder.
W.
have you really made a thorough search on BEN KEENE AND MARK COS ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE IN GOOGLE THESE TWO ARE CON ARTISTS TRYING TO REAP OFF INNOCENT PEOPLE.I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW THE SCHOOL IN MALI CAN BENEFIT FROM THESE PEOPLE BRINGING IN A BOOK EACH ARE THEY NUTS? KIDS DONT WANT TO READ ROMANTIC NOVELS OR MILLS AND BOONS THEY WANT SOMETHING INTERESTING LIKE TEXT BOOKS THAT WILL BENEFIT THEM IN YEARS TO COME.
ReplyDeleteMark bowness and ben keene are just two pomees who just want to make quick bucks.Type in Mark Bowness in Google and you can read all about their schemes.
ReplyDeleteI saw Tui Mali listening to Ben's I-Pod.From what i see is that Ben is nothing but a con artist trying to brain wash Tui mali.Anyone can own an IPod the thing is the people on the Island have no excess to these latest technology.Tui mali for sure can own hundreds of IPods.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I have read sites that tell these stories.
ReplyDeleteDon't think that the Mali people are so naive. There are trade-offs. They are getting paid - I hope - for their contribution to clearing, building and surely getting fed, receiving whales teeth, etc. Making requests to the visitors.
Whatever you think, it is a motivational exercise for the Mali people anyway.
Let's see how soon the money runs out though.
As for a book per person- yeah, that is really mamaqi (mean).
We sent computers, beds, crates of primary school text books to Mali District School from Geelong last year. Half a container full. The rest went to street kids projects in Suva and stuff for the hospital in Taveuni. That's the way to go. You are right about one book per person! Generosity is a Pacific way so that is just too careful with your money!
W.
As founder of Tribewanted, alongside Mark, I feel frustrated about what is continually being written about Mark online as my experience of working with him does not fit with the accusations that appear here and on other blogs.
ReplyDeleteIn 'Tribewanted' Mark has developed a concept that is now being built both online and in reality Fiji. It is inspiring people and making a difference to their lives on a daily basis (both local Fijians and tribe members). It is a good thing.
We're all exceptionally lucky to be part of this and the bottom line is that without Mark Tribewanted would never have happened.
When you go into business with someone you have to trust them implicitly. This trust was never compromised by Mark. He was commited, honest and passionate from day one.
Mark was clear and frank with me from the start about his past and my judgement was that here was a guy with great ideas who was learning (aren't we all?). Aside from his creative overdrive the reason I went for this with Mark was because I beleived he was a good person who wanted to do this for the right reasons. That belief has not changed in my mind.
Mark continues to be actively involved in promoting Tribewanted and is an excellent support to me and the team.
Those who continue to have doubts make sure you tune into the BBC this autumn when a detailed observational documentary on Tribewanted will tell the full story.
If you have any further questions about Tribewanted or Mark please get in touch.
Hope to see you on Vorovoro
moce,
Ben
www.tribewanted.com
Bula si'a Ben,
ReplyDeleteThis is quite an old posting that you dug up.
If you check ALL the posts we have made about Vorovoro Island you will notice that 99% of them are postive and affirming of the tribewanted project.
When people criticize do you ignore it as ill-informed, or learn from it and then just get on with it?
Do you expect me to delete those comment posts?
w.
I am looking forward to when the FULL story comes out. Is this the TRUE story though? mmmm, I bet not :(
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would like to add that I hope that Tribewanted does succeed but only that Mark is far from having any involvement in it.
Anon mouse,
ReplyDeleteyou are still looking up this old post. Read the current ones! The tribewanted need good publicity of course - they want their project to survive, but hey, go along yourself and see.
It is certainly a better way to go than these multi-million dollar resorts where foreigners play and local Fiji people serve them and get $1.60 an hour for their effort and smiles.
Did you see the advertisement for a freehold island for sale - Vanua Vatu - for $75 million. Now that is really obscene and who gets the money - I'm sure it's not the original landowners. Sobosobo!
w.
For the first time in 15 months I have decided to comment on these posts online. You can read my comments here: http://www.peoplepassionplanet.com/?p=149
ReplyDeleteMy intention is to provide a context to these comments and not get into online conversation with anonymous comments. If anyone would like to discuss these comments with my face to face, get in touch, I would be happy to do so.
Please also take a look at details of the Channel 4 4Talent award I have recently won: http://www.peoplepassionplanet.com/?p=150
Mark Bowness
Hello Mark,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very old posting and I didn't delete the critical/abusive comments because they needed to be addressed and answered.
Vorovoro is going very well these days and the relationship between visitors and locals has proved that the concept works. Thanks for the link to your website.
w.
Wendy,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your comments. You are undeniably right, that they needed to be answered. I dont disagree with that, nevertheless, in the context of the personal situation they had to be answered when I was ready and now I am.
I am proud of Vorovoro, of what Ben and I, the team and all the tribe members have built and I am proud of the foundation that it was built on.
Thank you for your continued support,
Mark Bowness
The link to my response has now changed to: http://peoplepassionplanet.com/?p=155
ReplyDeleteMark Bowness
Thank you Mark.
ReplyDeleteW.