Life in Navala, Fiji www.devonhannaphotography.co.nz

FIJI | Thursday, 4 July 2013 | Views [597] | View Smaller Image

Fiji's favourite sport is rugby, and Navala is no exception. Locals said that "if you want to build a village, you have to make sure there's room for a rugby field to keep the locals happy". Boys too young to be in the school team play games in the passages between houses whilst others watch, in the afternoons following school days.

Navala is the last place in Fiji where it is mandatory to build traditional bures, or Fijian houses. With the exception of the school buildings and the village's church, every house is built the same way. Houses are only renovated or built one month per year so requests must be made to the local chief to acquire a new bure if wishing to expand. The walls are typically woven or sometimes thatched with bark. Whilst mats are woven by women, the walls are woven by men. These two men watched as two others put together the A-frame of the roof overhead.

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Teresa burns off rubbish whilst washing her family's clothing down on the river. Division of labour is obvious in Navala. For the most part, men work on the local farm and ranch whilst women work in the home. Regardless, women's contributions should not be ignored. Womens groups are common throughout many Fijian villages. Navala's womens group gathers often to arrange fundraising and to discuss local events. The night prior to this photo being taken $300 was raised at a meeting for new school carpets and curtains.

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Life in Navala, Fiji www.devonhannaphotography.co.nz

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