Ema Naqele’s hands move swiftly and confidently across the voivoi (dried pandanus), each strand pulled and pressed into place with the ease of decades of practice.
What might take others months, she can complete in a matter of days.
Originally from Nasukamai Village in Ra, with maternal links to Nukulau, Ema married into Nubumakita Village in 1989.
At 61, she is a mother of four and a respected woman in Nubumakita.
Soon after her marriage, she stepped into leadership as head of the Soqosoqo ni Marama (women’s club), a role she held intermittently for 20 years.
“For a coco I can complete it in two or three days if I focus on completing it,” she said.
Her speed and skill are a reflection of a lifetime dedicated to weaving, an art that now sustains her family and strengthens her role in the community.
Today, her focus has shifted to her family and her weaving.
“My main source of income is selling mats. Most of the time I get orders for a vivivi (set of mats),” she said.
These sets of mats are especially important for traditional ceremonies and events.
Just last month, she completed a vivivi worth $600, and she is already working on another order valued at $700.
Weaving is not a solitary task. Her niece often works alongside her.
“My niece helps me a lot with weaving, especially when we get big orders,” she said.
Despite the demands of her craft, Ema ensures that household responsibilities come first.
“Before we weave, we make sure that all our chores are done.”
Her work does more than provide income. It supports her obligations to family, the vanua, and the church.
It has also helped fund her youngest child’s education.
“Most of the money I make also goes into my youngest child’s education,” she said.
Her youngest, 21, is training to be a teacher at Fulton Adventist University College.
Ema grows her own voivoi, making her work both sustainable and self-reliant.
Beyond weaving, she runs a small canteen and is known for her hospitality.
“I get blessed when I look after people when they visit,” she said.
Her home is often used as an accommodation for government officials or visitors when they stay in Nubumakita.
Now, she is weaving for an important family occasion, the installation of their Turaga ni Yavusa.
