One little piggy went to market

from w
Here's a cute Levuka pig story that is in the features of the Fiji Times. A pig that refused to go to an ordination in Namosi and be cooked. Good story from our tauvu from Levuka.
If this pig could fly
Paula Tagivetaua
Tuesday, November 08, 2011

The photo - Levuka parishioner Pita Lomani at Laucala Bay Parish in Suva and the pig that got away on its way to Namosi. Picture: PAULA TAGIVETAUA

THIS is the story of a pig that escaped the lovo. It was told by Pita Lomani from the Catholic parish in Levuka, Ovalau. He called me yesterday from Laucala Bay Parish in Suva as he and members of the parish from Levuka were about to go back home. They had come in last week and travelled to Namosi for the ordination of Father Ioane Simione on Saturday.

After the ordination, about 6pm, they left Namosi to return to Laucala Bay where they were billeted.

"At Namosi, the big story was about the pig that escaped," Pita said. "The delegation from Solevu in Bua had come with a pig which was to be their magiti at the ordination and Ra man Fr Toni, Fr Veremo's assistant in Solevu, was in charge of the pig."

On the way to Namosi, they burst a tyre and stopped at a bridge to change it and when they got on again, they told Fr Toni "Father, sa leva 'a vuaka" ù Father, the pig is missing.

The Ra priest did something priests normally do not do ù swear in the Bua dialect. They searched, could not find the pig and continued to Namosi minus their magiti.

After the ordination, the party from Levuka returned to Laucala Bay parish where they were billeted and along the way, their parish priest, Fr Emeri of Bua, said to stop and eat the food they brought from the ceremony.

They stopped by the bridge and were eating when Fr Emeri saw the pig under the bridge. "We waded across the river, sulu and all and caught the pig," said Pita. "While we were there, a carrier arrived with Bua people who were still in Namosi. Some people had seen the pig on the way up and came back with men to catch the pig but when they came, Fr Emeri told them sorry, they were taking the pig to Levuka because they had caught it."

The men could not do anything and returned to Namosi empty-handed.

On Sunday, the Levuka delegation went back to Namosi for Fr Ioane's first Mass.

"The news of the missing pig was all over the place and was a joke," said Pita. "The Tui Namosi said the missing pig was the highlight of the ordination ù sa yawa na vuaka qori, kau mai wai ki vanua ki wai tale ù mai Solevu ki Nabukebuke i vanua ki Nabukebuke i wai."

Pita said Fr Aston from Bougainville in PNG was part of their delegation.

"When we left Namosi on Saturday, they loaded some dalo into our van and Fr Aston commented that they did not include something to go with the dalo. When we caught the pig, Fr Aston said it was probably meant to be because they had only given us dalo."

The delegation from Levuka left Suva at midday yesterday.

Pita said their parish priest had not decided what they would do with the pig but one thing is sure ù the pig will be wishing it could fly.