Participants and all those present at last week’s National Women’s Expo watched in admiration as Jacqueline French walked about the Vodafone Arena with her purchase of handicraft products.
She walked about using a ketekete (traditional woven basket) to hold some of the items she had bought, a manner which attracted the attention of onlookers.
Ms French lives in Australia and is a frequent visitor to Fiji during the holiday season.
It was her first time at the expo and she bought Christmas gifts for her loved ones.
“I love Fijian handicraft,” she said.
“I love mats and all these kinds of things you do not see any more, like the food platter, the baskets that Fijian women used to collect and store their food and all these beautiful things that come from the other Pacific islands as well.
“I am thrilled to see that we are having this women’s exhibition because it keeps craft alive and makes people realise we value them.”
Ms French was also thrilled to see that women still had these wonderful skills at making mats, baskets, jewellery and other forms of craft.
“It is a very wonderful skill that Fijian women have, so I am delighted to see it,” she said.
Ms French bought a food platter, a small storage basket, a fan, table mats and other handicraft items at a cost of between $20 and $70.