Category: June 2019

June 2019

All For The Money

After the rollercoaster ride here to Rabi (pronounced “Rom BEE”) Island we were delighted to find an absolutely stunning anchorage to call home for a couple of days. It’s surrounded by a reef and the water inside the reef is clear and a lovely shade of aqua. We were all delighted with our decision to come here. 

We were also exhausted from the trip so we decide to remain on our respective boats that night. Not long after we arrive the sun begins to set. The coconut trees are gently swaying in the breeze as the sun casts its golden light onto the shore. The deep gold color of the sand is a beautiful contrast to the bright blue sky, green palms and aqua blue waters. In this moment as we sit and enjoy a few sundowners we realize that all of the rough seas and bouncing about were definitely worth the effort. 

The following morning we awoke to a picture perfect day in paradise. The sun was shining brightly overhead and there was just enough wind to make sure it wasn’t too hot. Lutz & Gabi hopped in their dinghy and we in ours and we headed off to the village of Nuka just two miles away.

Here I should stop and give you a brief history lesson about this island as it’s very interesting even if it’s somewhat disheartening. You see, this island is not full of Fijians. No, its main inhabitants are Banabans. Who are they you ask? Well, Banaba also known as Ocean Island is a Pacific island located near the equator and is part of the Republic of Kiribati. In the mid 1800s a Tongan army conquered Fijian rebels on the island of Rambi. When they left the island a few years later they sold it to some Europeans to cover their many debts.

In 1900 a New Zealander by the name of Albert Ellis discovered phosphate on Banaba. These were considered the richest deposits of phosphate in the world at the time. Mr. Ellis worked for a London based company called Pacific Islands Phosphate Company. They ultimately exploited this newfound treasure as Ellis went around the island negotiating the purchase and lease of property for his company to use to mine the phosphate. Since the Banabans were simple-minded, highly trusting islanders the result was devastating to them. They ultimately sold a 999 year lease to PIPC for £50 per year. Yes, they were completely taken advantage of and ended up losing the rights to much of their island.

To add insult to injury during WWII the island was invaded and taken over by the Japanese. Once in control of the island the Japanese exiled the Banabans sending them to labor camps on islands such as Tarawa, Kosrae and Nauru. In these camps they were forced to do farm labor, growing crops to feed the Japanese forces in the Pacific theater.

At the conclusion of WWII the British came to these camps and “rescued” the Banabans sending them to the island of Rabi in Fiji, which is over 1300 miles from their homeland. This is the island we are now visiting. 

The British claimed they were helping these people because their homeland was devastated by the Japanese. In fact, the mining had done more to devastate it than the wartime occupation of their enemies. They told them Rabi in Fiji had nicer homes and was a better place to live as it was a “land of plenty” filled with cattle, pigs and fields of coconut trees etc… They talked up the beautiful island saying it had plenty of water and rich soil to grow things. In actuality, the British appear to have lied to them on several accounts. 

In their haste to take over Banaba and become wealthy from its phosphate deposits they simply dropped these people off with two months of provisions and food because remember, they claimed this to be a “land of plenty”. These people who had been in labor camps during the war were left in a fragile state with very little to keep them alive. The homes? They were hastily constructed military tents that provided little shelter from the much harsher elements in this region. 

And this was just the beginning of their disaster here as they were now in an entirely different climate…a much colder climate that is prone to harsh rains and cyclones. Their homeland is located near the equator so cold and cyclones were not something they were accustomed to experiencing. In addition to not having good shelter, they also had to deal with mosquitoes for the first time. Many fell ill with Dengue Fever and many more with Pneunomia. In relatively short order many of the young and elderly succumbed to illness and the elements.

There were other challenges to be faced as well. You see, the Banabans had never learned to hunt or to slaughter animals. They were fishermen so dealing with wild pigs and cattle, many of which were inflicted with TB, was entirely new to them. Not knowing how to properly slaughter and handle the meat from these animals created other illnesses among the people.

As if what the Brits did to them, all in the name of money, wasn’t enough, they also told them when they relocated them that they could return to their homeland in two years if they didn’t want to stay here in Fiji. They were assured that their return passage would be paid for at no cost to the Banabans. Once again, they were untruthful and never lived up to this promise forcing the people to accept living somewhere they never wanted to be in the first place.

