Apart from being a jack of all trades in terms of her ability to earn, Anaseini Vakananuma was also the first baby to be born at the Wainibokasi Hospital when it opened in October 1966.
Located in the Tailevu Province, the rural dwelling is home to mostly farmers and landowners.
Mrs Vakananuma grew up on the outskirts of an ordinary and simple village life.
As a young girl in village at that time, learning tricks of the trade to put food on the table was what she learnt to do.
She followed and learnt from her elders about respect, God and making use of her natural surroundings.
Anyone could walk into a jungle, but knowing which leafy plants were foods and which was for medicine was knowledge every girl was obligated to learn.
Weave mats and cooking were also important
“I weave mats, fetch kai (fresh water mussels) from the Rewa River, grow flowers and do farm work with my husband,” the 55-year-old Nakaile, Tokatoka, Tailevu, woman said proudly.
She said she learnt how to weave in Nasaqalau, Lakeba, in early the ’80s when she married Kaci Tupua, a man from Lau.
“It’s funny because I learnt from a lady originally from Navaka in Noco, Rewa who was married there. We both fell in love in Lau and I thank God for her life because through that skill, I was able to earn a living.
“Business has been good because iTaukei people always have funerals, birthdays or other traditional gatherings, and it’s a must that you bring a mat. So I sell mats to supplement my husband’s income. He is a security officer at Vunimono High School.”
Mrs Vakananuma said one activity she hoped would be revived was rice farming in Nakaile.
Nakaile is located about five minutes drive from Wainibokasi in the Rewa Delta.
The village is home to more than 100 households.
She said her father used to be a rice farmer.
“When I was little, we never bought rice because my dad used to plant it and we just lived off the rice, vegetables and root crops that he planted.
“At that time Nakaile and other surrounding villages used to plant rice as source of income.”
She attended Class One to Class Eight at Nabitu District School, but could not further her education because of financial constraints.
“I just stayed in the village and helped my parents on the farm.”
After she got married, Mrs Vakananuma had five children and today has eight grandchildren.
These days she sells freshwater mussels, ivi (Tahitian chestnuts) or cassava bread at the Nausori Municipal Market.
“In my village, there are many opportunities to make money because we have a lot of land and the river is also our source of livelihood.”
