ON Thursday, December 20, 2018, I was assigned to visit Suvavou Village just outside of the Capital City.
Arrangements were made to meet the village headman Vereti Dumaru to provide coverage on growing concerns over the rise in sea level that is slowly washing away part of the village.
A closer look and according to the village headman a good portion of the land has been washed away as a result of the rise in sea level as Mr Dumaru claims about 100 metres squared of land in the past half-century.
However, the most emotional of this short trip was visiting and hearing the final plea of Bu Ana Mataki who later passed away just five days after our conversation.
Was Bu Ana waiting for someone to share her thoughts and heart desires?
Probably she was, she wanted to tell someone to share their narrative, that they — the Suvavou people desperately need help and assistance.
“Bula dredre sara keimami sa lako curuma tu qo, qai vei keitou au ga sa vo tiko vei keitou na veitacini, au sa waraka tuga qo na nona veikacivi na Kalou. (Life is really hard, I am the only one left of my siblings, I am just waiting for the day the Lord will call me).
“Se cava mada na nomuni rai na Fiji Times, e rawa beka ni dua na gaunisala me keimami vukei ia, isa lei me keimami vukei me keimami nanumi. (Or what do you think The Fiji Times, is there any way someone will help us, please will someone think of us and help us).
It was also at this juncture after she shared this, when I responded to her by saying I cannot promise any help but it is my hope and the hope of The Fiji Times that when their story will be published stakeholders will be inspired and encouraged to reach out to the people of Suvavou.
To which she said, Vinaka valevu (Thank you). It is also interesting to note, that after the stories were published there have been several positive feedbacks. She was to turn 83 this month and at the time of our conversation had a crystal clear memory of life growing up.
Fish and sea-shells were in abundance and were easily sourced in less than an hour a stones throw away from the village, but in the past two to three decades she has seen it dwindled to almost nothing left for them.
With the rise in sea-level taking its toll, villagers continue to wonder where will they move as there is no other place to move to.
“Dodonu saraga me keimami nanumi, ni keimami sa tiko madaga va qo.” (They should think of us while we are residing here.)
“Au nanuma ni neimami na vanua qo o Suva ko caka tu kina qo na veivavaletaki, veiyala tiko kei Kalabu, era sega ni rawa ni nanumi keimami, na sitoa lelevu era sa bini tu. Se cava me keimami cakava me keimami tekiduru yani e matadra me keimami vakamamasu, sa lewa ga na Kalou na neimami toso kei na neimami tiko. Ia na ilavo levu sa rawa tiko e Suva. (I thought we were traditional owners of Suva. What do these big businesses want, for us to come and kneel down in front of them and beg them to help us? A lot of businesses are making money, yet no one is thinking of us.)
This is Bu Ana’s final plea.
Meanwhile, the village headman said, on several occasion, they have been forced to accept the traditional presentation of developers in order for work to begin.
“This is what they do, they come to us to present their isevusevu for the construction of their building and when they go they forget about us.
“Or in other cases when the build on top of traditional burial grounds or try to bulldoze and develop traditional or sacred mounds, and something wrong happens which they cannot control they come to us to ask for forgiveness and the Tui Suva would accept it and then off they go without returning.
“I remember at Walu Bay a company had brought its experts from overseas to fix the machinery but it won’t work, then they presented a yaqona to the Tui Suva, straight after he drank the first bowl he told them, on your machines and they worked just fine as if nothing was wrong. And when the Tui Suva returned he was bringing only one bag of flour as their show of gratitude.
“This year we have decided we will not be accepting any more traditional presentation for any developments on the Capital City.
“If something happens we do not care, if they still want to continue construction without acknowledging us that is their choice.
“All we have been asking is at least please hear our plea and help us.”
