Viti levu, Fiji

Cannibalism and Hair, Fiji Islands' Old Pastimes


capillary helmet
The lush hair of Rockodage Bello, owner of a kind of antique dealer in Pacific Harbour.
ready to eat
Boys from a scrubland on the banks of the Navua river grate fresh coconut.
about the bow
William, a native guide, leads a small expedition down the Navua River towards the highlands of Namosi.
Samu Sakelago
Fijian boy exhibits artisan skills.
capillary power
Historical image of Fijian warriors with the long traditional hairs of this Melanesian archipelago.
Namosi tropical jungle
Close vegetation at the foot of the Namosi Highlands.
Fijian trio
Mosese S. Jnr, Herry Danford and Samu Sakelago pose in their village.
Vegetation Wall
Verdant scenery from a slope on the bank of the Navua river.
Hairy Warriors
Historical photo shows Fijian warriors with full head of hair.
Welcome Choreography
Young performs a dance, after the kava ceremony of reception of the guests of the clan.
bamboo raft
Native takes visitors along the Navua River.
Mosese S. Jnr
A young man from the Navua side, with the dream of playing ragueby in New Zealand or Australia.
to the mat
Natives of a clan on the banks of the Navua River complete another typical dance.
Luxuriant Trail
Nativo takes a levada along a tributary of the Navua River.
For 2500 years, anthropophagy has been part of everyday life in Fiji. In more recent centuries, the practice has been adorned by a fascinating hair cult. Luckily, only vestiges of the latest fashion remain.

Bula, the Fijian national expression simultaneously means “hello” and “welcome” and is usually uttered with a smile on the lips.

In Fiji, all contact starts with her and friendship passes through kava, a kind of serum obtained from the roots of the homonymous plant. It didn't take us long to try it out.

Arriving at the mouth of the Navua, we join a group about to go upriver to the enigmatic Namosi Highlands. The first part of the expedition includes a visit to a scrub (typical village), and, as tradition dictates, includes a reception ceremony with sharing this drink.

On the village side, Chief Tui conducts the protocol. On behalf of foreigners, there is a leader of convenience chosen by the local guide, with the agreement of the rest of the delegation. The two are seated face to face, flanked by the other elements of their representation.

The Fastidious Fijian Kava Ceremony

There is, then, an endless exchange of words between Tui and the guide William – his son and heir to the position – from which, by repetition, numerous stand out naka, diminutives of the Fijian thank you, which, in full, is pronounced vinaka.

Once the dialogue is over, Chef Tui squeezes the roots of kava for cooper – a large carved wooden vessel. The drink, alcoholic and bitter, is finally served to the participants and generates different reactions ranging from disgust to indifference.

Accustomed to the discomfort of outsiders, the hosts begin exhibiting traditional dances With who, first male and female, then graceful female.

Woman carries out movements of a traditional Fijian dance.

After lunch, the charismatic William takes the floor again and describes the distant past of his village and the chilling tribal life of the Namosi Highlands. 

It is without contemporary reasons for fear that we return to Navua, with the plan to overcome the flow to reach the highlands of the mountain range. Unusual in the vicinity of the ocean, the river quickly changes its appearance.

And, when you least expect it, it appears flanked by impenetrable “forests” of morning glory, bamboo and rival vegetation that create bleak scenes. The fog thickens from the margins and retouches the environment for William's chilling new narratives.

Rio, Fiji, Viti Levu, Cannibalism and Hair

Nativo walks along a tributary of the Navua River

The Long Past of Fiji Islands Cannibalism

This one takes advantage of the enigmatic surroundings and recalls that cannibalism was part of Viti levu and of much of Melanesia for over 2500 years and that the most sophisticated form of revenge for a tribe in Fiji - the epitome of insult to rivals - was, until less than a century ago, on those very shores, to eat their enemies .

Spare the entourage to truly macabre details.

The gorge that welcomes the river tightens as we advance inland and pass long waterfalls that precipitate from the cliffs. At the same time, the forest thickens and aggravates the semi-scary environment that seemed ideal to the director of “Anaconda 2: The Black Orchid”, to shoot another film about escaping the famous reptile saga.

We survived the expedition. As soon as we return to navua, we get in the car, drive to Pacific Harbor and peek at the local market, a peculiar commercial stronghold, stagnant by apparent lack of invoicing and below the plastic refinement of the surrounding resorts. 

There, we find the perfect example of another Fijian historical hobby: hair. 

