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American Spirit II - Day 177; Lawai Pottery Village; Kula Eco Park; & Visit to Naudi's Home and Family; Tuesday, July 1, 2014



Before I write today's log, I want to welcome Dee, Michael Roberts from Vivo's mother, as a reader of the American Spirit II logs. Hello Dee! I'll try to keep the logs interesting. Which is tough when you're in port. It's more fun to write when under sail and the proverbial (fill in the blank) is hitting the fan.

I'd also like to also welcome the students from Tampa Tech as frequent log readers. My daughter Angela advised me today that she occasionally sees comments from Tampa Tech students on the World Cruising Club web page. I'd like to say that I read the log comments all the time, but unfortunately, the internet in most countries around the world is not good; so it's hard to stay up to date with the comments. However, to remedy this problem Angela is going to relay any comments she reads to my boat's email address, which I receive via SSB (Single Side Band) radio almost every day. If there's any interest, maybe I can visit Tampa Tech when I get home.

On to the log.

Today is July 1, which is the equivalent of January 1 in Florida and the Northern Hemisphere. Its middle of the winter here. So we have mainly only two more months of winter until spring in September.

Up at 8:00 AM today. I guess I can call that a 'sleep in' day. Coffee followed by breakfast. The food is the same but now I'm cooking for 4 people instead of 2 or 3. Eight eggs for breakfast instead of 4 or 6. I'm glad God created chickens.

On our tour today besides Joel and myself, is my daughter Angela and her husband, Chet from Charlotte, North Carolina. They'll be with us until July 11; and will travel with us to Vanuatu, where we'll visit an active volcano. Vanuatu is 400 miles from Fiji, so it'll take days and nights to get there.

Our driver, Naudi, picked us up at 10:10 AM, and our first stop was an hour and a half away at a place called Lawai Pottery Village. This is a village that caters to tourists and has 200 residents. When we got there we were met by Mary and her cute 2 year old daughter. Other 4 and 5 year old's were running around the village playing kick the 2 liter bottle down the road. They were having tons of fun. Oh to be five years old again! Mary gave us a walking tour around the village.

Prior to entering the village hall, Naudi, our driver, found a Fijian hunter in the village and asked him if he'd sell me his hunting spear. This spear was used to hunt wild pigs. Guns are basically illegal in Fiji, so most hunting is done with a machete and a spear. Once I inspected the spear I bought it. It was about 6 feet long. In order to get it home I'll have to cut it into 3 pieces so it fits in a large suitcase. Then I'll put it back together when I get home. I have a similar spear that I got from Africa 10 years ago, except this spear was already in 3 pieces because that's the way it was made.

Once we got into the village hall, we were greeted with the word most uttered by all Fijian's: BULA! Which means 'Welcome.' Kind of like our 'Hello.' As the Captain of American Spirit II, I was designated by the village as our 'Chief.' So I got to sit in the middle of our group facing 25 or so ladies with a few men and children; all sitting legs crossed on the concrete floor in front of us. First we were sung to with a traditional welcoming song. Next the traditional Kava ceremony was held. Let's just say that when we were witnessing the lady crushing the plant in a bowl with water, with her bare hands, I was glad that I'd had all my shots. In this ceremony, when you are handed the bowl with Kava in it, custom dictates that you drink it in its entirety. Bottoms up! It didn't smell bad; and it looked like brown water. One of the side effects is that it numbs your tongue. I didn't have that side effect, but Angela did for awhile. Then a pottery demonstration was given by two of the ladies; who made pottery in front of us totally by hand. Then ladies danced traditional Fijian dances for us; then we were grabbed by our hands and pulled out of our chairs to dance with them. Once that was over, a large bowl was placed in front of us for our donations; and then a final song was sung for us.

After the ceremony, we walked around the perimeter of the room where the villagers had placed on mats pottery that they had made. After making a 360 tour around the room, we purchased items from the ladies.

After leaving the village we had lunch at an Indian restaurant, then were off to the Kula Eco Park. This park was a fantastic nature preserve, with walkway's thru the trees and alongside the hill bordering the preserve, with a stream running thru it. These walkway's were as high as 75 feet above the ground. There were many plants and trees on display; reptiles; birds; bats as large as big birds; and turtles. The bird cages were the size of small houses, with 'man traps' used upon entering. A 'man trap' is two sets of screen doors used to keep the birds from flying away. You enter one door; wait until it is closed; then open the second, interior door into the house cage. We ended our tour there at 3:20 PM with a large (salt water) sea turtle feeding session. We actually fed the turtles with lettuce and chopped fish, as they swam in their tank. Before walking out the door I purchased a 'Cannibal Fork.' No kidding. It was used to eat human flesh. Only a chief or high officials could eat the flesh of a killed enemy; and to maintain the sanctity of the event, an aid fed them using this cannibal fork. It was considered taboo to touch the flesh with your bare hand. The Cannibal Fork is a piece of wood 8 inches long, 3/4 of an inch in diameter, with four spikes on the end of it spaced a quarter inch apart. In eating the flesh of one's enemy, the Fijian's thought they were eating the spirit and strength of their enemy. Before the name of Fiji took hold, these islands were called 'Cannibal Islands.'

Our next stop was Viti Levu's most famous beach. I'd list its name but it escapes me. The 5 Star Intercontinental Hotel fronts the beach. Besides swimming, there is snorkeling to a nearby reef, and you can horse back ride on the beach.

On our way back to Port Denarau Marina, we stopped by our driver Naudi's house, where he introduced us to his wife and teenage daughter and son. We were greeted warmly and given a tropical drink by Naudi's daughter. Naudi's wife was a tailor who made colorful dresses for sale. What a nice way to end our tour. This was the last day that we'd be with Naudi, and I can't think of a better way to end it than with the visit with his family. Very cool. Thank you Naudi. And thank you Dagmar from Flomaida II who gave me his name.

As we drove around today, I engaged Naudi in conversation to learn more about Fiji. Part of our discussion today concerned guns. In Fiji it is illegal to own guns and keep them in your house. However, an exception is made in that Fijian's are allowed to hunt pigeons for two months during the year with their own guns. However, these guns must be kept in a military armory and returned every night during the hunting season to the armory. Its amazing how some things never change when the government is a dictatorship.

We were back at the marina by 5:30 PM, and made our good-byes to Naudi. I then purchased some food from the grocery store, and then we headed to the boat, got our towels and shower gear, and headed back in to the marina to shower.

Once back on the boat the cocktail hour was followed by blackened sirloin steak grilled on our grill; micro waved baked potatoes; and water melon.

After dinner I opened the second suitcase Angela had brought with her, and it was like Christmas in July! Clothes, more spare parts for the boat, different types of duct tape, Folgers coffee, creamer, medical supplies, and more.

Angela and Chet went to bed at 9:30 PM; Joel followed at 10:00 PM; and I was last at midnight. We're looking forward to leaving Port Denarau tomorrow to head to our rally rendezvous at the island where the Musket Cove resort is, only a couple hours away to the west.

Brian Fox




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