Flooded in Fiji

The western and northern areas of Fiji were the most affected. The flood water reached heights of up to 3 meters; it filled houses and businesses, destroyed sugar cane plantations and sadly it even took eleven lives. Three teenagers and a toddler were among the victims, who were killed in floods and landslides.
Over 9000 people had to leave their homes and take refuge in many schools and churches which were used as emergency shelters.

The Fijians are beautiful, laid-back and friendly people. They are renowned for their generosity and hospitality. The reason for their happy outlook is probably their living environment, the unspoilt paradise that hasn't changed much for generations.

This 'heaven on earth' is home to about 800,000 people. Half of the population is Indigenous Fijians who are a mixture of Polynesian and Melanesian people settled in the Fijian islands about 3,500 years ago.
The other half is originated from India; they are descendants of the 60,000 laborers brought from India between 1879 and 1916 to work in the sugarcane fields. The remaining few percent of the population have Chinese or European ancestors.

The boy in this photo is called Yako, he is one of the waitors at the resort.

Many animals in Viti Levu were wondering along the roads, eating grass everywhere. Cows, horses and dogs were frequently seen loose fending for themselves.

We could not attend the village tour or the traditional Kava ceremony because of the bad weather, but luckily the hotel had it all organized for us at the resort. The night included the drinking of kava, lovo feast and meke dance.
They say that you haven't experienced the real Fiji until you get down on a hand-woven coconut mat on the floor and drink the muddy looking kava drink with the locals. During the informal kava ceremony, the tradition is to sit on the floor with your legs crossed, and when handed the drink you should first clap and say 'bula' before accepting the drink and downing it in one go.
As you hand back the empty cup you clap three times and everyone else joins in.
More formal ceremonies have a more involved protocol.
I must confess, I chickened out from this, but my dad was brave enough to drink it!

A Fijian meke is the name for the traditional dance of the indigenous people of Fiji Islands. Men, women and children all participate in the meke, which is a combination of dance and repetitive rhythmic chanting telling the stories of everyday life, or of ancient gods or of battles won. Well-known meke types are fan dances performed by women, and spear or club dances performed by men.The music is often in the form of the steady beating of sticks.

Fijian mekes are performed in all parts of Fiji. Different regions have some differences in their meke dress, song and dance movements. A Meke is performed usually at important events such as the opening of a building or to entertain important visitors.
Most hotels and resorts in Fiji organize special Fijian cultural nights, where meke is performed during a lovo feast.
This is how we were fortunate to experience the meke and the lovo feast.

At the airport there was a chaos. It was full of tourists trying to get a booking on the next flight, or the next... Many of them had missed their flights many days ago and had been sleeping at the airport. There was an unfortunate couple on their honeymoon who had landed in Nadi when all the roads were cut off. They never got to go to their honeymoon suite but had spent the nights at the airport!

We were very lucky to get a booking for a flight to Brisbane on the next day. Even luckier we were when we found an accommodation for the night close to Nadi. Thank you to Rosie Apartments who took us in even though they didn't have running water that night.
In Nadi we met again so helpful Fijians who let us borrow their phones and umbrellas, one fellow even walked us to a restaurant to make sure we get food!
The Fijians truly are amazing people who don't seem to get down even in worst of situations. My heart goes out to them, and I am surely going to go back for a holiday. I loved Fiji in wet weather, I can't even imagine how exhilarating it will be when sun is shining and waters are clear. Magical, I think.