Tavuni Hill Fort
26 November 2002 | ||
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| I took a rental car for a day to also use it to drive me to Denarau island the next day... I drove up north from Sigatoka.... High up the hilltops lies the Tavuni Hill Fort, a former Fijian stronghold.... | ||
Executioner's stone
26 November 2002 | ||
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| On this stone, victims were laid down, killed and later transformed into a British ragout. Sometimes I wonder if the cannibal past of Fiji is just a lie to attract more tourists.... | ||
Tavuni Hill Fort Panorama
26 November 2002 | ||
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| The main river, winding its way through Vitu Levu. | ||
Preparing the Kava
26 November 2002 | ||
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| Kava is a powderized root that you mix with water. It is an important part of Fijian culture. It has a slight sedating effect, numbing your mouth and lips... When you drink lots of it, it makes the men impotent. Apparently the Fijians can drink up to 50 cups in a row. | ||
More Kava ceremony
26 November 2002 | ||
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| Drink and clap and shout out some strange Fijian sentences! | ||
Fijian Dance
26 November 2002 | ||
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| It was getting late so Jocy and Tony who I met at the Tavuni Hill Fort and myself just headed to the main restaurant where the meal was actually traditional Fijian. Lots of cooked roots, tasting potato-like and fish-stew. Quite nice actually. Then there was a dance and song presentation. It was actually really great. Wonderful harmonies. Really reminded me of the famous song in 'The Thin Red Line', one of my favourite films.... | ||
Late Night Drinks
26 November 2002 | ||
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| Anthony and Jocy from Melbourne after the Fijian Culture music presentation. Was a great evening. Until then I had concluded that Fijian culture was belligerent and violent, that instead of the flowers that people wore in their heads which they must have copied off Hawaii, they should wear Bones. But I turned out to be wrong. Those songs had completely changed my mind and made me a bit embarassed about my quick assumptions. | ||
Sunset Drums
28 November 2002 | ||
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| After a couple of great Scuba dives (I saw a massive stonefish, the size of a microwave oven), I enjoyed relaxing back at the resort... The sun went down while Fijians banged sticks on hollow trees.... | ||
More sunset drums
28 November 2002 | ||
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| ...this time with an elegant fill-in flash.... | ||
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SeraSuva, Fiji / Sunday, 27th July 2008 | ||
Julian, Fiji's cannibal history is for real. Please google "cannibals fiji" for a crash course on Fiji's cannibalism history. I am glad that your visit has given you an insight into the rich cultures of my homeland. | ||
SalemNausori, Fiji. / Sunday, 8th June 2008 | ||
oilei my beautiful paradise my island home "FIJI" the most outstanding island in the pacific with its unique lifestyle,,!You hav made me a proud Fijian!! for the friendly smile's u r known 4, compared 2 any other place in da world yeah rite..bula vinaka!! n God Bles Fiji!!! | ||
LesieliCalifornia, Palmdale / Monday, 21st April 2008 | ||
I just love their accent and their culture. My boyriend is Fijian so he's the type of person he's quiet most of the time can be funny =] But yeah i would like to travle to Fiji someday. I want to see the people and their different aspects in life. | ||
Donna CompUSA / Saturday, 22nd September 2007 | ||
this is good picturs of Fiji . I have wanted to go to Fiji for a long time to find out if there really cannables there. I am really glad i found this site. :) | ||
ChristianaCalifornia, USA / Thursday, 6th September 2007 | ||
The more we experience, the more we understand. Keep traveling. The world is amazing. | ||
Sticky vicBrooklyn Newyork / Saturday, 1st September 2007 | ||
when i saw the beautiful photos i thought wow. when i read jullians comments i thought how stupid. It seemed he had a superior ethnocentric mindset. and was speaking good old boy language for the western audience. I was so pleased to hear the Fijians respond to his implied condescion. Im a black american here in Newyork and the media constantly does this to misrepresent my sub-culture. they do it almost subconciously just as Julian alluded to. I will be visiting fiji this Dec 07 and want to enjoy Fiji as i picked it over tahiti. and hawaii. I want to know who wore flowers first. the Fijians or the Hawaaians or tahitians or perhaps the MaoriNULL Did the Melanesian people of New Zeland invent the scissor danceNULL I have so many questions... | ||
L.Vuetivavalagilautoka city / Monday, 13th August 2007 | ||
