The rhythm of life in traditional Fiji has always been guided by the passage of natural events.
The flowering of native trees, the arrival of certain fish in rivers and lagoons, or the movement of birds across the skies were more than seasonal markers, they were and are living signposts, guiding when to plant, harvest, build, and gather for ceremony.
Among these natural indicators, none holds more cultural and ecological significance than the Nanai, or Fijian cicada.
To the people of yavusa Emalu in Navosa, it is known as the Lewatu ni Bovitu, a totem and a symbol of prosperity. Its appearance signals the start of a season of abundance, a time when the land and its people are promised wealth and plenty.
So precious is this insect to Fiji’s identity that it now features prominently on the nation’s $100 banknote.
A rare forest dweller
The Nanai (Raiateana knowlesi) is found only in the deep, lush forests of Viti Levu’s mountainous provinces of Navosa, Namosi and Serua.
This insect is unique not only to Fiji, but to the entire southern hemisphere.
It is the only cicada known here with a long, fixed life cycle, emerging from the earth just once every eight years.
For most of its life, the Nanai remains hidden underground as a nymph, feeding quietly on the sap and nutrients of plant roots.
After eight years, the nymphs crawl out of the soil, shed their hard outer casings, and transform into adults with transparent wings marked by a rusty-red tinge at the base.
Their black-lined bodies and sharp call distinguish them from the 18 other cicada species that share Fiji’s forests.
The adult stage is brief lasting just a few but dramatic weeks.
In this short window, the air fills with their chorus as males call out for mates.
Females then lay their eggs in tree branches before both sexes die out.
The hidden cycle begins anew as the tiny hatchlings fall onto the soil, burrow down and remerge eight years later.
Cultural treasure
For the people of yavusa Emalu, the Nanai or as they call it Lewatu Ni Bovitu is so much more than just a mere cicada.
It is an omen of good fortune, wealth, and revered as a totem that symbolises the unique identity of the tribe, as well as its connection to the natural world.
Oral histories passed down over generations describe the Nanai’s emergence as a marker of prosperity and a signal to the people that it is time to prepare gardens, harvest, and give thanks for nature’s bounty.
It is this deep cultural significance that explains its place on Fiji’s highest-value banknote. Among the motifs of flora and fauna that celebrate Fiji’s biodiversity, the Nanai holds pride of place as a crown jewel of the forests.
Fragile future
Despite its cultural importance, much remains unknown about the Nanai.
Scientists at NatureFiji-MareqetiViti noted that detailed studies of its ecology and behaviour have been and are lacking.
Unlike the famous periodical cicadas of the United States, which have been studied for decades, the Nanai’s long life cycle and forest habitat make it especially difficult to observe.
What is known, however, is that the species face threats.
Introduced predators such as pigs, mongoose, cats and rats prey on its nymphs.
Human activities from forest fires, logging, infrastructure projects and mining, threaten the fragile habitats where it emerges.
In some areas, people also collect the Nanai as a food source.
Currently, the insect is not listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
But the absence of data is itself a concern.
In the absence of through and detailed research, conservationists have warned that this rare Fijian treasure could vanish under our noses, unnoticed until it reaches a point where nothing can be done to save it.
Value the unseen
The Nanai to Indigenous Fijians, particularly those who hail from Navosa, Namosi, and Serua, the yavusa Emalu and the wider Tako-Lavo family, is a constant reminder of the deep interconnectedness to nature.
It shows us that even the smallest creature has the unique potential to guide human life and embody the values of what we define as wealth.
The song of the cicada rings out once every eight years, when it does, it should remind us that abundance, like culture and nature, must be cared for it is to endure.
Next week more of the team’s expedition in Navosa in search of the nanai
A nanai basks in the afternoon sun. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
A nanai which has just emerged from the ground has a greenish colour with a reddish tinge on its wings. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
Na iLalakai senior journalist, Viliame Ravai presents a isevusevu on behalf of The Fiji Times team to the Turaga ni Yavusa Emalu inside his modestly beautiful bamboo hut. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
Navosa – home province of the yavusa Emalu and the Nanai. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
