Labasa, Part 5 - The Family

For the one night we were staying over at Naseakula Village we were given Semoko’s sister’s house to stay in. We felt entirely guilty as she and her husband and some subset of the six kids they are looking after probably ended up sleeping on some mat on the floor at Semoko’s mother’s house next door. But we would have felt even more guilty had we refused their hospitality. The house was a small, simple place with two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and living room. The bathroom was a bit of a challenge as the light didn’t work so at night when we took our showers we had to leave the door ajar to allow a little illumination. The shower was just a pipe pointing down from the ceiling. No showerhead. No hot water either. Not that the cold water is all that cold around here, but it’s not what we pampered Americans are used to. There wasn’t a lot of furniture; the Fijians don’t really do chairs. Sitting on a mat on the floor is the preferred mode of hanging out. Again, not what we are used to.

On Sunday morning we went back into town to catch a bus back to Savusavu, only to find all the buses had been cancelled due to a tsunami warning. We took a taxi instead – a much more expensive option, but it got us home. The tsunami never really materialized here, which was disappointing as it would have been rather exciting. No cyclones yet either. How boring.

Morning tea and bisquits served Fijian style (on the floor)

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Semoko's niece; initially shy when she first met us...

...then turning into her true rascal self (here she is wearing Deborah's hat and sunglasses), earning her the nickname "The Monkey"


A couple of the nephews and/or cousins

Deborah gives Caroline's a haircut in the near dark with kitchen shears - impressive

Cooling off in the shade under the house, with new soccer ball in hand

Semoko's mother

The cat

What are these two doing here?

(photo by Myra)

Semoko and his mom. Semoko is one of the nicest, most generous people you could ever meet, but he never smiles for photographs.

The family