(00:00:05) Staring at the sea again. I am we dreamers and Drifters do that helps us sort things up by Russ Johnson during this next to our travel writer, Georgia has and I invite you to spend the holidays in Fiji as we try to sort out this perplexing Pacific Paradise and that's not easy here. We have 300 Palm studded aisles and at all set in a coral modeled see of Technicolor blue. How do you like that for pros were third violin Colonel staged a coup against one tribal Chief allowed his own Chief to come up with a new Constitution, which he didn't like deposed him causing Fiji to be kicked out of the Commonwealth, but that made him president. Are you following me here? We have a country. That is Christian, even though Indians mostly Hindu are the majority here. We have a people who still walk on fire who used to eat their enemies now, they're so friendly. They're almost suspect. And as I discovered just before the holidays when I sat down on a straw mat in someone's house with some men and women from a village their voices are as sweet as their personalities. (00:02:39) Oh God. Don't worry. I like (00:05:26) thunderstorms and Fiji being in the tropics has some of the loudest and the best in one great blast Legend. Has it the serpent God created the world and then hatched Kaviti the people of Fiji from a bird's egg a more modern tale tells that the first fijians arrived in a Great Canoe named Connie Tony where they're real roots are is an unanswered question, but most Scholars today believe that the earliest inhabitants of these 300 remote Islands arrived from Southeast Asia 2,000 years ago Lolly or Fiji and drums once signaled feasts or Slaughters. They were Fierce cannibals these folks they ate their enemies and if there was a shortage of them each other cook them in ovens and serve them with spinach Captain Bligh cast from The Bounty barely escaped Bligh was saved by a storm while being pursued by two 100-foot work anew. They say the last man to be cooked was Wesley and missionary Reverend Thomas Baker in 1868. The Story Goes that they even tried to eat the soles of his boots thinking they were his feet. They cook them for two days before deciding they were too tough. All of that changed abruptly. When the Great Chief the combo known as the most powerful man in the Pacific became a Christian and declared that all fijians should do likewise and on top of that he seated Fiji to Great Britain in 1874 at a ceremony in Lavaca talking about presented his war-club and his country to Queen Victoria. The Buca on the island of oh Baloo was fiji's first capital. (00:07:52) Somebody might be something. I see men demise he said It's a lady. (00:10:38) Narrow Gauge Railroad is crisscrossed the western part of Viti levu fiji's main island. They carry sugar cane the country's principal cash crop. The descendants of Indians brought in by the British to work the fields now labor side by side with the geums the country became independent under the Commonwealth in 1970 today Indians make up more than half the population. They are the countries entrepreneurs business people the fijians. However own 83% of the lamb and that by law cannot be sold Minerva sing attali manages fiji's Cultural Center. We believe that (00:11:24) vanilla or the word 110 or land is (00:11:28) on a broader sense in Rod meanings to us. It's blood land (00:11:34) soul (00:11:36) body and it's everything that really put a race together when you talk about Len, it's everything. I was in Fiji the day before the 87 elections the talk in fiji's open-air markets and on the streets was about changing the law. Now selling of land politicians were making their last minute promises one man who identified himself only as mr. Coconut said the question of land is dynamite the Indians take a little then. They want more and more. Why can't they go back to their own country? It's a big country. The fact is that most Indians were born in Fiji follow many Fijian customs and have never even been to India. April 12th started normally enough, but by the end of the day, it was clear that Fiji was in for change the mostly Fijian Alliance party headed by ratu commie sassy Mara the man who led Fiji to Independence lost the election. Dr. Timothy bavander has Labour party a coalition of Indians and fijians was voted in the Indian majority finally had clout but not for long. Radio PG news (00:12:50) for political activities have been suspended under a decree published by the commander and head of the military government of the Republic of (00:12:57) Fiji. I'm a 14 cuddle city of any band Booker the third ranking officer and fiji's Military marched into Parliament with 10 of fiji's finest and took over the only blood that was shed was economic labor unions called strikes cane fields and shops were torched two Airlines dropped Fiji from their schedules and tourists the country second cash crop stayed away Colonel Rand Bucca got his own tribal Chief to preside over the drafting of a new constitution to ensure power and land for the fijians is Chief by the way was rat usurper nayagan allow the governor-general or