Tag Archives: lovo

Lovo Birthday Celebration: Fulanga

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Our host family invited us to Sunday service at their church and then lunch at their house afterwards.  However, it turned out to be a huge lovo celebration!  

We left Sugar Shack at 0900 as it takes 15-20 minutes to dinghy to the closest landing near the village.  It is often a wet and bumpy ride.  Once we get to shore, we wade across the water to land where we drench ourselves in mosquito repellent.  Now we are ready for the 20-minute walk into town thru the lush surroundings and over a small dirt path.  We arrive with 5 minutes to spare where we drop off fresh baked banana muffins and homemade chocolate chip cookies for our hosts.

We are ushered to the church where all the cruisers seem to congregate in the back.  The village has about 90-100 people and there are at least 50-60 cruisers.  Even with all of these people, there is plenty of room in the airy and spacious church.

Fulanga Church

Fulanga Church

Above is Matt and I with our host family, Lucy and Nico along with photos of the church and some local children.  The entire service was in Fijian so we did not understand a single word.  However, one of the elders did speak to us in English as he welcomed us all to the village and to their church service.  He said they were honored we should share this time with them.

The singing was lovely and harmonious.  The only thing was a man was playing the triangle and I swear it pierced my brain.  Lucky for me, he fell asleep during the service and was not playing the entire time.

Lovo Birthday Celebration

After service, we were told that the entire village was preparing to celebrate one of the elder’s 70th birthday with a lovo celebration.  We would not be having lunch with our host family, but rather with the entire village. Most excellent.

The men prepared the lovo earlier that morning including 3 pigs, casava, taro root, and veggies.  The lovo has been cooking for nearly 4 hours.  They slowly uncover all the food bundles.

In the community hall, the women of the village, have laid out fabric in a large U shape.  On both sides of the fabric are plates.  Over the next hour the women prepare the food, unwrap the lovo items, cook the fish and finish setting the area for everyone.

Everyone forms groups and chats while we wait for the feast.  The kids are chatter and giggle while hosts share village life with their cruising families.

The Birthday Boy: 70 year old Elder

At the head of the hall is the place of honor for the birthday boy.  In Fiji, they only celebrate 3 birthdays.  Your first birthday, your 21st and your 70th.  You become an elder at the age of 65 (no matter your station).

Palm fronds are placed in the center of each fabric piece and then the food is placed on top of the fronds.  They served hundreds of fish, hundreds of pounds of casava and taro root, a spinach type dish and the 3 pigs.  I am liking this lovo a lot!

Somehow, Matt and I (and our friends Fred and Chris on Sea Jay) end up the main table in front of the birthday elder!  Lucky us!  We get first hand experience with the birthday boy and a few elders during the meal.

It is a bit awkward to get used to eating on the floor (while not showing your knees), and not using utensils (its all using your hands).  But we manage to fully enjoy the very tasty and delectable food.  There was tons and tons of food!  Lots left over which we hope is spread out and shared with the village families.  Sweet lovo celebration.

We discover the Cave of Bones in our last blog.  Events from this blog occurred in early July.  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual events.

Bavatu Anchorage

Bavatu Bay in Northern Lao

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We really did not want to leave the unique and mystifying Bay of Islands, but some of our friends had arranged for a Lovo (Fijian underground BBQ) and we did not want to miss it.  So, we head over to the NorthEast side of Vanua Balavu to a new anchorage called Bavatu.

We discovered that there is a beautiful look out over this bay, Bavatu and the Bay of Islands.  So, we make our way to the end of the anchorage. We tie the dinghy up to a dock and find the hand-made 271 step stair case.  Not all the steps are even, or the same distance from the next, or nailed all the way in.  But, there is a railing, and they get you to where you need to go!  The record for fastest run up the stairs is 53 seconds!

Once you reach the top, you walk through a field until you get to the care takers village which consisted of 8 small houses and a community center.  After you walk through the village, you cross over another huge field (for the cows), until you get to a small dirt path.  You follow this path until it goes up hill, then you turn at the “grave site” (yes, there is a grave here) and then the view takes your breath away!

The top photos show the village and one of the wooded paths, the center and bottom right are the beautiful views and the bottom left is the grave site.

Across the field are the houses of the two plantation owners.  Tony lives in the big white house where his family has lived for generations and hundreds of years!  I took photos of both houses from the top and from the anchorage.

We came across a lot of their animals.  They had a heard of cows, sheep and horses.  Lots of beautiful birds and butterflies fluttered about too.

LOVO – FIJIAN BBQ

The locals caught, cleaned and prepared the sheep early in the morning.  They put the sheep and sides underground to cook for several hours before serving.  The food is placed in baskets made of palm fronds, then placed on hot stones.  They are covered with more palm fronds, then plastic, more palm fronds, then dirt.

