SAMOA TO FIJI

On Feb. 12 we left Samoa, our last stop in Polynesia, for Melanesia where we have stops in Fiji and New Caledonia.  Polynesia is a huge area of the Pacific that goes all the way from New Zealand to Hawaii.  Melanesia is not as large but is different in that the people are presumed to be racially distinct from Polynesians (darker).

In both Polynesia and Melanesia cannibalism was practiced for centuries and didn’t end until the middle of the 19^th century.  Warfare was constant throughout the South Pacific and captured enemies were almost always eaten.  After Europeans (Magellan, Bligh, Cook, etc.) came to this area shipwrecked sailors and later missionaries were pursued for dinner.  In addition to enemies the Chief or King (depending) could also demand that a village send a young person (presumably more tender than an old person) for dinner.

Fiji was particularly frightening to Europeans and consequently was named “The Cannibal Islands.”  Our cartoon caricature of a white man being boiled in a pot is apparently incorrect as the preferred method was baking.  In Fiji they solved the problem of preserving the meat by simply cutting off a limb for cooking, applying a tourniquet to the stump, and then the rest of the meat was preserved for another day.  In Samoa, it was customary when any commoner met the King, for the supplicant to say “Eat me.” (I know you think I am making this up but I am not.)

Finally I should note that not all ship-wrecked sailors were considered to be of equal value for meals.  Americans were the last choice as they were the heaviest smokers and the Cannibals found their meat to be less tasty.  On Fiji the last missionary was eaten in 1867. 

We booked a two-day tour of Fiji.  On Friday morning we docked at the town of Lautoka where 12 of us crammed into a van and travelled to see a Hindu temple (there is a large Indian population here, originally brought in to work in the sugar mills as native Polynesians do not like such hard work).  We stopped to see the guns of Momi before visiting the town of Nadi for shopping.  In Nadi we bought a Cannibal fork (now there’s something for which it will be hard to find a use).  In traditional culture food was eaten with fingers except for human flesh which couldn’t be touched, thus the need for a fork.  We did restrain from buying any eye picks, however.

We stopped to see the orchids at the former home of Raymond Burr (remember Perry Mason and Ironsides) before having a much needed swim in the ocean. 

Fijians are very much aware of their violent past and are quick to point out that “in only 150 years we have gone from being the fiercest people in the Pacific to being the most friendly.” 

On Saturday morning our ship docked in the capital city of Suva and was met at the wharf by a 30-piece marching band, which included 3 sousaphones.  There was also a rock band to greet us.  In addition to passing many urban sites our van took us into the countryside along a one-lane gravel road to a traditional village where we drank kava (a mild narcotic) and ate a traditional lunch which included two kinds of taro.  On the way back we stopped for a little more shopping before returning to the ship.  Just as we boarded a “shower” opened up.  I have heard of tropical rainstorms and have seen such in the movies where it seemed fake.  However, rain like this is not something I have ever seen in Canada.

It was good to get back to the ship by mid-afternoon as we had an active social evening to which we were looking forward.  After a much-needed shower we donned our finest and went to a cocktail party which the Captain threw for cruisers who are veterans to Oceania.  After that we had dinner at the General Manager’s table.  The group of 8 was most convivial and as the Manager is from Lyon we were served very fine French wines.  Our dinner ended just in time to attend a concert of a baritone/tenor who flew in from Australia the day before.  He was sufficiently good that I didn’t fall asleep once during the performance.