Queen's representative under the mara government, which you'll recall was just elected out of office by September. The tourists were coming back a new constitution was ready, but the colonel was not satisfied on September 22nd the other boot fact Colonel Ram Buca staged a coup to and imposed a curfew Indians call this night in October the darkest night of the year deep Wally or Hindu New Year is usually a night of Jubilation fireworks and dancing when houses shine with Clay lamps or Dia but this year in Fiji all is quiet except for songs and prayers on the radio several thousand Indians have left Fijian since the first coup. I will light up my idea he sings please come home. I am lost without you. Auntie Polly Hindus worship Lakshmi the goddess of wealth mrs. Mohini Kumar is a broadcaster for Radio Fiji People starts repeating for this fist event a few weeks in advance, but the actual celebration begins on the day known as Don datas three days before deepavali. This is the day when we buy a few new pots and pins made of brass. This is a good omen Ian. Utensils should not be bored for this brings bad luck. This is what we believe on the evening of dhanteras one deer this little deer which is made out of clay in the name of yamraaj. The god of death one Dia is taken out and left in the yard in the front yard. And this is to remove all bidlack from our home and it is believed that if you like the idea on that Terrace and if it continues to burn Dilip Amelie it is good and I must tell you it's about seven days today and we still have that they are the next day is narek Jour Des. This is the day when we clean our homes and yards sedated we prepare to celebrate deepavali on the following day. If one does not take a shower on neurotic Charters. It is a bad Omen the following days the bubbly this is the darkest night of the year. Although it is the darkest night each small. They are made out of clay brings out bright light now come here is the guy who makes the clay idea will he will make this clay idea at the same time. He will make lots and lots of toys for deepavali and we believe that on deepavali. We should have everything new we wear new clothes and we have new they are for Puja in the evening. Each Hindu family gets together to perform Ganesh Lakshmi Puja Lots and lots of sweets are distributed among family members and friends and I must say here that sweets are symbols of a good relationship among friends It is believed that Lakshmi goddess of wealth will dwell in homes where there are lots and lots of Lights. This is not what it sounds like the bullets are blank the grenade spout pretty red smoke and there are kids running all over the place pouncing on soldiers labeled dead and wrestling with them. It is Colonel Ram Buca's open house and had a lot of nerve walking into a military post to 3 cameras in the tape recorder, sir. Look like one of Rupert Murdoch's henchmen. The colonel is not terribly fond of the Australian press which among other things as compared him to Idi Amin only it seems because he is black and muscular Australian Playboy fleshed out the possibility that his coup was a CIA plot a staged by US Marines in Disguise several people. In fact bluntly asked me if I was CIA perish the thought here. I was at a Fourth of July picnic Fiji style steaks sizzling on grills kids riding around in jeeps and the colonel I turned around and there he was 10 feet away. I grabbed an icon shot him once twice right between the oak leaf clusters Graham Greene. In a plain brown shirt approached me cigarette dangling from his lip. Who are you? Whom do you represent? The asked? I answered him honestly, who are you? I asked him. Does it really matter? He replied and walked away. And so the 400 looking like a one-man media conglomerate walks unannounced into the camp of a colonel who had just staged a coup and all he gets her a couple of questions. I was quickly getting the feeling that a military government was simply not Fiji style. If this was a big family picnic, in fact just about every Fuji and I talked to seemed to be somehow related to some other Fiji and I had talked to you will find that I have more than thousands cousins and thousands aunties and thousand uncle's wherever you go any parts of his you really bound to meet someone there that you're related to I think basically you will find that no Fusion will (00:19:31) die of hunger. (00:19:33) because that's part of our traditional custom sharing and caring and it's based (00:19:39) on respect to one another (00:19:42) also because of the foundation of One (00:19:45) race as I (00:19:48) believe in the fusions believe it's the is a village and this is where (00:19:52) we go back in now and again to meet with people and talk and share things and knowledge and and I think you will find that, you know, when you move from one area to another still see that region still sit down together around the bowl of the I'm gonna or cover or national drink and talk about the problems and also what to do and what not I'm single. (00:22:52) You're drinking One Drop it like coffee it is. boola boola Gigi has