Sparks - Week 2 Field Notes

Note Index | Emily Sparks

Emily Sparks Week 2 Field Notes excerpts - Life in the Village

Friday 9/10/99

Today I got a small glimpse of tourism in Fiji -- and the hospital in Vaileka. I'm not sure if I want to do my thesis on tourism, but I found out some information by doing a casual interview (just asking some questions) with Sunjay, a grounds keeper at the Wananunu (sp?) resort. A smooth operator, Sunjay told me some his opinions on tourism, and what's it's like to work in tourism.
TOURISM -- Sunjay

We drove down the bumpy road to the resort. Steve and Karen were going to meet us there after doing an errand, so we wandered around. We found Sunjay sweeping the grounds, and he took us to the area where we could pick up snorkeling equipment. Sunjay is quite a character -- an Indian man, probably in his thirties, about 5'10" or so, he has a mustache, and was wearing sunglasses, and a straw hat that says his name on it. However, he told us that this is just a nickname, and that nobody knows his real name. Certainly a smooth operator, Sunjay tried to impress us with his coolness. He smoked cigarettes, took everything slowly, and lead us around the grounds a bit. For example, he kept saying that everything is "no problem, no worries," and he bragged to us about his party-life in Suva. "When I go there, I stay until all my money is out, just partying, drinking beers, big parties. I don't like to come back until all my money that I bring is gone. I have friends that I stay with there, whenever I want to go, I stay with them." (He must not have a family -- which fits with his image of a "cool" bachelor). He also said that most of his friends are Fijians, not Indians, and that he is the only Indian that works as a groundskeeper in the hotel, the rest are Fijians. Also, when I cut my hand cutting a piece of cane, he said, "Don't worry about it," and got some grass from the field that numbed my cut.

Sunjay seemed to have a job that encompassed many jobs. A grounds keeper (we first met him while he was tending to the grounds -- raking), a handyman -- when he brought us to the shed to get snorkel gear, there was a shed where he started to work on fixing something. He also helps the visitors -- he helped us get snorkel equipt. and drove us out to the other island, and picked us up.

Sunjay said that he to live on the other side of the resort, and went to Suva ( technical school, I think) for schooling -- and when he came back, there was a resort where his house used to be. [I don't think that he meant the resort tore his house down, I think he just meant that it changed the layout of the land.] Consequently, he built a new house on the other side of the resort (he pointed to the hills in back).
Sunjay's Attitudes towards tourism

[At first when Sunjay told us that the resort took over where he used to live, I thought that he would have a negative attitude towards the resort,] however, on the contrary, he thought that it was a good thing for Fiji.

Sunjay said that the resort brought electricity to the area, where before he left for school there was none. He told a story about how when he was young he did his homework by putting a small piece of string in a jar, dipping it in kerosene, and doing his homework by that light. "But now a days kids here have lights, electricity, television, we just had little kerosene lamps." Also, Sunjay pointed out, the resort gives many people who live in the area good jobs. Overall, he thought that tourism is good for Fiji, because it helps the economy. He said that what he likes best about working in tourism is meeting people from all over.
Sunjay's Relationship with Tourists

Sunjay mentioned that he has several friends that come to the resort every year from Australia and NZ, and when they come, they always go out and party together. Sunjay said that he likes the "regulars," likes to talk with them about what life is like back home, and compare it to life in Fiji. "They are interesting to me, but mainly when they come, they just want to relax and have a good time -- which is good, because I like to do that too." He said that he likes showing them around Fiji as well. "I bring them to Suva, or to other places, that they enjoy seeing. We go out for meals, and then at night we go out and have some beers."
HOSPITAL VISIT

Today I cut my thumb open trying to cut open a stick of sugarcane (typical). Sunjay's herbal remedy numbed it for a while, but there was still blood and dried grass-juice all over my thumb. Luckily Andy had a band-aid, but that didn't hold up very well in the salt water, and the cut re-opened at the beach. Instead of going snorkeling in the afternoon, Steve and Jiu took me to the hospital in (just outside of Vaileka). We walked in the one-story building, and first walked into a sitting room. Then Jiu took us down the hall to the last room on the right, the "treatment room." Each room off of this hallway (there were 3 or 4 on each side I think) had a name.

I followed Jiu towards the sound of screaming children towards the treatment room. We sat down on the bench, where two other children were ahead of us getting penicillin shots. I observed that the nurse disposed of the needles in a plastic container sitting by the open window (with no screen). In front of the bench there was a screen where the children were getting their shots.

