Seniviti...Korotubu's Fijian "flower"
So the last month and a half has been difficult. Bad weather, no work, homesickness (for the first time ever). But I am happy to report that I think this week was the turning point. No big changes in particular, I'm just settling back into the village lifestyle after the holiday break.
A quick story before I get onto the subject of this post:
The other day I was enjoying yet another "24" marathon with my host sisters during the heat of the day (which right now seems to be from 7am-4pm). We were laying idle on the ibe (woven mat) trying not to move because of the stifling heat, watching Jack Bauer successfully escape death once again. Because of the heat we didn't even expend energy to chase the chickens out of the house like we usually do. Only when one chickens' erratic attempt to sit on top of the doorway drowned out the TV did we notice the poultry takeover of the house. One of my sisters began chasing them out of the house and the one teetering on the doorway was the last to go. With much flapping of the wings and furious squawks from the distressed chicken, it jumped out of the house. As the loose feathers settled to the floor we resumed our resting positions on the floor. This didn't last long, however, because a few seconds later 3 eggs fell from the doorway in what seemed like a slow motion tragedy. I don't know why this was so funny to me but it was. I have seen many failed attempts at egg-laying, enough to make me wonder how there are chickens left in Fiji. But this instance was particularly entertaining.
Ok...now for the main event. Seniviti. (Seni=flower, Viti=Fiji)
Seniviti is a very old man that appeared in my village a few months ago. The fact that he was familiarily welcomed proved that he comes by often for visits, but he isn't a Korotubu native. He is missing one eye so he wears a pair of knock-off Oakleys around the village. You normally aren't allowed to wear anything on your head in the village, out of respect for the chief, but I think once you reach a certain age you can skip the formalities. Anyway, his sunglasses are usually so crooked you can see the empty socket anyway, but the shock of the void has worn off. I can't say one thing that makes Seniviti such an entertaining character, but I certainly enjoy his company and so does everyone else in Korotubu. People around him always seem to be laughing and enjoying themselves, although sometimes it seems like they are laughing at him rather than with him. But he doesn't seem to mind. He is usually sitting on someones porch or under a tree and greets passerbys all day long. People usually sit cross-legged on the floor in the South Pacific, and after years of sitting this way some people seem like their legs are just melting into the ground. Their legs are so flat against the floor it makes me wonder what their joints must look like in an X-ray. Seniviti is the prime example of this. The one time I saw him walking around he was carrying a bunch of coconusts attached to a stick like a Fijian Huckleberry Finn. I can't ever tell what he is saying beyond the standard greeting, but I still like sitting around while he tells stories about the "olden times". Even the "old guys" from my village look young around him and their eyes light up when he gets into one of his stories. One day when I was making my way into town, Seniviti was in the bus. We were waiting at a stop by an Indo-Fijian settlement for the bus to fill up. We were sitting (with the bus idling to my disgust) for a while, so Seniviti took it upon himself to entertain us with some Hindustani singing. I don't know if you've heard it before but its kinda a chant/wail way of singing and Seniviti has the perfect voice for it. Everyone was cracking up in the bus, even the old Indian ladies that never seem to enjoy themselves (only from what I've seen). So, although there is very little interaction between me and Seniviti, he always has a toothless grin for me and I know that the day he disappears from Korotubu back to wherever he usually stays I will miss him. But, I know that one day he will return as discreetly he did the first time I met him.
A quick story before I get onto the subject of this post:
The other day I was enjoying yet another "24" marathon with my host sisters during the heat of the day (which right now seems to be from 7am-4pm). We were laying idle on the ibe (woven mat) trying not to move because of the stifling heat, watching Jack Bauer successfully escape death once again. Because of the heat we didn't even expend energy to chase the chickens out of the house like we usually do. Only when one chickens' erratic attempt to sit on top of the doorway drowned out the TV did we notice the poultry takeover of the house. One of my sisters began chasing them out of the house and the one teetering on the doorway was the last to go. With much flapping of the wings and furious squawks from the distressed chicken, it jumped out of the house. As the loose feathers settled to the floor we resumed our resting positions on the floor. This didn't last long, however, because a few seconds later 3 eggs fell from the doorway in what seemed like a slow motion tragedy. I don't know why this was so funny to me but it was. I have seen many failed attempts at egg-laying, enough to make me wonder how there are chickens left in Fiji. But this instance was particularly entertaining.
Ok...now for the main event. Seniviti. (Seni=flower, Viti=Fiji)
Seniviti is a very old man that appeared in my village a few months ago. The fact that he was familiarily welcomed proved that he comes by often for visits, but he isn't a Korotubu native. He is missing one eye so he wears a pair of knock-off Oakleys around the village. You normally aren't allowed to wear anything on your head in the village, out of respect for the chief, but I think once you reach a certain age you can skip the formalities. Anyway, his sunglasses are usually so crooked you can see the empty socket anyway, but the shock of the void has worn off. I can't say one thing that makes Seniviti such an entertaining character, but I certainly enjoy his company and so does everyone else in Korotubu. People around him always seem to be laughing and enjoying themselves, although sometimes it seems like they are laughing at him rather than with him. But he doesn't seem to mind. He is usually sitting on someones porch or under a tree and greets passerbys all day long. People usually sit cross-legged on the floor in the South Pacific, and after years of sitting this way some people seem like their legs are just melting into the ground. Their legs are so flat against the floor it makes me wonder what their joints must look like in an X-ray. Seniviti is the prime example of this. The one time I saw him walking around he was carrying a bunch of coconusts attached to a stick like a Fijian Huckleberry Finn. I can't ever tell what he is saying beyond the standard greeting, but I still like sitting around while he tells stories about the "olden times". Even the "old guys" from my village look young around him and their eyes light up when he gets into one of his stories. One day when I was making my way into town, Seniviti was in the bus. We were waiting at a stop by an Indo-Fijian settlement for the bus to fill up. We were sitting (with the bus idling to my disgust) for a while, so Seniviti took it upon himself to entertain us with some Hindustani singing. I don't know if you've heard it before but its kinda a chant/wail way of singing and Seniviti has the perfect voice for it. Everyone was cracking up in the bus, even the old Indian ladies that never seem to enjoy themselves (only from what I've seen). So, although there is very little interaction between me and Seniviti, he always has a toothless grin for me and I know that the day he disappears from Korotubu back to wherever he usually stays I will miss him. But, I know that one day he will return as discreetly he did the first time I met him.
posted by MeghanKKelly at
4:33 PM
2 Comments:
I've seen people (Maori and Setswana) sit for hours cross-legged and was also amazed that all parts of their legs including joints were touching the ground! After trying it, I decided it really wasn't important at this age to be able to do that - you'll have better luck than me - miss you and love you - Liz
Menani,
I love how you write! I too have seen people sit for hours cross-legged and was really amazed by how their legs are touching the ground at all points on their legs all the way up to their hips. I just want you to know that I have tried to do it (after our NZ trip) and I really should have tried it 25 years ago - you'll have better luck than me - love you and miss you - Liz
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