Mosese S. Jnr, Fiji, Viti Levu, Cannibalism and Hair

m young man from the Navua side, with the dream of playing ragueby in New Zealand or Australia.

Cannibalism apart. Fijians' Obsession with Their Hair

Rockodage Bello dusts his antique shop when we ask if we can photograph her. From inside the blue dress to the flowers, the lady seems to swell with vanity and just begs for a few seconds to get ready.

Through a half-open door, we see her brushing her thick hair over and over again in front of an antique mirror. And just when we think the beautification is over, Rockodage brings us a chair and reminds us, with innate grace, that no one is in a hurry.

Two more minutes pass until, at last, he tucks a small plumer behind his ear and presents himself, radiant, for the photograph. 

capillary helmet

The lush hair of Rockodage Bello, owner of a kind of antique dealer in Pacific Harbour.

The weight of its symbolism has faded over time, but hair has come to play a central role in Fijian society. The size of the wigs marked the masculinity of the bearer but also the social hierarchy of the villages.

It was known that the hair of an ordinary man could not be longer than that of the chief and the hair of women would have to remain inferior to that of their husbands.

Taking these conventions into account, some indigenous people spent hours at local hairdressers looking after their huge hair helmets (sometimes 30 cm long) that they dyed in their favorite colors and patterns.

Historical Hair, Fiji, Viti Levu, Cannibalism and Hair

Historical photo shows Fijian warriors with a full head of hair.

Fashion has faded. Today, despite huge capillary balls still being found, specimens as voluminous as Rockodage's have become rare.

Those that remain, fulfill, in perfection, their function of impressing.

Longsheng, China

Huang Luo: the Chinese Village of the Longest Hairs

In a multi-ethnic region covered with terraced rice paddies, the women of Huang Luo have surrendered to the same hairy obsession. They let the longest hair in the world grow, years on end, to an average length of 170 to 200 cm. Oddly enough, to keep them beautiful and shiny, they only use water and rice.
Viti levu, Fiji

Islands on the edge of Islands

A substantial part of Fiji preserves the agricultural expansions of the British colonial era. In the north and off the large island of Viti Levu, we also came across plantations that have only been named for a long time.
Viti levu, Fiji

The Unlikely Sharing of Viti Levu Island

In the heart of the South Pacific, a large community of Indian descendants recruited by former British settlers and the Melanesian indigenous population have long divided the chief island of Fiji.
Colónia Pellegrini, Argentina

When the Meat is Weak

The unmistakable flavor of Argentine beef is well known. But this wealth is more vulnerable than you think. The threat of foot-and-mouth disease, in particular, keeps authorities and growers afloat.
Malekula, Vanuatu

Meat and Bone Cannibalism

Until the early XNUMXth century, man-eaters still feasted on the Vanuatu archipelago. In the village of Botko we find out why European settlers were so afraid of the island of Malekula.
Navala, Fiji

Fiji's Tribal Urbanism

Fiji has adapted to the invasion of travelers with westernized hotels and resorts. But in the highlands of Viti Levu, Navala keeps its huts carefully aligned.
Residents walk along the trail that runs through plantations above the UP4
City
Gurué, Mozambique, Part 1

Through the Mozambican Lands of Tea

The Portuguese founded Gurué in the 1930th century and, from XNUMX onwards, flooded it with camellia sinensis the foothills of the Namuli Mountains. Later, they renamed it Vila Junqueiro, in honor of its main promoter. With the independence of Mozambique and the civil war, the town regressed. It continues to stand out for the lush green imposing mountains and teak landscapes.
Host Wezi points out something in the distance
Beaches
Cobue; Nkwichi Lodge, Mozambique

The Hidden Mozambique of the Creaking Sands

During a tour from the bottom to the top of Lake Malawi, we find ourselves on the island of Likoma, an hour by boat from Nkwichi Lodge, the solitary base of this inland coast of Mozambique. On the Mozambican side, the lake is known as Niassa. Whatever its name, there we discover some of the most stunning and unspoilt scenery in south-east Africa.
The Zambezi River, PN Mana Pools
safari
Kanga Pan, Mana Pools NP, Zimbabwe

A Perennial Source of Wildlife

A depression located 15km southeast of the Zambezi River retains water and minerals throughout Zimbabwe's dry season. Kanga Pan, as it is known, nurtures one of the most prolific ecosystems in the immense and stunning Mana Pools National Park.
Muktinath to Kagbeni, Annapurna Circuit, Nepal, Kagbeni
Annapurna (circuit)
Annapurna Circuit 14th - Muktinath to Kagbeni, Nepal