[I have to admit that when it was my turn to go beyond the screen I worried. I thought that I wouldn't be bothered by this hospital -- but it was just so different from any hospital that I've ever seen. I wondered - if I was going to get a shot or stitches, would the needles be clean? Who would be doing the stitches? Are the utensils clean? I saw no dry-heat cleaning apparatuses, no newly packaged needles, the trash was just a waste paper basket, nothing seemed sealed off to prevent the spread of germs.]

Everything turned out fine of course. I dipped my hand in newly laid out antibacterial liquid (I had to ask if it was new, but was embarrassed by my question). The nurse (named Margaret) put a bandage on my thumb with some antibacterial creme, and told me that if I needed to come back to change the bandage, she would change it for me. No fees.
Thoughts on the Meal at the Resort

I feel a bit guilty about having dinner at the resort. Not only were the others unable to join us, (while they did a sevusevu), we didn't even pay for the meal! (On Bill Thomas).

We told a woman at the bar that we wanted to eat dinner there, and apparently she never told the man who was the head of the dining room, because when he came around to serve us a drink, he didn't know that our group was going to be eating there. He told us that the dining room was full, but said that he could serve us early, but that we would have to leave once we were done with dinner.

[What struck me as interesting about this, was that he was still welcoming, and inviting, and said that we didn't have to rush through dinner, but at the same time, he was honest and up front about us having to leave when we finished dinner. There was no smoozing, or fakeness about the trade-off. We didn't feel like we had to rush through dinner, and it wasn't made into a big deal. It was very easy going]

Saturday 9/12/99

Most of today was spent dropping people off at their respective villages. I was the second to last one to be dropped off, (Erinn was the last), so after the sevusevu Lucy and I went to bed.

At Andrew's sevusevu we learned a bit about the joking relationship that Jerry (the man that represented us at the sevusevu) has with his mother's family -- in Nakorokula. He referred to this relationship as his vasu -- "his mother's people." I noticed the joking relationship in the house (although didn't understand any of it because they were speaking in Fijian), but people seemed to be bantering one another, and there was lots of laughing. Also, he said, because this was his mother's people, he was allowed to ask anything of them.

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Sunday 9/12/99 -- WEEK TWO (first week in Navolou)
Summary

Today was my first full day in Navolou. There are lots of kids in this house. I'm not sure which ones live here, sometimes sleep here, or just hang out. Ilimo said that with Patricia (pronounced Patreesi-a), she wanted to stay last night, only because I was here.

Last night my Tata asked me if I wanted to go with them to their son's boarding school service, which is about 3 hours away. Because I didn't want to cause any trouble I told them what ever is convenient for them. Nana suggested that if I want to go, I should wake up early (at 4:30), help Lucy cook (the 19 year old daughter), and we could go from there. Nana doesn't speak as much English as the other adults, and she speaks to me very slowly in Fijian, (thinking that I will understand it?). Lucy acts as the translator -- everyone (except Tata) speaks in Fijian, and Lucy politely tells me what they are asking or talking about.

So, anticipating that I should wake up early, I really didn't sleep at all, and I actually got up out of bed around 4:30 or 5am, and went out into the kitchen. Lucy was just finishing cooking the meal, and we sat down in the sitting room. I sat down and talked with Tata, some of the children and Ilimo. With Ilimo I think we talked about some differences between America and Fiji. (But I was so tired, I don't really remember any of the conversations that clearly). We talked about the weather differences (that we have a very cold season, and a warm season; and here the weather doesn't change as drastically). We also talked about differences in education. Both Ilimo and Tata were interested to know the education system, and the prices of things (education, cars, plane fare). Ilimo is the eldest child (31), and his English is very good. He doesn't really ask that many questions, but is always willing to, and comfortable making conversation.

Tata and Nana left to go to the boarding school. We, the children had breakfast (rice and curry and tea), and then went to the river for a bath. The walk up to the river was beautiful -- we walked along the ledge where Naibuka and Peni were taking the cows out, and other boys and men were doing the same thing. In one direction was the mountain, (where tourists come and take pictures, Lucy told me) and behind us, looking down the hill was the sea, with a wall of tall coconut trees in front of it. We walked up the river, passing groups of women and children bathing until we found our own pool -- it was Lucy, myself, Pasemaca, and Bereta. I wrapped my sulu around me, and sunk into the cool fresh water. It felt very clean. We washed, and played in the water a bit. The view was beautiful -- we were in the river, looking up at high rocks, almost like a canyon, with large ferns, trees, bushes, and vines. When we were done, we came back, got changed, and went to church. (I'll go into more detail later).

