Ni sa bula Vinaka.
Na yacaqu o Nafiza Pilkington, au vukevuke ni manidia ni sitoa ena vale ni maroroi yau (Auckland War Memorial Museum), Tamaki Paenga Hira. ‘Vakamareqeta na Vosa Vakaviti- “Nurture and sustain the Fijian language”.
It is a privilege and an honour to share my love and connection to the Fijian Language Week in the space where I work. Using Vosa vakaviti in my workplace gives me a sense of pride with my colleagues and especially with our visitors.
Fiji, as lot of you know is a multi-cultural land where Indian are called Hindustani or Indo-Fijian. We have become the second largest ethnic group in Fiji, so using two languages was a norm growing up.
Now Aotearoa New Zealand has become home for the last 25 years, it always comes as a huge surprise to my friends that I am able to have conversations in 3 Language’s simultaneously, with jokes made in the tongue that best suits the story. One of the few great things about this Pacific paradise is that everyone speaks English as well as Fijian or Hindi - although there are a few idiosyncrasies.
I am of Indo-Fijian descent, born and raised in the Pacific Islands of Fiji in a small place called Vuci South, Nausori from my dad’s side. I’m a 5th generation of Indian Laborers arriving from India to work on sugar plantations in late 1800s. My great-grandfather immigrated from Sikkim and then to Bihar with the British government to find a better life in Fiji.
My maternal side of the family comes from Londoni, Waivou Koro (Village) of Tailevu province. My great-great grandma was an Indigenous Fijian iTaukei.
Memories which take me back home has always been in Tailevu where a lot of my childhood time was spent at my Tinaqu levu (grandmother) place. Creating nets from potato sacks to catch fish and prawns for lunch, swimming in waterfalls/rivers were a daily thing. Fresh seafood, fruits and meat was always in abundance as my momo (uncles) were fisherman & dairy farmers. So, going for a day adventure to the smaller islands near Levuka (old capital of Fiji) with my cousins on dinghy boats with no life jacket was normal.
Now when we go back home, eating Lovo (hangi) is a must. My favorite dish is Raurou (Taro leaves cooked in coconut milk) served with boiled Taro. The best desert is Vakalolo (fresh casava and coconut mixed with brown sugar, wrapped in banana leave steamed). By now you can tell I am a real foodie, and love making dishes from my favorite Book-Eat Pacific.
Cannot leave Fiji without a traditional kava drinking session with family, sitting around storytelling about our rich Fijian/Indian culture with younger generations, and laughing at little ones trying to speak Vosa vakaviti. Hence why this item, a Kava Bowl (yaqona bowl) located in the Auckland Museum Store reconnects me back to my Fijian roots.
Vinaka, Nafiza