These days, the island of Banaba is home to less than 500 Banabans. The many years of phosphate mining took its toll on the once tropical paradise. Out of 1500 acres of land only 150 remains habitable. When the mining companies finally left the island in 1980 they left behind all of their equipment and machinery, which now lies strewn about the island in heaps of rust.

The above are photos of Banaba Island before the mining and then after the island was ravaged by mining companies. These photos are share courtesy of: Ministry For Cultural Heritage. All rights to the photos belong to: Alexander Turnbull Library, Colville Collection  
Reference: PAColl-6044-15; PAColl-6044-01 
Photographs by Lilian Arundel

Today Rabi Island in Fiji is home to approximately 5000 Banabans. Most of these people long to travel to Banaba Island but sadly most will never have the chance to see the land of their ancestors. It’s said that the elders talk often of being buried on Banaba. They all have a very strong sense of attachment to the homeland that was stolen from them. 

The island itself is considered a closed island and permission to visit is to be sought from the Rabi Council of Leaders in Nuka. We didn’t know this when we arrived as it was not mentioned in the Fiji Tourism Guide we used to learn about it. All the guide told us is that it is an amazing place and one that every cruiser should visit.

This misinformation led to a mild confrontation when we went to shore in the main village. After walking through the village for about an hour we ran into two men. One was a Council Leader and the other an American doctor from California. I’m sure this will be hard to believe but the American doctor, Roger, was the one who was rather abrupt and rude to us, not the Banaban Council Leader. Roger asked us who exactly gave us permission to be on the island. We told him that we read about it in the guidebook and it said this was a place we should visit. He very cavalierly said, “Well, I guess we’ll give you permission then.”Honestly he was quite a pompass ass at first and while he did settle down a bit and talk to us about the island after that, we were all completely put off by him and disgusted by the fact that he thinks it’s his place to say anything at all. Yes, he does come to the island and help administer healthcare, which is admirable, but he is not a Banaban and has no right to say if we should or shouldn’t be on the island. If there was a problem then we would have expected the Council Leader to address it. He, on the other hand, was kind and welcoming and had nothing to say about the fact that this is a closed community that requires permission to visit it. In fact, he is the one who gave us all of the history of the island and their people. 

Despite Roger, we did have a wonderful visit to the village and are glad we made a point to stop there. After our visit we headed back to the boats, took a quick break and then headed to shore there to see if anyone was living there. We found a couple of huts that appeared to have someone living in them but we never found a single soul there.

One thing we noticed here is that the coconut palms all have one side that is orange in color. At first glance it appears they are painted but it turns out this is natural. It certainly explains some of the beautiful sunset photos you see of Fiji where the trunks of the trees have that orange glow. Here, the trees near the shore also had carvings on them. They looked as if they had names carved onto the trees. Since no one was around we’ll never know why.

Our trip ashore was nice and relaxing. Lutz even had us doing hermit crab races. You carve one small circle in the sand and then carve out a larger circle around that. Then you go in search of a hermit crab. When everyone had one you set them in the small circle and wait for them to start walking. The one that exits the larger circle first is the winner. Yes, four extremely mature adults were playing this silly game on the beach and having a ball. 

Later that day we decided we were hot and needed a swim. Since there was a beautiful reef here that protected the anchorage from the ocean we donned our snorkel gear and headed out. It’s a wonderful reef and has quite a bit of interesting living coral and marine life. 

That night after a full day of visiting, swimming and beach walking we had Lutz and Gabi over to Dazzler for dinner. Dan made his fabulously tasty stir fry chicken which was devoured by these four adventurous souls. After dinner I asked them if they would mind participating in a Dazzler tradition where we scatter some of my father’s ashes. This island is one that struck a chord with me and I felt it was a perfect place for this. They agreed and we scattered one more vial of Dad’s ashes in the lagoon and afterward I shared stories of my father, which kept them rather entertained.

The following day we left Albert Bay and headed around the corner, just ten or twelve miles away, to Catherine Bay. This is also part of Rabi Island. Once our anchors were secured in the very muddy bottom we headed to shore to explore. At least this time we are going with the blessing of one of the Council Leaders.