After church we had a large meal of cassava and roro and fish, and then took a nap. The three other girls thought that I would be getting homesick, so they didn't leave my side the whole day. Bereta jumped in bed with me, and Lucy and Pasemaca slept on the floor. We slept for about one hour, when we awoke to about 8 people standing in the doorway of my room. Lucy woke up, and they started laughing, and gave her a baby to hold, then all ran away laughing. [I think that it might of been a way to peek at me.]

In the afternoon Lucy baked rolls, and I took a walk to the shop with Bereta and Pase. (I'll explain the shop later). After that we went for a walk by the sea, around the village, where I met some people, introduced myself, and explained my stay in Navolou, and came back and ate dinner.

At night the children kept running in and out of my room, laughing as they peered in. [I always feel like they're watching me -- through the windows, at the door, etc. They are adorable, and fun to play with, but when I'm writing up my field notes I feel uncomfortable as they look over my shoulder at every word I type, I'll have to try and get the notes done when they are at school.]
CHURCH (Methodist)

The church is located at the top of the village, behind this house. It is a white building. The entrance has a stone wall in front of it, and people walk around it to enter. Windows line the sides, and at the other end is a blue and green stained-class window. The pews are wooden. There are about 15 rows on each side facing the front, and about 7 in front running parallel to the podium. There were probably about 60 people in the church. The women sat on one side, and the men on the other. Children sat in front (youngest in the front row) -- they had Bible school an hour before church started.

The church service we attended started at 10:30. (The first morning prayer was at 7am, and Monday through Friday there is a morning service at 4am, of which I can hear the singing and the church call (a wooden stick call) through the window -- Tata usually goes to this service). The service ran until about 11:45. The service was in Fijian, so I didn't understand much, the singing was beautiful -- 4 part harmonies. Unfortunately I was really feeling no sleep from the night before, so it was a struggle for me to stay awake. Nevertheless, I could tell that the minister delivered a powerful speech, he yelled at made gestures upwards, and then pointed his finger at the congregation.

When it came time for the minister to break the bread, and give it to the people, he first called up a group of about 7 or 8 older men. Then, he called up about the same number of older women, breaking pieces off of a loaf of bread each time. Then, for the third group, he called up a mixed group of younger (not teenagers though) men or women together. Later, I asked Tata about the significance of this, and he said that in Fijian custom, brothers and sisters don't talk to each other, and that it is embarrassing for them to be together. When I asked about the mixed group; he said that they could go up together because they are younger. Thus, perhaps as people get older, they abide by these rules more strictly. (?)

At the end of the service an old man sitting in front thanked me for coming to the service and worshipping with them. Lucy and I were both surprised that he knew my name, since I had just gotten here last night. After the service he greeted me again, and introduced himself as Charlie (Uncle Charlie, or Momo Charlie).
Shop

The Navolou shop is actually located just outside of the village. To get there, the villagers walk down the main road, (the sea is on one side, and the village, then a small cane field is on the other), until the shop comes up on the left. Set back from the road, one must walk up a hill (like everything else in Navolou) to get to it. The shop is actually attached to a home, which the inhabitants opened up when we stopped by. It sells items like canned foods, soaps, breakfast biscuits, a few sodas, candy and other junk food. I think you can also buy a newspaper from the shop.
TATA - FSC

Tata told me that he used to work for the FSC ( Fiji Sugar Corporation), but he retired two years ago (1997). He said that he enjoyed working for the FSC because it was interesting dealing with different people -- hearing different opinions about planting ideas, going around and helping people start a sugar farm -- telling people when to plant, fertilize, going all over the area and setting up farms.
HISTORY of Navolou

Tata also told me that the people from this village originally are from Navolou #1, but in the 1960s, some decided to move here. The land here is better because it doesn't flood as much, for it is on a hill. The land was occupied by an Indian sugarcane farm, but the government paid the Indians money (something like $25,000 for them to move off the land, so that Fijians could use the land. He said that not all the people wanted to come because they didn't want to start a new life -- build new houses, and start a village. Tata told me that all the houses in Navolou #2 were built by the group that moved here from Navolou #1. Today felt like it was three days packed into one.

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Monday 9/13/99

I can't believe that I've only been here for two days. I already feel comfortable in my surroundings (except when going to the bathroom, I haven't quite gotten used to it yet. Although the frogs that sing to me while I'm in the outhouse are trying to make it easier for me. :) ) Lucy has been a tremendous help, making sure that I'm comfortable, and showing me around.