On the Other Side of the Pass

After the demanding crossing of Thorong La, we recover in the cozy village of Muktinath. The next morning we proceed back to lower altitudes. On the way to the ancient kingdom of Upper Mustang and the village of Kagbeni that serves as its gateway.
Colonial Church of San Francisco de Assis, Taos, New Mexico, USA
Architecture & Design
Taos, USA

North America Ancestor of Taos

Traveling through New Mexico, we were dazzled by the two versions of Taos, that of the indigenous adobe hamlet of Taos Pueblo, one of the towns of the USA inhabited for longer and continuously. And that of Taos city that the Spanish conquerors bequeathed to the Mexico, Mexico gave in to United States and that a creative community of native descendants and migrated artists enhance and continue to praise.
Aventura
Boat Trips

For Those Becoming Internet Sick

Hop on and let yourself go on unmissable boat trips like the Philippine archipelago of Bacuit and the frozen sea of ​​the Finnish Gulf of Bothnia.
Saida Ksar Ouled Soltane, festival of the ksour, tataouine, tunisia
Ceremonies and Festivities
Tataouine, Tunisia

Festival of the Ksour: Sand Castles That Don't Collapse

The ksour were built as fortifications by the Berbers of North Africa. They resisted Arab invasions and centuries of erosion. Every year, the Festival of the Ksour pays them the due homage.
Santo Domingo, Colonial City, Dominican Republic, Diego Colombo
Cities
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The Longest Colonial Elder in the Americas

Santo Domingo is the longest-inhabited colony in the New World. Founded in 1498 by Bartholomew Colombo, the capital of the Dominican Republic preserves intact a true treasure of historical resilience.
Obese resident of Tupola Tapaau, a small island in Western Samoa.
Lunch time
Tonga, Western Samoa, Polynesia

XXL Pacific

For centuries, the natives of the Polynesian islands subsisted on land and sea. Until the intrusion of colonial powers and the subsequent introduction of fatty pieces of meat, fast food and sugary drinks have spawned a plague of diabetes and obesity. Today, while much of Tonga's national GDP, Western Samoa and neighbors is wasted on these “western poisons”, fishermen barely manage to sell their fish.
Culture
Pueblos del Sur, Venezuela

The Pueblos del Sur Locainas, Their Dances and Co.

From the beginning of the XNUMXth century, with Hispanic settlers and, more recently, with Portuguese emigrants, customs and traditions well known in the Iberian Peninsula and, in particular, in northern Portugal, were consolidated in the Pueblos del Sur.
Reindeer Racing, Kings Cup, Inari, Finland
Sport
Inari, Finland

The Wackiest Race on the Top of the World

Finland's Lapps have been competing in the tow of their reindeer for centuries. In the final of the Kings Cup - Porokuninkuusajot - , they face each other at great speed, well above the Arctic Circle and well below zero.
Entrance porch in Ellikkalla, Uzbekistan
Traveling
Uzbekistan

Journey through the Uzbekistan Pseudo-Roads

Centuries passed. Old and run-down Soviet roads ply deserts and oases once traversed by caravans from the Silk RoadSubject to their yoke for a week, we experience every stop and incursion into Uzbek places, into scenic and historic road rewards.
Masai Mara Reservation, Masai Land Travel, Kenya, Masai Convivial
Ethnic
Masai Mara, Kenya

A Journey Through the Masai Lands

The Mara savannah became famous for the confrontation between millions of herbivores and their predators. But, in a reckless communion with wildlife, it is the Masai humans who stand out there.
sunlight photography, sun, lights
Got2Globe Photo Portfolio
Natural Light (Part 2)

One Sun, So Many Lights

Most travel photos are taken in sunlight. Sunlight and weather form a capricious interaction. Learn how to predict, detect and use at its best.
St. Paul's Cathedral, Vigan, Asia Hispanica, Philippines
History
Vigan, Philippines

Vigan: the Most Hispanic of Asias

The Spanish settlers left but their mansions are intact and the Kalesas circulate. When Oliver Stone was looking for Mexican sets for "Born on the 4th of July" he found them in this ciudad fernandina
VIP lights
Islands
Moyo Island, Indonesia

Moyo: An Indonesian Island Just for a Few

Few people know or have had the privilege of exploring the Moyo nature reserve. One of them was Princess Diana who, in 1993, took refuge there from the media oppression that would later victimize her.
Oulu Finland, Passage of Time
Winter White
Oulu, Finland

