SOME Fijians told me that you haven’t really seen Fiji until you have been up into the highlands.
Last week I got the unique opportunity to do just that, while at the same time immersing myself in a piece of Fijian history.
Early this month, the iTaukei vernacular newspaper Nai Lalakai Editor, Anare Ravula and myself, travelled to the centre of Viti Levu to the small highlands village of Nabutautau, the place where missionary Reverend Thomas Baker was killed in 1867. He is known as the only missionary in Fiji to be killed and eaten.
We travelled up from Suva by car, to Lautoka for the night, before driving up through the mountains to the Navosa Highlands of Western Viti Levu, early the next morning.
From Lautoka we travelled for a good three to four hours, winding along bumpy gravel roads through various highland villages and an ever-changing backdrop of mountains shrouded in clouds. Along the way we stopped at various vantage points to get some pictures of the beautiful Fijian landscape, breathing in the fresh jungle air.
We were lucky to have a good 4 by 4 utility vehicle as the under-maintained loose gravel roads would have made the precarious trip virtually impossible for any other car. Many times our car struggled with the loose terrain, especially when a quick shower of rain would turn the road into an array of little streams.
After some time, winding through the hills and jungle we came to a lookout point atop a mountain overlooking the village of Nabutautau, settled in a valley surrounded by rolling hills. We took a few photos before crawling down the s-bend road to the village.
In the village we were greeted by the smiling locals of Aliti Nawawabalavu, Adi Kaveni, Wais, two small cute and healthy looking girls, descendants of the chief who killed Thomas Baker nearly 150 years ago. They showed us into their home where we sat and talked about the history of the village and their ancestry. The descendant’s told Anare stories of their descendants in Fijian, parts of which he translated to English for me.
We then set off with the Turaganikoro (village headman), Vilitati Rokovesa, one of the descendants, to see the sites around the village, which all played a role in the unfortunate tale of Thomas Baker. Our first stop on our muddy, sweaty trek through the jungle was the cannibal chief’s home, the very man who ended the life of Reverend Baker.
The home wasn’t very homely; in fact it was more of a nature fortress with huge stone rocks on three sides, in the middle of the thick jungle and perched next to a steep hill. The only entrance was a narrow channel between two huge boulders. In the middle of the rock fort were two flat rocks, one a table the other a chair, where the chief used to sit to eat.
Outside the ‘house’ we were shown the place where the cannibals of Nabutautau threw Baker’s body down the ravine to the river where the neighbouring cannibal tribe were waiting. They then took his body to cook and consume. No media persons had ever seen this particular site before and as a foreigner to Fiji I feel incredibly blessed to be among the first to see such a place with my own eyes.
Back in the village we were shown to the exact spot where Thomas Baker was killed. A small mound just outside the main village area, surrounded by rocks and flowers marks the place where his life was ended, for touching the head of the chief.
We were also shown to the centre of the village where a monument had been erected. Atop the stone pedestal was a plaque written in Fijian, signifying the apology for the crimes committed against Reverend Baker, his followers and family. It was here I was also presented with the original axe used to kill Reverend Baker. It was hard to fully grasp the significance of the object as I held it in my hand, marvelling at its craftsmanship; a true piece of Fijian history, as sharp and terribly beautiful as ever. We took a few photos and stood, soaking in the scene before heading back to the house for lunch.
Before we headed back through the jungle to our hotel in Lautoka we shared a traditional village meal made with fresh produce grown by the villagers. Sweet pineapple, juicy tomatoes, bread fruit, rourou and many other delicious home-grown products from the villagers own gardens. Lunch over we said our farewells and I thanked the villagers for such a unique experience and their warm hospitality.
In the car on the way home I was able to reflect on the day, thankful for the chance at such a wild experience I will remember for years to come. From my time here in Fiji I have learned that if you get the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone onto the beaten track you will be blessed with experiences and memories you will cherish for a lifetime.