Also, just after two full days, I'm starting to get a sense of who lives here, and the names of the children. Ilimo - son, lives here, eldest, age 31. He hangs out most of the time, and cuts sugarcane at the family's farm. Lucy, Pasemaca (daughter of Tata/Nana -- I think age 13), Bereta (not a daughter of Nana/Tata, but lives here, age 12), Peni (youngest son, age 12), Naibuka(a grandson, age 9), Rebecca (age 4). Patricia doesn't live here, age 8 or 9. Many others that I don't know the names of yet. But those are the main ones.
Farm

Toady at breakfast, Tata said that they were going up to their farm to see if the sugarcane is ready to be cut. He explained that, because of the custom, they can not leave me here by myself all day. He said that they could come back in the afternoon, and do some houses for the census then. The school kids went to school, and Tata, Nana, Rebecca and I got in the car and drove to the farm -- about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away. The family has a house there, like a country house. The walls are galvanized metal, and there are three rooms -- a kitchen, with a firewood stove (a lovo, I think it's called). This room is separate from the other two -- the sitting room, and a small room with a bed, and space to lie on the floor. The floors of the house are extremely soft and comfortable (the old style, before concrete). We did the cooking in a firewood stove (plovo).

The men went off to work, and Nana, and I, along with a relative of Nana, whom I called Tavale, (I think it means aunt) cooked the meals while the men cut sugarcane. Nana showed me how to collect water from the well (by throwing a bucket down and pulling it back up). She also showed me some of the plants around the area -- breadfruit, cassava (Tavioka), lemon leaves, hibiscus, and mango, and coconut. When the men came back for lunch we served them curry and rice, and tea. There were 10 men cutting, so Nana pulled out a tarp for everyone to sit on, while Nana and I brought out the food. I was asked to sit at the tarp with the men, but the other two women sat in the kitchen or on a rock aside from the tarp.

For the men's afternoon break, Tavale made fried dough (called pancakes), and lemon tea. Nana, Rebecca and I brought up the "pancakes," kettle of tea, a few plates, bowls (to drink tea), and spoons up to the men. They were resting on the cane field, and we walked through the field to bring them fried pancakes and tea. We got to the field, and I divided the pancakes into three plates, and distributed it around to the men while Nana poured the tea -- which I distributed. When they were finished we took the dishes back down to the kitchen.

Soon Lucy came up to the farm, after her school was finished, and we closed the place up and walked home. (About a 15 minute walk). After dinner Tata asked me if I wanted to come up again tomorrow, and I had to decline, because I hadn't done any censusing.

[Although I want to be as on top of my work as possible, I want to build a good rapport, and want to offend anyone by declining.]
Getting to know NANA at the farm

After we prepared the lunch, Nana and I waited for the men to come back, and "had a rest" in the sitting room. [The "story telling" time we had together somewhat changed my view about her. I've been warming up to her more and more, but before today, I still thought that she was a bit strange -- now I see her character more.] She asked me about my family at home, and we got on the subject that both her, and my real mother are left handed. She said that "God intended it to be that way, no?" This remark showed me that she was reaching out to me to make me feel comfortable. She also told me that she will sew me an outfit for the festival which is on Oct. 10, so that Lucy and I can have an outfit of the same color, [which made me feel very accepted.] Nana also gave me this camaraderie-type look at times, when Rebecca (the 4 yr old) was doing something cute or funny. She still speaks to me in very slow Fijian, but her sense of character is amusing -- a bit crazy I think, but funny. For example, she repeats everything I say, slowly, and thanks herself, even after I've thanked her.

She was very impressed with the way I collected water from the well, saying that I was "very smart at getting the water." She'd say, "Ohhh, Emily smart at getting the wata(r)." "Ohhh" is a favorite of hers, to describe something that I do.
My Views on The WOMEN'S WORLD

Today I thought a lot about the differences between men and women's work. Before coming here, I thought that men and women performed different tasks, but that the tasks sometimes overlapped. However, today my opinion changed. At the farm, the men worked very very hard in the fields cutting cane -- it's probably some of the toughest work (or at least harvesting) one can do. However, that is not to say that the women's work is not serious, or difficult. It is not only a lot of work, the women are also there to serve the men. I have never experienced such gender segregation. I felt myself take on such an inferior role. Of course I didn't like the role -- I tried to, thinking that doing this work might create some bonding with the women -- which it did to some degree, (this was of course limited for me because I do not understand Fijian). Nevertheless, the whole time I kept thinking about why we were doing what we were doing, and when the men came along, or when we served the food to them, the women went in the kitchen, and the men just sat there waiting to be served, asking for sugar, tea, spoons, etc.

