At 72, Iliesa Rokodaveta is sharing his knowledge of weaving coconut leaves with young people in Serea, Naitasiri.
He hopes the skill of weaving coconut leaves will be carried on by future generations.
As young people in Serea prepare for the vakaciribilibili race, Iliesa Rokodaveta took the opportunity to teach them a skill he believes should not be forgotten.
Mr Rokodaveta said he enjoyed sharing his knowledge with young people, particularly as traditional skills were gradually fading away.
“We want these young people to know about this so they can share it with future generations and ensure the skills are not lost,” he said.
His contribution was a reminder that preparing for a traditional event was also an opportunity to learn from older generations.
Mr Rokodaveta, who has maternal links to Serea through the Yavusa Nadoloi, spent more than 30 years working as a security officer with Matrix in Suva.
After retiring, he returned to village life.
The income from his years working in Suva has helped meet his family’s expenses.
Today dalo farming provides an important source of income, covering much of his household’s daily needs.
He said dalo was usually harvested every seven months, with farmers earning between $7000 and $8000 from a good harvest.
He has five children, all of whom have families of their own. Their support has been especially important since he lost his wife to the COVID-19 virus.
Mr Rokodaveta said he was grateful to his children and their spouses for helping to care for him.
Despite the changes in his life, he continues to contribute to his community by sharing what he knows.
His involvement in the vakaciribilibili preparations reflects the value of having older villagers teach younger generations skills that may otherwise disappear.
