When you visit Dakuinaroba Bamboo Park in Navunibau, Namosi, you are welcomed not just by the rustle of towering bamboo swaying in the cool breeze, but by the warm smile of Akatalaini Vakaseleyasi Tauleka.
Ms Tauleka serves as both park attendant and tour guide — a role that places her at the heart of every visitor’s experience. She greets guests, shares insights about the park’s history and ecology, and leads guided tours through tranquil bamboo groves, across flowing streams and along scenic mountain paths.
For her, this is more than a job.
Raised in the lush landscapes of Namosi, Ms Tauleka developed an early bond with the environment that surrounded her. That deep connection has grown into a protective and empathetic relationship with nature, one that now shapes the way she works and lives.
When Dakuinaroba Bamboo Park opened, it created new opportunities for women in the community.
For Ms Tauleka, it was a chance to combine her love for nature with tourism, while earning a steady income and sharing her knowledge of the land she calls home.
Like many who work at the park, she finds joy in the simple beauty of her surroundings – the quiet strength of bamboo stands, the peaceful hum of the forest, and the steady rhythm of water weaving through the landscape.
Before joining the park, Ms Tauleka was a full-time mother devoted to raising her three children. Today, she continues to balance family life with her growing responsibilities. When she is not guiding visitors, she tends to her yaqona and dalo plantation, manages household duties and participates in community activities.
Her journey reflects quiet determination and a desire for growth.
“I know that by learning I can be a capable individual who can contribute positively to the park’s development,” she said.
Her inspiration comes from close to home. Encouraged by her uncles, Josefa Tauleka and Eroni Rauto, she stepped forward to play a meaningful role in the family-run enterprise.
“Since the bamboo park is part of our heritage, I feel it’s important to present it well to visitors and those hoping to invest.
“Working with nature has really changed the way I see and value resources. It has influenced me in a positive way, especially in learning more about conservation efforts and why its important to preserve our bamboos.”
Through her work, Ms Tauleka has met people from different walks of life, each bringing new perspectives and reinforcing the importance of conservation.
Those interactions have strengthened her belief in protecting the bamboo forests that define the park.
She finds the greatest reward not in the daily tasks, but in the reactions of those who visit.
“Seeing them enjoy the cool breeze under the bamboo trees or hiking up the mountains gives us a sense of happiness.
“We hope we inspire many people with what we do here.”
As a member of the mataqali Namara, which operates the Bamboo Park, Ms Tauleka carries both responsibility and pride. Her role represents more than employment — it is stewardship of heritage, environment and community.
At Dakuinaroba Bamboo Park, the bamboo may stand tall and graceful, but it is women like Ms Tauleka who give the forest its living spirit.
Akatalaini Vakaseleyasi Tauleka up at the lookout point at the bamboo park. Picture: SUPPLIED