The exception was some of the younger men. Ilimo, for example, (age 31, my brother), helped me pass around the tea -- when it was convenient for him (he never got up from sitting down), and some of the other younger men helped me as well. The men thanked me of course, but I still felt that they were thanking me just because I am a guest, not a Fijian, and (thought that) they were being extra polite, for that reason. Or maybe this is just culture shock paranoia.

During meal times as well -- the meals are of course prepared by the women. Either Tata or myself are served first, then Imilio (the eldest son), then the children. Nana takes her food after she has made sure everyone else is served. After the meal the men sit back and say, "Vinaka," while the women (Nana, Pace, or Lucy, or me -- a bit) clear the eating area, take the dishes to the kitchen, and wash them.

[It does make me feel good that they let me wash the dishes, and help clear the table, because I think it makes me feel firstly more at home, and secondly like I fit in somewhere. If I was not able to help with things like this, I would not feel a part of the women's circle, but also would not be included in the men's circle.]

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MEALS

The meals are taken in a back room of the house -- next to the kitchen, and behind the sitting room. (Which since the night I first got here, I think I've only been in twice.) At one end of the rectangular room there is a cupboard, where extra plates, etc. are kept, along with butter, sugar, and left over food. Windows line the side of the room that face the outside, but it is always pretty dark in there -- due to the curtains, and the fact that on the other side of the windows is a dirt wall. A long rectangular blue and white checkered table cloth is laid out for each meal, on top of the woven mats. Tata sits at the end farthest from the kitchen. I sit to his right (I believe that is a seat of honor), and Ilimo (the eldest son) sits to his left. Depending on who's eating (sometimes some of the children take their breakfast earlier), Verese (another son, age 24 I think), sits next to Ilimo, Naibuka and Peni (boys ages 9 and 12) sit after them. On my side of the table, Lucy either sits next to me, or down at the kitchen end with Nana. After that, Pacy (girl, age 13), and Bereta (girl, age 12). Rebecca, the four year old little girl sits anywhere.
Youth Group

Ace and Aceta invited Lucy and I to the church's youth group for Monday night service. I thought that it would be more of a meeting, or a discussion. It was not. Instead, it was an abbreviated version of church on Sunday, with a lecture period afterwards. There were 12 (young) people at the service. There was still plenty of singing, but everything was in Fijian, so I couldn't understand much of what was going on. It was not a very interactive environment -- no discussion, or even much chit-chat afterwards.

Tuesday 9/14/99

Today I spent most of the day doing censusing. Going around to different houses was interesting. I approached a house (with Aceta), explained what I was doing, and people were more than happy to take the time to answer the questions. The wives were generally the ones home to take part in the censusing, but in the homes with an older couple, the men were home as well. In most cases, I asked the questions directly, but sometimes Aceta had to translate, especially for the older people. (Around 60 and older).
Aceta

Aceta came over this morning, around 8:30 or so, while I was working on my field notes (after the children had gone to school). I told her that I wanted to work a little more on the notes, and that if she wanted, she was more than welcome to stay, but I could also come get her when I had worked on them for a bit longer [I was hoping that she'd choose option B], she said that it was no problem for her to stay and wait until I was ready. She read some of Ravuvu's book, while I tried to get some notes down.

Aceta lives in the village (obviously), and is about my age (maybe a couple of years younger). She stopped school last year at form 5, when I asked her if she liked staying home during the day, she said that she would rather be in school, because staying home can get boring. I've noticed that she spends most of her free time with Ace. I've learned that Ace is not married, but has a daughter, and is 28 years old. old. She seems to be popular in the village, among children and other women. (She has people over at night to play cards, and when ever she's sitting down outside in the evening, there is always a small crowd sitting with her. She also is always laughing, and jokingly making fun of others.) Aceta and Ace seem to have a lot of fun together, always laughing, giggling, and making fun of each other. They also go to church and youth group meeting together.

Aceta doesn't seem to mind taking time to show me around -- actually, I think that it's something different from her everyday routine. She was really a big help when I was making a map of the village, by telling me the names of houses, and who lives in them.
PATTERNS FROM CENSUS

From doing these seven houses, I picked up on some of the patterns among lifestyles of the people in the village. I noticed that in most older couples, (like over 50 or so), their education level did not reach secondarily school -- in most cases they went up to class 6 (last year of primary). Also, I noticed that children either stayed with their parents, or with their grandparents (another home in the village), and grandparents stayed with their children's family as well.

