sv evi

With eyes closed and the singing filling in my ears,  I concentrated on the sensation of the sound washing over me….and felt the waves similar to the familiar ocean type, flow over my body.  I didn’t know the words to the Fijian songs, nor the words to the sermon but somehow accepted the general message.  In the small cement block building with a tin roof, the acoustics were phenomenal. 

This has been the scene in each of the services I have attended now for the past few weeks.  The sermons have mostly been in Fijian, often spirited as they read scripture but mostly I am awaiting the singing.  Occasionally we have been provided books with the Fijian lyrics to sing along tho usually I just close my eyes and listen.

Fijians as a whole have wonderful voices.  Emanating from the schools throughout the day is the sound of the children singing…as part of the curriculum or maybe just a break from it..regardless it is pleasant.  When sitting in the kava circle with the adults, they will often sing traditional songs accompanied by a guitars and ukeleles.  Simple in structure, typically the same 3 or 4 chord patterns, the singing stands out….loud and proud.  Most of those in the room will join in in the song and I am always surprised when the large, older Fijian man seated next to me will sing his part in a high, sweet soprano voice.  These jam sessions are always a great time and often I will strum accompaniment.

Initially sitting on the floor in a circle or two, ever present kava bowl and the various peoples from the local clan and often representatives from the other villages join the group.  The Kava bowl is a large, hand carved bowl of a very specific design and always made from the local Fijian tree Vesi(sp?).  Various diameters (i have seen them as large a 1 meter) with 4 round legs, shallow bowl and the traditional ornate triangle on one edge which is meant to face the chief.   In Fulanga, which is renown for their kava bowl production, I had the opportunity to sit with the master carver Niko and his apprentices.  Niko had arranged for me to follow his lead in the step by step process of creating a bowl from a block of timber.  We sat side by side with a blank slate (large disc from the Vesi Tree) and using mostly traditional, hand made tools, shaped the wood.  The adz, a curved bladed ‘chisel’ lashed to a carved wooden handle, was the primary tool for shaping.  I was pleased to use a decades old Stanley block plane that happened to be the Bailey model and it is a well built tool.  There was a very specific progression in the process to go from chainsaw cut disc to polished, finished product. 

Niko can normally make 3-5 in a day but with me slowing the process we each managed only one that day.  I doubt they have ever had a visitor sit with them and carve a bowl…and with my snail pace may discouraged them from teaching in the future….impedes progress.  Actually they were very kind, helpful and encouraging and we all are happy with my finished product.  Niko also presented me the the bowl he made that day which was a great surprise.  In turn I had brought several tools, chisels, files, lashing, sandpaper to contribute to the tool chest.