Even Further into the Bush

Since we were busy in the village during my birthday, Solo and I decided to take a little excursion the weekend afterward. We traveled northward five hours by bus to Seaqaqa, the place where he grew up, to visit his Mom, step-father, and sisters.

Seaqaqa location on Vanua Levu

I hadn't taken the bus north out of Nabouwalu since May! They have been making a lot of progress on the road. They are paving the 69km from Nabouwalu to Dreketi, building 14 high-standard bridges, and 240 culverts. This is going to be a major highway for the North. I was trying to calculate how many millions of truckloads of dirt are being moved, but it made my brain hurt!

Moving earth for the new road.

It's going to be a real highway. I can't even imagine it.

 When we got off the bus at Seaqaqa we paid for a truck to take us to the settlement where Solo's family  lives. We were dropped off on the side of a small dirt road in the middle of some fields and trekked a mile into the woods, tottered across log stream crossings with our bags, and finally reached their house in a clearing in the coconut trees. Such a solitary setting was quite a change from our village where we are surrounded by dozens of other households.

Seaqaqa hills.

Solo at the front door.

The house was quaint but it was in a beautiful setting at the base of the foothills. There was no bathroom or shower. We bathed in the river and peed in the yard. Luckily years of working on trail crew didn't even make me blink an eye about this. We did a small sevusevu, relaxed, went running with some of Solo's cousin-brothers and met lots of extended family and friends around the grog bowl.

On Sunday we walked the mile to the local Methodist church. We sat on the floor and a nice lady let me share her hymnal so I could join in the singing. The preacher thanked Solo for returning to where he grew up. It was kind of a big deal in the Fijian tradition of taking me to be properly introduced to his family. Solo was born in our village and is part of the landowning clan there, but he was brought up my his grandmother and Mom in Seaqaqa. His Mom just got remarried last year. She comes to visit in the village every so often. 

Walking to church.

Nadogo Methodist church.

Solo's little sis, Sia, at church.

On the way to church Solo's Step-dad, Mo Peipei, entertained me with large insects! If you catch a kakalu (cicada) and trap it in your hands, it will cry and others will come flocking to you.

My new uncle with a swarm of cicadas on his back.

Closeup of the kakalu, or cicada.

Dead cicada "shells".

 Solo tried to explain the cicada life cycle to me in Fijian, but I was uncertain, so I looked it up. So neat that he knew all about it without ever having learned it in a science class at school.

Cicada life cycle. ( http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/wildlife/index.php?subject=Insects&id=4 )

They have a resident chicken who just showed up one day out of the bush and decided to make herself at home. She comes inside everyday and lays eggs on the bed. There are no boy chickens around. They just got super lucky and named her "Lady".

Solo and "Lady" :)

The mini-trip was great. It was nice to share something kind of special with Solo. We didn't end up being able to get his birth certificate and the local school has no record of him ever attending, but we didn't let that get us down for more than a few minutes. We got a new birth certificate in town and applied for his passport in Savusavu where I spent a few days working. As for school, we're still working on that...