Of the seven homes which I did the census on, all the heads of the households were farmers, and all the wives were domestics. All but one were Methodist -- there was one SDA family. Aceta pointed out to me a small settlement, just outside of the village, of about four or five houses (all of which are 7th day), and an SDA church.

All of the household heads were either from Navolou #1 (if they were over, say, 40 or 45), or from Navolou #2, if they were younger. (Remember, Navolou #2 was built in the 1960s, by the people from Nav. #1). A few of the household wives were also from Nav. #1

People had between two and seven children, in one case, one child had passed away. In the case with the family with one child (house #2, the village shop), they quietly mentioned that they only had one child. [I'm guessing that they only had one because they figured they were cursed after having one that was born blind and "dumb" -- does that mean mute?]

In cases where there is a son who has recently married, the son and the new wife live in the son's parent's house.

I noticed that sometimes the Yavusa and the Tokatoka were the same -- but I'm not really sure of the meaning of that, yet.

TO FIND OUT: the ages of some of the household heads/wives. I often collected the ages of the children, but not the heads.
Getting to know my family

Today I met another family member that lives here in Nacilou house (the name of this house). Another brother, who was in Suva since Saturday, and just came back today. So here's the family as I understand it now: Tata (Laitia Wacegucegu): Tata is very polite, and makes an effort to tell me what is going on, when everyone is speaking in Fijian. He has invited up to the farm everyday, but also understands that I have work to do. (Although I think it's still a mystery to most people why I spend so much time in front of the computer.) Nana (Vasemaca Nateru Wacegucegu): Like I said before -- a bit of a strange character, but very nice. She is a hard worker, but one can see that she loves children. The little children, like Rebecca love to cuddle up next to her, and she gives them silly looks to make them laugh. During meal times she is constantly telling people to "kana, kana" (eat, eat!) Tonight she did something very nice. This morning I told her, as I was coming back from the shower that the dress that she was hanging up was pretty. Tonight, she told me that I could wear it tomorrow to Nakorokula, along with shell earrings and a shell necklace. When I tried the outfit on, and modeled it for her, she kept saying how good it looked, "oohhhhh, Emily going to dance meke tomorrow, all the boys will say who's that girl with the pretty dress," [In that way she reminded me of Grandma Peg]. I was very touched by her lending me the dress. Ilimo Navala Wacegucegu: The eldest son, speaks good English, wanders about how he pleases, hanging out with the other guys his age in the village. Mary: She lives in Nadi, so I haven't met her, but Nana said that she will probably come down for the festival which is on Oct. 10, so that I can meet her. Her son is Naibuka, who lives here. Veresa: The 24 year old son that I met today. I met him while I was taking a shower, and he told me that he used to be interested in looking at world maps -- so we discussed geography for a while. Later, he came in my room, and we talked about music. Lucy: Lucy is incredibly sweet, and I think feels special that out of all the people in the village, that I am her "sister." She tells me that she tells her friends at school about me, tells them what we do together, etc. She is very studious, and is very serious about her future. She's applied to the University of the South Pacific for next year, as well as to a few training schools -- nursing or teaching. She says that if she goes to USP, that she would like to get her degree in Marine Biology. Her ambition is to be able to get a degree, make some money, and then move overseas for a while, and maybe come back after 10 or 15 years. [I don't think that she is unhappy with her life here, but is extremely ambitious, and feels like if she stays here, she doesn't want to get "stuck" in the traditional routine of being a household wife in the country.]

When I asked her about shows like 90210, and other Western shows, she said that she wanted to become thin like the actresses in the shows. Laitia: Son, in boarding school Peni: Son, age 12. Peni is quite a character. He loves playing the cards game on my computer, or will just sit and watch me type for an hour on end. He also sometimes speaks English in a funny/fancy European accent, as a joke towards me.

Those are Nana and Tata's real children. Naibuka is their grandchild (who lives here), and I'm not sure about Pacy and Bereta -- either grandchildren or nieces. (I'll have to find that out.).

I've noticed that when people refer to non-immediate family members, they rarely say "cousin" or "aunt," for example. They would say, "my brother's son," or "my father's brother's wife." This is much more specific than the way American's speak of their relatives.

The fact that the children are always in my room when they are home, wouldn't bother me, except for when I want to write up my notes. Today, there were about 6 kids in there, just staring at the screen and reading what I type. It makes me self-conscious, and I can't really write everything I want to. At one point, I started writing about them, just to make them laugh, and to divert their attention for a bit.
Ace and Aceta's visit.

