Everyone is family during a hurricane

pictures from Lau, Cakaudrove, Macuata.from w
A story from Vunivutu in Macuata shows that during a disaster such as a cyclone, neighbours have to become as family members to help each other to survive. All kinds of stories are now coming out about the events of early last week - some people hid under floorboards as the houses collapsed, others huddled in a generator shed, others were holed up at the North Pole Hotel in Labasa. Many went to the strongest building in the area - a hall, school or church. Ethnic difference does not matter as everyone needed to be protected from the wild wind.
from Fiji Sun
Cyclone binds new ties
3/23/2010
Out of adversity comes unity as Cyclone Tomas has shown, bringing a cane farming community together like never before. At the height of the cyclone last Monday, several cane farming families close to Vunivutu Village, in Macuata, took refuge in the village hall for days. Close to 100 people huddled in the cold in the village hall sheltering from the fierce winds and heavy rain.

A farmer, Arvin Kumar said they were thankful to the villagers for accommodating them at the village from the natural disaster which destroyed most of their farms. Mr Kumar said they were equipped with warm clothes and food rations for a few days as they camped at the village. “Most farmers from surrounding farming settlements in Vunivutu moved to the village hall for shelter two days before the Cyclone struck,” he said. “As the winds intensified, more families joined us as we tried to keep warm,” said Mr Kumar.

His new-found friend at the village, Rasakaia Baleibua said 14 families sheltered at the village.

Along with the destruction of Cyclone Tomas, a new relationship developed between the natives of Vunivutu and their farming neighbours. Mr Baleibua said during the time of disasters, people should look after each other despite their differences.

The shooting of the most watched worldwide television series Survivor was taken at the very same village of Vunivutu few years ago.

A breadfruit tree in Vunivutu village

from w
There's a story to go with these paintings I made yesterday to illustrate an anecdote Peceli told while we were drinking kava a couple of nights ago.

As the twilight changes into night the roosters and hens settle into their resting places on the breadfruit tree. The village quietens down apart from a small group of men drinking kava. There are two visitors in the village, an Australian older couple of Russian descent, the in-laws of one of the men who married a vavalagi girl from Sydney and they live there. Pita was proud to take his in-laws to see Fiji, and especially to experience life in the village. They are taken to the chief’s house and given the best bed in the village out of respect for visitors.

But the birds don’t know that. All is well for several hours until one of the hens falls from her perch on a branch to land on top of another hen. They start squawking and cackling. One rooster, Toatagane, opens an eye and notices a light. Oh, it’s morning already? He doesn’t know it’s just a kerosene lantern with the kava drinkers still going. He decides to clear his throat to start his morning song. It’s about 3 am. The second rooster wakes up, joins in, then the third. There is a cacophony of sound now.

Did I tell you where the breadfruit tree is situated? Well, it’s just outside the window of the chief’s bure, right near the big double-bed. The Russian-Australian visitors jump up, wondering what’s going on, look out the window and see all the birds wide awake and singing their songs joyfully. The man gets out his torch and looks at his watch. Only 3 am!

In the morning a breakfast of pancakes and tea and coconut cake is spread out on a nice tablecloth on the pandanus mats for the two special visitors, who rub their eyes sleepily. The man says to his son-in-law, ‘I’ll give you two hundred dollars if you’ll do something for me.’ Pita doesn’t know what he’s talking about. ‘If you can catch all those noisy chooks and kill them, the money is yours!’

This is a slightly embellished but true story from Vunivutu village, Macuata, Fiji. Peceli told us this story as we drank kava a couple of nights ago. Vunivutu is where the last series of ‘Survivor’ was filmed.