two governments one of the politicians and the other of the tribes all of the Fathers and Sons and uncles and cousins who work things out sitting around a bowl of Yang gonna getting mildly stoned. In fact after his open house both Colonel Rand Bucca and his chief pan Diagon allow. We're headed to their Village presumably to Parry politics over the Yang gonna bolt. Kangana is made from Wacha a pepper plant. It looks and sort of tastes like dirty bath water with a pinch of pepper, but I've grown to like it especially after a few bowls of the stuff when I start talking like Noel coward or at least thinking I do everywhere. I went in Fiji every night. I found people sitting around the Yang gonna Bowl talking and sometimes singing (00:25:33) my delight What are (00:26:07) those words analyze the it's a folk dance sort of it's your vision of the dosey doe you put your hands around your each other's hips and you just cut along. You don't see blues and greens like this anywhere else in (00:26:28) the world (00:26:29) from above the ocean surrounding fiji's Palms that at islands and atolls lie almost flat broken only by a wall of reef in the middle (00:26:37) distance marked by an explosion of white foam. (00:26:49) Abandoning the universe of are the diver plunges into a kaleidoscope a moat inside the eye of an emerald Sapphire down. He sinks in Eerie quiet cut by the throb of his own breathing past thick flights of fishes that Shimmer and swivel individual knots in an underwater tapestry. Some creatures swim up to investigate fish Fat has barrels with puffed out eyes fish then as razor blades that vanish when they face you head on corals parade in a fantasy of Shades sizes and shapes stiff and pointed as Elks horns fluid as ferns fanned out like great lazy Susans or humped increased like giant brains. Above waves break upon a reef and white water falls crack through the seamless surface of the sea the Waters of Fiji are the gates of a fourth dimension. Nightlife is returned to Fiji. The curfew is now over wives. I'm told in my tits so much kept their men out of the bars The Travelers work and find hotels in Suva. Fiji is capital. I spent of bizarre night at the Travelodge boasting the only revolving door in the country with a gold lighter a drunk an arms dealer is card City sold warships and members of the British High command. Fiji has no lack of luxury accommodations. It has its Regent its highest it shangri-la's and a new Sheraton has just risen from the cane Fields off the coast. There are islands where you can stay in an embroidery a traditional thatched roof Hut for as little as eight dollars a night $25 a night which includes meals you can sleep in a dorm on Beachcomber Island where singles mingle and Australian honks engage in an activity. They call Talent spotting or their secluded Turtle Island were Brooke Shields wind and bared it and Blue Lagoon. There's no need for top name entertainment in fiji's hotels at least in the enthusiasm department, but locals will do quite nicely. Thank you. About the only place you can hear a Triton shell trumpet these days. Is that a hotel at a fire walking ceremony? (00:30:21) Four hours stones are heated (00:30:23) white-hot by burning logs the firewalkers then snare the logs and ceremoniously pulled them away. Long long long ago a man on the island of hven qua fishing for eel caught the tiny King of the water Sprites. Let me go let me go you can almost imagine his voice as he promised to build a fire pit and teach the fishermen how for what it's worth to walk upon it. The man or his descendants could not however consort with women or eat coconut for a month or their feet would surely be burned until 1960 jumping into the oven as fire walking is called in Fijian was rarely performed since then hotels have been featuring it at least once a week. No walkers have burned their feet yet, but one wonders what the water Sprites think of all this. (00:32:21) Good morning. It's no eight o'clock. The military government of the Republic of Fiji will now be responsible for protecting and fostering Christianity in Fiji under a decree on fundamental freedoms. The decree also allows freedom of worship to all other religions in Fiji individuals, or (00:32:39) Life may be topping and hotels with Suva and his Sunday is a Holy Ghost Town Sunday is for going to church. Nothing else business is not allowed. It is illegal for fijians and foreigners to lunch and hotels it might after all be doing business some Indians I talk to are afraid to go out at all. The cricket field across from Parliament house is empty Sports aren't allowed on the Sabbath. I put on my coat and tie and headed out onto an empty Street. Are you going to church? Mr. Johnson asked a woman at the hotel's front desk? Yes. I replied pray for us. She said If you talk to 10 for geon's maybe seven will invite you to their Village. I am in visi village where legend has it that giant canoe brought the first settlers to these specks of land in a sea of blue. It is also where the missionaries established their beachhead is a tall Monument to the methodists and basicity