Oulu: an Ode to Winter

Located high in the northeast of the Gulf of Bothnia, Oulu is one of Finland's oldest cities and its northern capital. A mere 220km from the Arctic Circle, even in the coldest months it offers a prodigious outdoor life.
shadow vs light
Literature
Kyoto, Japan

The Kyoto Temple Reborn from the Ashes

The Golden Pavilion has been spared destruction several times throughout history, including that of US-dropped bombs, but it did not withstand the mental disturbance of Hayashi Yoken. When we admired him, he looked like never before.
Meeting of the waters, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Nature
Manaus, Brazil

Meeting the Meeting of the Waters

The phenomenon is not unique, but in Manaus it has a special beauty and solemnity. At a certain point, the Negro and Solimões rivers converge on the same Amazonas bed, but instead of immediately mixing, both flows continue side by side. As we explore these parts of the Amazon, we witness the unusual confrontation of the Encontro das Águas.
Girl plays with leaves on the shore of the Great Lake at Catherine Palace
Autumn
Saint Petersburg, Russia

Golden Days Before the Storm

Aside from the political and military events precipitated by Russia, from mid-September onwards, autumn takes over the country. In previous years, when visiting Saint Petersburg, we witnessed how the cultural and northern capital was covered in a resplendent yellow-orange. A dazzling light that hardly matches the political and military gloom that had spread in the meantime.
mini-snorkeling
Natural Parks
Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

Back to Danny Boyle's The Beach

It's been 15 years since the debut of the backpacker classic based on the novel by Alex Garland. The film popularized the places where it was shot. Shortly thereafter, the XNUMX tsunami literally washed some away off the map. Today, their controversial fame remains intact.
UNESCO World Heritage
unmissable roads

Great Routes, Great Trips

With pompous names or mere road codes, certain roads run through really sublime scenarios. From Road 66 to the Great Ocean Road, they are all unmissable adventures behind the wheel.
female and cub, grizzly footsteps, katmai national park, alaska
Characters
PN Katmai, Alaska

In the Footsteps of the Grizzly Man

Timothy Treadwell spent summers on end with the bears of Katmai. Traveling through Alaska, we followed some of its trails, but unlike the species' crazy protector, we never went too far.
view mount Teurafaatiu, Maupiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia
Beaches
Maupiti, French Polynesia

A Society on the Margin

In the shadow of neighboring Bora Bora's near-global fame, Maupiti is remote, sparsely inhabited and even less developed. Its inhabitants feel abandoned but those who visit it are grateful for the abandonment.
Boat on the Yellow River, Gansu, China
Religion
Bingling Yes, China

The Canyon of a Thousand Buddhas

For more than a millennium and at least seven dynasties, Chinese devotees have extolled their religious belief with the legacy of sculpture in a remote strait of the Yellow River. If you disembark in the Canyon of Thousand Buddhas, you may not find all the sculptures, but you will find a stunning Buddhist shrine.
Train Kuranda train, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
On Rails
Cairns-Kuranda, Australia

Train to the Middle of the Jungle

Built out of Cairns to save miners isolated in the rainforest from starvation by flooding, the Kuranda Railway eventually became the livelihood of hundreds of alternative Aussies.
Tsukiji fish market, Tokyo, Japan
Society
Tokyo, Japan

The Fish Market That Lost its Freshness

In a year, each Japanese eats more than their weight in fish and shellfish. Since 1935, a considerable part was processed and sold in the largest fish market in the world. Tsukiji was terminated in October 2018, and replaced by Toyosu's.
the projectionist
Daily life
Sainte-Luce, Martinique

The Nostalgic Projectionist

From 1954 to 1983, Gérard Pierre screened many of the famous films arriving in Martinique. 30 years after the closing of the room in which he worked, it was still difficult for this nostalgic native to change his reel.
Curieuse Island, Seychelles, Aldabra turtles
Wildlife
Felicité Island and Curieuse Island, Seychelles

From Leprosarium to Giant Turtles Home

In the middle of the XNUMXth century, it remained uninhabited and ignored by Europeans. The French Ship Expedition “La Curieuse” revealed it and inspired his baptism. The British kept it a leper colony until 1968. Today, Île Curieuse is home to hundreds of Aldabra tortoises, the longest-lived land animal.
Full Dog Mushing
Scenic Flights
Seward, Alaska

The Alaskan Dog Mushing Summer

It's almost 30 degrees and the glaciers are melting. In Alaska, entrepreneurs have little time to get rich. Until the end of August, dog mushing cannot stop.