Grape Ape loves his Uncle Lutz and Uncle Lutz loves him back!

This village is pretty small. There were probably only about twenty houses on it and it was rather stretched out. As we approached the shore we could hear singing coming from the church. It’s Sunday so we knew the majority of the people would be in this very large Methodist church up on the hill. The singing was beautiful even if we didn’t understand the words.

First we walked to the north end of the village where we encountered some young men sitting in the middle of the dirt road drinking the local coconut toddy. We hear it’s a pretty stiff drink and have been warned to drink it with caution.We chose to forgo the offer to taste it. The young men appeared to have been drinking this most of the day. You see here on Rabi alcohol is prohibited so the only intoxicants found here are Kava and this coconut drink that has been fermented. Apparently these two items are okay as they are made on the island.

Anyway, these young men were obviously intoxicated and acting a bit unruly. While they asked questions of us and answered some of ours we sensed that when they were talking amongst themselves in Fijian they were talking about us and making fun of us. Of course, we can’t be sure, it was just a feeling we all had. And let’s be honest, we are all far too old to care!

After our encounter with the young men we headed back to the south end of the village where the church was up on the hill. There were lots of people milling about outside and kids were everywhere. We walked up the steep road and were greeted by a throng of children all calling out Bula as we walked up to listen to the pastor banging on the large wooden drum. This drum is used to signal the village that church is about to begin.

The pastor was a lovely young man who offered to take us into the church. Of course he had to seek permission from the village elder first. We’d have like to have visited with him but it seemed he was just content with watching us from afar.

The church is very large and has been around since the early 1900s. It’s the largest church on Rabi Island. Inside the pastor told us all about the church, their ministry, how they were affected by Tropical Storm Winston in 2016 and more. We spent a half hour or so talking with him before we decided we’d taken enough of his valuable time. After all, in just another hour he had his third service of the day.

We continued to walk to the very end of the southern part of the village before making our way back to Sparkle and heading out to our boats for the evening. Yes, our visit here to Rabi Island was one we will always remember. The people were lovely and learning about the history of the Banaban people was very educational even if a bit sad. It truly is a shame what people and governments will do in their search for wealth. 

Until next time,

Jilly & Dan

For more information on the history as well as the current situation of the Banaban people you can visit the following sites. Some of the information contained in this article came from these sites. 

June 2019, Nadi Bay, South Pacific, The South Pacific

We’re Celebrities!
SV SuAn leaving Navatu Bay

After meeting the people of the village in Navatu Bay we were excited to visit more of these island villages here in Fiji. This is, after all, why we travel in the first place. So, this morning we hauled our anchors and set off to Nadi Bay which is just a short 20 miles or so away. We motored the entire way because there wasn’t even a whisper of wind. In fact it was so calm that it was hard to tell where the ocean stopped and the sky began but still it was a beautiful trip as we snaked our way through the treacherous reefs. I must be getting used to this whole reef business because the sphincter factor remained a cheery yellow the entire time. Either I’m getting used to it or I was so calm because SV SuAn was leading the charge and I knew that as long as we followed them they would hit the reef first. HA HA HA

We arrived in the bay shortly after noon and dropped our anchors in about 8 meters of very good holding sand and mud. There is a large reef that extends out from the shore so we had to anchor further out than normal which will make the ride in to the village take a bit. The good news is that it should keep the mosquitoes away from the boat. Most mornings and evenings we’ve had to put our screens in the companionway to prevent those nasty pests from attacking. We’ve been warned of Dengue Fever. Apparently in Savusavu they currently have 28 cases. For those who are asking, yes, you can get vaccinated against it but when we were in México and inquired about it we where told the shot would cost something like $1500 USD per person so we decided to take our chances.

Anyway, here we are in this most beautiful anchorage with a large village set on the northern shore of the bay. After enjoying a couple of anchor down beverages we set off to shore. As we approached the village there were several men in the water. One was riding a horse in the water and others were attending to a small fishing boat that was moored there. Everyone smiled and waved as we made our way to the beach.