centered men from the village are building a new church by hand voluntarily. Nobody is paid as I walk through the sissy to family's invited me in for lunch. It is our customs 34 families having lunch or breakfast or one of the Mills and you passes across the crusted or they'll have to call you in and it's up to you if you decide to join them you can go in. You're welcome anytime. But if not you say when akka The house on a Hilltop just a few kilometers away. I sat down on a map with 15 men and women to share stories songs & Christmas carols and of course a bowl of yet gonna they are members of a choir and they have sung for Queen Elizabeth and Pope John Paul wrote to Allah positive as Wally is its director. You see the Fijian people. Let me explain to your has the Fijian people are born with music in it. You just have to tap the red button and you got what you want. Most of them learn by ear. Now music has been taught throughout Fiji. I started with tonic sofa reading tonic so far though during me facility. Do we have sent a couple of men from Fiji overseas to London and to Australia to learn stuff notation the choir that will be recorded today will be the conductor wire. People from my Island Province and also the male voice of a settlement known as another mother was built in Fiji and NACA VEC is pronounced th 1 gram is the island of Condado is where women chant and summon giant turtles from the sea. (00:37:42) Oh my God. (00:38:50) The choir will sing Christmas (00:38:51) carols. Are you (00:39:08) Jesus for (00:39:09) the place? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb our yoga and spotless are they wife is no are you was being the blood of the Lamb? Are you one of the Spotless? Otherwise is no are you worst in the blood of the Lamb Lily aside those goddamn instead of scale? As in and be washed in the blood of the Lamb there's a fountain for waiting for the soul of the and be washed in the blood of the Lamb. Are you are you using blood of the Lamb? Are you going spotless are the way is no are you was being the blood of the Lamb are you were in the blood in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb and spotless are they wide is know how you was in the blood of the Lamb. You were in the blood of the (00:41:03) Region's look up to Christmas has one of the day that we can come together just like the Western ways of celebrating Christmas. You will find him featuring Chris. Most of the people they all they all go back to the Village to meet their family. It's a URI Union. (00:43:55) Oh my God. (00:44:58) In the Fijian houses, we don't really understand what is under Clauses. You can only find that in the city areas, but in the fusion houses, no, we exchange gifts as well, but mainly food. We put whatever we can in within our village or within a little community and celebrated the present. We see it on this way. The biggest present during Christmas is when two people meet and eat and think about Christmas (00:45:36) Santa. symbolized by licking Number line goodness. I did go out that I get goodness a dick about that. So what? salute Kevin sing on (00:48:44) Christmas Eve and the Christian people the Fijian will we all go to the midnight? Especially the Catholic to go to midnight mass. then after that (00:48:57) we all come home and then sit down with the bowl of young gonna we (00:49:02) always drink and going to celebrate the Christmas night in the Christmas Day and with food and singing but it's very solemn when you come to Christmas Day, everything is quiet and silent because we're looking forward to that because of the Christian believe in Fiji because of our belief on the Jesus Christ is The tension has eased in Fiji on December 5th Colonel Rand Bucca declared an end to military rule presenting a whale's tooth to his chief rat to surpass my Agony loud and making him president. Whale's tooth is the biggest honor one? Fijian can bestow on another can allow hopes. Fiji will be able to rejoin the Commonwealth ratu Maura whose party was defeated in last Spring's elections is back as prime minister Colonel Ram. Bucca is Minister of Home Affairs read that head of the army. Another new constitution has been drafted and has been set not to any sort of parliament but to fiji's Council of tribal Chiefs for ratification. We don't know what it says, but we do know that was drafted by people who believe in Fiji for the indigenous fijians that ownership of land is sacred. This could signal the start of a return to the way things were before last Spring's elections. The tourists are returning the thousands of Indians have left. And others are waiting in silence to see what the new year (00:52:20) brings. (00:54:23) Our thanks to our two other party was Wally and his fine choir and to the Fiji visitors bureau. This program was recorded on location and written by Georgia Hess and me Russ Johnson and was produced by travel media San Francisco the holidays in Fiji choirs Coos and long canoes has been made possible in part by a grant from the American public radio program fund. (00:54:53) This is the American public radio network.