Each boat brought a side or desert and the feast commenced!

Everyone is supposed to jump off the little deck but I did not have my bathing suit on.  So, Matt jumped for the both of us.

It was lovely to spend the afternoon with other cruisers and the locals of Bavatu.  Tasty Fijian food, local music and lots of laughter.

We so loved our time at Bay of Islands in Vanua Balavu in our last blog.  This blog occurred in late June 2022.  Our blogs run 10-12 weeks behind actual events.  Thanx for reading!

Fijian Culture: Part I

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Fiji is rich in culture and tribal protocols.  On the main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu you have more “modern” or progressive attitudes, but you still have to follow certain guidelines.  Fijian Culture is a source of pride for all locals in all villages and across all islands.

One of the biggest changes is our attire.  Living on the boat for the past 6 years has given me certain freedoms including living in shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits.  None of which are “acceptable” in Fijian culture.  Especially since my shorts are Lulu Lemon (which tend to be short shorts).

Fijians are very conservative by nature.   Exposing too much skin is considered offensive (especially in the outer islands).  In fact, public nudity and topless sunbathing are both illegal!

Attire

The “head” is considered sacred in the Fijian culture so they do not allow hats or sunglasses on your head.  It is forbidden to touch a chief, pastor, or elder on the head.  Backpacks can be carried (by hand) or over one shoulder.  They cannot be carried over your back (I am not sure why, but that is the rule so we hand carry our backpack aka my purse).

Men are always required to wear shirts and sulus (sarong) when being presented to the chief, in church, and in villages located in the outer islands.

Women are required to cover their shoulders down to their knees.  A t-shirt with short sleeves or long sleeves is acceptable.  Below the waist, we wear sulus (sarongs) tied and covering skin down below the knees.  It is basically a long skirt which makes walking around a fun challenge.

When we present Sevusevu (see next blog) we have to sit on hand woven mats on the floor and our knees have to be constantly covered by our sulu.

Once you understand the protocol it is easy to comply (and actually kind of fun).  As newbies we simply purchased a sarong, but then we later discovered there are specific sulus that have side ties and pockets making it much easier to wear and keep on your body. 

Language and pronunciation

The great thing about Fiji is that they speak English.  Almost everyone will speak some English (even the chiefs in the outer islands).  When they speak to each other, they speak Fijian.  Lucky for us there is a quick and easy way to learn some of the pronunciations.

“c” is “th” as in Mamanuca Pronounced “Mamanutha”
“d” is “nd” as in Nadi Prpnounced “Nandi”
“b” is “mb” as in Ba Pronounced “Mba”
“g” is “ng” as in Galoa Pronounced “Ngaloa”
“q” is “gg” as in Beqa Pronounced “Bengga”

French frustrated us beyond belief for the last 3 years.  We tried desperately to learn, we downloaded several language apps and programs but we could not get our tongues to pronounce the French words properly.  We gave up and just learned some of the local language (Mangeraven, Marquesan, and Tahitian).

With the Fijian language you just have to remember the 5 quirks and you can pretty much be understood.  Of course, the locals have a bit of an accent and when they speak fast it all goes over our heads.  But we try which makes them happy.

Lovo

A wonderful Fijian cultural event is the “lovo.” For celebrations, Fijians will prepare a lovo which is their way of cooking food on hot rocks buried under ground.  The men dig a large hole in the ground and the place dried coconut husks on the bottom.  The husks are then covered with black volcanic rocks.  They light the husks on fire and allow them to burn until the rocks are white-hot.  The group then removes the husks  leaving the burning hot rocks to fill the bottom of the hole.

The next step is to cover the rocks with a lattice work of green palm shoots.  The food is placed on top of the palm shoots, then covered with coconut fronds.  The whole thing is covered in a few inches of dirt and left to bake while everyone goes about their business (church).  No electricity, no cooking gas, no pots or pans, just what is readily available on the island.

The men cook the main course (pig, chicken, or sheep) along with cassava and taro root (starch).  Then they place the food on in specially woven baskets made of green palm fronds or shoots.  Then the food cooks this way for 3-4 hours and comes out tender and juicy infused with the flavors of the coconut and banana.

The women cook the fish and the men cook the rest (during a lovo ceremony).  

Women serve the meal on top of a special woven mat on the floor.  We use our fingers to eat our meals as utensils are not readily available in the outer islands. 

We have attended several variations of lovo and it has been a blessing.  Each time is unique and different and offers its on special cultural feature.

Don’t Miss out

Check back with us next week as we continue with Part II of the Fijian Culture.  We share with you the tradition of sevusevu and kava root (where we drink “muddy water”).

In our last blog we give you some history on Fiji.  The events in the blog post above occurred around the end of June.  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual events.