Once on the beach we were greeted in a most grand fashion. There must have been fifteen young men in their twenties all waiting to greet us. Each shook our hands and told us their names and they all gave us such warm and welcoming smiles. One young man barely let us get on the beach before he was asking to have his picture taken with us. Yes, believe it or not, he had a smartphone and couldn’t wait to take a selfie with the Kepelangis. Of course we happily obliged.

One dear young man took the lead and led us up the narrow, muddy path to the village. This village looked much like the one in Navatu. The houses are made of corrugated metal and are small with openings for windows and doors but few actual windows. There were lines and lines of drying clothes and people milling about as well as the obligatory dogs. Each person we passed stopped to shake our hands and welcome us to their village. They all told us their names but of course we met so many people we can hardly remember them.

The young man led us to the home of the Chief. We are greeted by a very pretty woman dressed in blue floral clothing. Her skirt is navy and pale blue flowers and her top is white with royal blue flowers. It’s very common here in the islands for them to mix up the prints. She was very well put together with a pretty matching necklace and earrings and she asked us to come into their home. Another woman in her late twenties or so with two small children was also inside. We can only assume she is their daughter. She was so excited to see us that she was literally beaming and jumping about giddy with happiness.

We were instructed to sit on the floor as usual and Lutz was told to place our Kava offering in front of the woman in blue. Suddenly I thought we may be in one of the rare villages where the Chief is a woman but we were then told she is the Chief’s wife and that the Chief is out working in the farm but would be home later.  After some Fijian banter back and forth between the Chief’s wife and the young man who brought us there she tells us he will take us through the village to meet the Taraga Ni Koro. He’s the Chief’s first in command who will give us a tour of the village.

We were offered a Mango flavored juice. This put each of us on edge a bit as we were told by the Health Officials when we checked into the country that we should always drink bottled water. I watched as the young woman put a powdered mix into a used plastic coke bottle and then filled it with water from their sink. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to say no to these people and quite frankly it would appear rude so we all drank the orange colored drink and prayed no one would get sick. 

We learned that the village has around 260 people in 48 homes. There’s a school here that has 130 students of which many come from nearby villages. There are eight teachers at the school and from what we saw, they are mostly men. They have solar power as usual but they are only allowed to have power from 1900 to 2200 hours each evening unless a family can afford to pay for power. Most cannot afford it.

And while we asked many questions there were two that we asked that revealed rather shocking answers. We asked how many boats come into their bay and how many of the boaters actually come into the village. Shockingly we found that so far this season fifteen boats have anchored in the bay yet we were the first cruisers to actually come ashore to the village.

As I discussed in the last article, there is a custom that should be adhered to here in the islands. That custom dictates that as visitors we are to go ashore with a gift and ask permission from the Chief to anchor in their bays. The gift is typically Kava root but could be just about anything from sugar, flour, tea and rice to books or school supplies. The point is that you don’t just come here with this entitlement attitude. This is their country and their rules and customs should be followed. Furthermore, what is the point of cruising and visiting other lands if you don’t actually take time to get to know the people there?

The fact that so many cruisers come here expecting to take and do whatever suits them is not one that sits well with any of us. It, in fact, makes us all look like rude, selfish tourists. We’ve already seen in Tonga how this has made many of the Tongans not like the cruisers at all. Our request from any cruisers making their way through the islands is to please take the time to do what’s right and customary for the locals. They are kind and welcoming and you owe it to them to respond in kind and follow their customs.

After spending fifteen or twenty minutes with the Chief’s family we were led back out through the village with the young man who had led us up from the beach. As we walk through the village we eventually meet up with the Taraga Ni Koro. He welcomes us with a big smile and handshake. He tells us he will take us up to the school. Along the way each and every villager stops what they are doing and comes out to greet us. It’s hard not to feel like some sort of celebrity as we walk along.

Just before we reached the fence at the edge of the schoolyard we stop and they show us a small greenhouse filled with saplings from a tree of which, I apologize, I can’t remember the name. They grow these trees for the seeds they produce. These reddish purple colored seeds, when crushed, produce an oil that is used in perfumes. This, along with fishing is what supports this village.