Tonight Ace and Aceta stopped by briefly while I was typing up some field notes. I heard their laughter from outside, and they came and sat down on the floor, while Lucy and I were doing work at the table. We talked about the youth church service a bit, and Aceta told them about the censusing, and about Steve and Karen's visit (in Fijian, so I don't know what they said). Also, they talked about Andy's visit today, and how they think is cute -- "nice and fat for such a young one." I kept hearing, "yadayadayadayada Andrew yadayadayada."

They didn't stay for long, but it was nice to know that they came up to say hello.

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Wednesday 9/15/99

This morning I made rotis for breakfast with Nana. Lucy made the dough when she got up, early in the morning, and Nana showed me how to roll them out. Rebecca passed me the balls of dough, I rolled them out and Nana cooked them. She made a big deal out of it -- it was fun, and Tata took a picture. After breakfast they went to the farm.

Today I spent a good part of the day with Ace and Aceta. They are a funny pair -- even though I do not know what they are saying to each other, I can tell when they gossip, or share stories because of the pattern of the speech -- a quiet, fast talk. Aceta came to get me this morning, and we walked down to Ace's house, before walking down to Nakorokula for the Meke. As I was getting ready, I put on Nana's colorful Fijian dress. It is green with pink, blue, yellow and orange flowers, and black and white small polka-dots on it -- with the dangly shell earrings and the shell necklace, it was quite the outfit. I got a kick out of me wearing it.
TOURISM Nakorokula -- Preparing for the Meke

We strolled down the road to Nak., and went to Andrew's house. On the way we saw a woman from Navolou #2 walk down, to sell woven crafts to the tourists. Ace pointed out the church in the village, as well as the community hall (right next to Andrew's house). When we went in Va (the woman whose husband had just died) was making long necklaces with hibiscus and other flowers. We hung out for about 45 minutes, while some of the people in the village were getting ready. Finally the tourists came by way of Indian taxi-- there were six of them (three couples) from Aust. or NZ.
Kava as a part of the presentation

Ace told me to sit in front, where the tourists sit, so that I could see the presentation. The tourists sat in front of the community hall, on a mat. Facing them were three four men sitting in front of the kava bowl, wearing sulus, the leis, and not shirts. Some of them also had bracelets made by bunches of leaves. (Andy sat up there as well -- also decked out in a sulu and one of those flower lei-type things.) They sat in back of a very large kava bowl. To the side of them there was a woman who held the bags of kava. Off to the side, was the narrator. This man, who was dressed a bit more formally (in a suit sulu and hibiscus-printed collar shirt) told what the men were doing in the preparation, and explained how to accept the kava. The men sitting behind the kava bowl did not speak, only poured the kava (drank it), and formally offered it to the tourists (standing up, walking over, and kneeling in front of the tourists). After the kava, the women presented two meke dances.
Meke

There were four women presenting two meke dances. One was done sitting up, and one sitting down. They all wore white shirts with long sulus, flowers in their hair, and leaf-bracelets. They were between the ages of 45 and 65 (a guess). The narrator explained that the meke was used to pass down stories through generations, because, as he said, "our ancestors could not read or write, so they used to tell stories through dancing." [Playing up the Orientalism]. After the women, two young men did a sitting down dance that was about fighting spirits in one's body.

After this the tourists had a look around the back of the room --where some of the villagers were watching the performance, and where the crafts were set up. Woven crafts, tape, shells, shell jewelry, and wooden carvings were among the crafts being sold. After this, the tourists sat back down at their mat, and the men starting playing guitars. Some of the women went over and got the tourists to stand up and start dancing with them. Soon Andrew and I were scooped up too, and we took part in the dancing -- first in pairs, and then the snake dance.

As the tourists left, some of them dropped some money in the donation box (there was no fee, just an optional donation), and the guitar playing and dancing continued. I sat in back with the women, while Andrew sat in front with the men, around the kava bowl. The women tended to the children, passing them around, while the men continued to sing songs, play the guitar and drink kava. The dancing continued, and after a while I was invited for some kava. We did one round, and I felt that I shouldn't stay up there (on the men's side too long). As soon as I came back, they continued drinking kava. [I'm not sure if they only wanted to do one polite round with me, or if it was just circumstance.]
Meal at Ace's

When we got back we went to Ace's and had a "light" lunch of fish, bele, rice, noodles, cassava, and juice. After that, a few young women stopped by and chatted in a circle, while I lay down (upon Ace's suggestion). I was not really hungry due to eating almost two rotis for breakfast, but I felt rude declining the food. After "telling stories," (quietly so that I could rest), the other women left, and Aceta, Ace and I listed to a tape that Ace had of American music, and danced around a bit.
LIFE CYCLE -- Dating/Courtship

Ace told me about Aceta's boyfriend, in a way that was teasing Aceta -- that they were going to be married before I left Fiji. She told me to call Aceta "Tinia Vasequca," meaning, the name of what her eldest son will be -- the name of her father-in-law. Ace said that in Fijian custom, the mother is referred to as "mother of the eldest son's name."