i am very thankful,that u have actually taken your time to remind us of our beautiful country,though i am dissappointed that u did not understand our unique ways ,especially in the grog ceremony......it is not a time for people to be clapping..or talking in strange languages but the ultimate goal is the preservation of our culture and tradition that has been passed down from generations......DO U HAVE ANY TRADITONNULL..........i guess not ,coz if u had u would have understood. | ||
Iosepo DavobalavuNew zealand / Thursday, 5th July 2007 | ||
it is lovly to see my culture again i have been in n.z for a long tym i had came on 1987 from fiji and haven't gone bk looking at these photos give me some memorys bk in fiji | ||
kabiti logan maroNULL wrongcanada / Sunday, 17th December 2006 | ||
bro, u all have to live together....no more war.bro...letz all be fijans and no more discrination. bula ve na ka. | ||
Vedaius. / Sunday, 17th December 2006 | ||
oy bro. ezy on the language. | ||
charity.satauowashington / Friday, 8th December 2006 | ||
this pictures are very pretty. any way i just wanna say that I'm from micronesia (chuuk). I'am making a project about fiji and I'am getting a lot of b-u-tful stuff from my project | ||
jesussomalia / Monday, 30th October 2006 | ||
post piks of da place, not yu or ya ugly frends. | ||
SallySuva / Sunday, 7th May 2006 | ||
Julian said it the way he saw it..the onus is on the Fijians who are doing translations to tell the tourist exactly waht is going on..interpretation was hazy becos we did not tell him right ..i think we Fijians hould learn to tell them exactly what it means if we are proud of our heritage and culture and stop the va' fooling bit.... I think we are the ones who should say sorry and pull up our socks.. | ||
tashawaianae / Monday, 3rd April 2006 | ||
i havn't really been to fiji, but i heard that it was paradise. someday i am going to visit fiji and see for myself if it is like what other people said it would be. | ||
jacksonfiji / Saturday, 25th March 2006 | ||
omg its the best place to visit i dont no wat to say it was a blast i went with my boyfriend jesse we had cocktails in the resturants and we kissed on the fijian beachs,its the place to go with your partner and the loving is fantastic GO FIJI! | ||
BobCalgary,Canada / Sunday, 25th September 2005 | ||
I do know how you feel brother Tim but part of the Fijian culture is to show our respect and love to everyone like the bible says love your neighbour as thyself, so all my Fijian brothers please fogive Mr Jullian about his comments. God bless Fiji the Pacific Paradise. | ||
LSAustralia / Thursday, 25th August 2005 | ||
I am also a Fijian, keeping it real.. out here on the Gold Coast..Come on guys Julian apologized. I am glad though that you had stated later that your perception had changed. I understand what you meant but trust me bro if you are to put up a web site about such things you have to be aware that some people would get really offended. If ever you come over to Fiji again...we know how to show you a good time...you know the 50 cups of kavaNULL...yeah we can give it to you with Fiji Bitter also known as the "TAKI"...maybe this time some of us can exceed your expectation and you may never want to return home to Edinburg....hahaha....cheers ... | ||
JuneLos Angeles / Wednesday, 10th August 2005 | ||
About the cannibilism and attracting tourists, maybe you should have visited Fiji in those days..... | ||
shree merriwheathertopeka kansas / Wednesday, 18th May 2005 | ||
I'm Fijian and were from Suva, I don't appreciate what you said at all about the whole language thing! I don't care if you apologized or not! It was very ignorant for you to say that. You should think before you speak about someone else's culture because it looks like you had a good time while was visiting my home town!! I won't scoop low to your level and down grade your culture because us FIJIANS are way better than that!!! Just remember that next time you come back and visit because we all know that you will because our culture is very beautiful. | ||
JulianEdinburgh / Thursday, 29th May 2003 | ||
Point well taken. It comes across as culturally ignorant. However I did say that I was embarassed by my initial ignorance and that I concluded that Fiji was rich in culture. I think when you see the final photos you see my appreciation for the sun rituals. | ||
TimSuva, Fiji / Friday, 25th April 2003 | ||
yeah just wanted to comment on your opinions, well first off fijians never stole the idea of putting flowers in there head from the hawaiins. And i also found it rude when you said the fijians drank kava and shouted out some strange sentences, motha fucker you need to learn respect, but i guess most aussies dont appreciate shit since youll have no culter back grounds. | ||
About this page | Contact Me at photodiary (at) gmail.com | Last Updated: 19 June 2008 - ©2007 Julian Pye