The next stop is the school. It sits on the top of the hill and is rather large compared to those we’ve seen in other villages. Of course with 130 students it has to be large. As we enter through the gate the first thing we see is a large field used for athletics. To the east end is a very torn and ragged volleyball net and it’s just near that edge of the field where there is a small building that houses the kindergarten. This is where we are led first.

The teacher here has twelve students who come to school from 0800 to 1200 each day. It’s a very small building but she has it nicely decorated for the children and just as you’d see in any school anywhere, there is artwork on the walls that was created by her students. There are three children there who are excited by our presence and begin coloring for us.

Top Left is the kindergarten teacher with three of her students. To the right the men sit outside of the kindergarten discussing the village. Bottom left is Lutz, Gabi & Dan with some of our wonderful hosts. The man in blue is the Taraga Ni Koro.

The children from the big school are let out for recess as we are at the kindergarten. Before we know it there are children covering the field. The boys are playing rugby and the girls are playing volleyball. All of them are constantly stopping to stare at the four white people at the edge of the field. Along the way up to the school Dan stops to play a little volleyball with the girls. They all giggle as he and the Taraga Ni Koro join in their game.

Further up the hill is the main school. Here we are greeted by two very nice gentlemen. One is named Mac and again, sorry, but I don’t remember the other’s name. By this point we’d met well over fifty people. We spend a half hour or so talking with them about the village, schooling and the challenges they face. One of their biggest needs is books for the children. These could be any sort of books, dictionaries or textbooks or even books meant for casual reading. They asked if we have anything like that on board which unfortunately we do not. We did tell them, however, that we will be coming back this way next year and will do what we can to bring supplies and books to their village. After all, they have all been so kind to us. If we can bring some supplies to help them, we would be honored to do so.

After our school visit we head back down through the village. Once again the villagers stop what they are doing to come out and talk with us. They are really too kind. Just as we are about to the end the of the village tour we come across their vorlo (meeting house). It is brimming with activity. Women are scurrying about like ants and it’s obvious something big is taking place. One woman asks me to come inside and take some photos and wow, what a treat! As I walk through the door of this long building there are women sitting on the floor on either side of the doorway. In front of them are several very large pots. Each is filled with some type of food I’ve never seen before. The only thing I recognize is fish and it’s small fish approximately six inches long. It looks just as it did when it was fished out from the ocean. It is whole and their glassy eyes are looking a bit frosted over.

The women at the pots are scooping the food onto plates and passing them to others who are then placing the plates on the long mats. It’s a well-oiled machine even though it appears a bit chaotic to an outsider. Around the edges of the room there are men sitting and even sleeping on the floor as they await the feast that is about to be served to them.

Back outside a mob of school children have found us and are all clamoring for our attention. They all want to have their photos taken. Once you take photos they immediately want to see them. I’m not sure if it is the feast about to be served or the spectacle of us but more and more villagers begin to arrive. We met one particularly well-spoken man, Benjimi, who has been in the village for several days. He and his group are evangelists there to preach to the villagers. He asks us to join them in their feast, however, the tide is dropping quickly and we need to get back to the dinghy and get out before we have to carry it across the huge reef so we thank him but politely decline.

The young lady in blue is Gracie….my helper!

It’s time now to leave these wonderful people so we are led back down the hill to the shore. When we reach the muddy, somewhat slippery part of the path I comment to Dan that I hope I won’t fall. Before I know it a lovely young lady, Gracie, about eight or ten years old, grabs my left hand and begins to escort me down the path. She looks up at me with her beautiful brown eyes and infectious smile and says, “Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.” It’s at this moment that I realize I have reached the age where children actually think of me as elderly.  Thankfully I’m too happy to dwell on that fact now. I’m sure there will be plenty of time for that later.

By the time we reach the shore there are probably twenty-five children and a half a dozen men there to see us off. They help us to push the dinghy out and we say our goodbyes and thank them all for the wonderful visit to their village. As we pull away the entire crowd is yelling, “moce”and waving. It is a scene I don’t think we will ever forget and I wonder as we are leaving if the cruisers who just anchor in these bays and refuse to visit the villagers really know what they are missing. 

How could you not want to come ashore and visit these amazing people?

Until next time,

Jilly & Dan