They told me that 21 is an appropriate age to get married and have children, and when people are under 20 they can just have boyfriends and girlfriends, but do not get married.

Another discussion came up about dating/marriage and courtship here. Nana sent Verese down from the farm to the village, in order to walk with me up to the farm. He asked me if in America there were arranged marriages, and this got us on the topic of talking about marriages in Fiji. Veresa said that in Fiji, only Indians have arranged marriages, but that Fijians do not. He said that they usually get married after the age of 25, between 25-30. He said, you'll find some that get married earlier, between the ages of 20 and 25, but most at around age 25. He said that Fijians do not arrange marriages, that they know each other very well, from dating before they get married.

There is one young woman in the village who has just married a young man in the village -- Etonia (age 28), three weeks ago. She was from Suva, and just moved to the village upon marrying him. She told me that she is homesick for her parents, and her friends, and asked me that if I see her sister in Suva (she described her, and told me where she worked), to tell her that she has married and moved to Navolou.
The Significance of the Head / Door

Today I walked down to Ace's and she was sitting in the doorway of the kitchen. I asked her if I could sit in a the doorway of her house, facing her (only about a 3 foot separation). She said, "Oh, no, please don't sit there, I'll get you a chair." At first I sad that I didn't need a chair, but then she explained that "We in Fiji should not sit in doorways, especially of homes." She went into explain that if I sat in the doorway, I would be blocking the doorway, which would not be welcoming others to come in the house. Also, it would be blocking the way for the head of the household, or the chief to get through.

She also said that if someone was sitting in a doorway, it means that things would get passed over their head (coming in and out of the door). Ace told me that the head has great significance to Fijians, and that things are never passed high up, ant the head level. Unfortunately this conversation was interrupted, but I want to find out more about the significance of the head.

Thursday, 9/16/99
Personal Thoughts on the week

Being in my home-stay situation has been a good experience thus far. I love the outdoor shower (correction: the pipe with no surrounding walls), but I don't think that I've quite adjusted to the outhouse, completely. I feel like I have to go to the bathroom all the time, and I've never seen anyone else use the bathroom (this is a mystery to me). The food is not bad, but it is very filling, and loaded with salt. I don't eat all that I'm offered (but that would be impossible, and is not expected). My eating habits here definitely are different than at home. I find it annoying not having that much of a choice of what I will be eating. I've liked most of the food, but it's very salty and starchy.

Like I mentioned before, I like being able to wash my own clothes, (sometimes Nana and Lucy will take my sulu to wash, but that's fine), and I like being able to help with the dishes, or help make the rotis. It gives me a feeling of being included, especially because Nana really expresses appreciation when I help do the dishes. When I made the rotis as well, she made it into a big deal -- making sure everyone thanked me, and saying how good they were.

The children have been very sweet and curious. They always bring me things to my room, but once they come they tend to stay and watch me, until I get up and do something else. I've learned to do my typing while they are at school, but there are always one or two boys (about age 13, I'm not sure if they just haven't been going to school, or if they've finished) that watch through the window.

Nana and Tata are very sweet, and Tata seems interested in what I'm doing, while Nana is nurturing and caring. They are quite religious, (Tata goes to those 4am services that wake me up every morning), but are also not super-serious. I think that I convey a feeling that I am very appreciative of them, and they also understand that, and respect the fact that I have to do a lot of work. However, I think that they think all this work is a bit mysterious. They often invite me up to the farm, but in the mornings I have to decline because I have to stay in the village to do my work.

I've really enjoyed spending time with Aceta and Ace. I think especially Ace will be a great informant, because she takes the time to explain what's going on, and seems very proud of Fiji and Fijian customs. She also will be good I think for asking opinions, or getting a different opinion because she has a bit of an etic perspective -- she's lived in Lautoka her whole life, and just moved back to the village this past December (where her father is from), so I think she will be good at pointing things out.

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