Photo. Me together with local people.
Right after I arrived, I was greeted with the warm and cheerful Fijian "Bula!" On the island, I felt the true spirit of Fijian hospitality — friendly, easy-going, and all about community. I was ready for everything that followed.
Late in the afternoon, as the sun melted into the sea, I sat with locals and some other visitors in a circle. A large wooden bowl - the tanoa - stood in the middle. Inside was kava, a traditional drink made from the ground root of a pepper plant - non-alcoholic. It looked like muddy water. But it held magic.
One by one, we were handed a small coconut shell cup - the bilo. We clapped once, took a sip, and clapped again. Tasted, a little peppery, and strangely calming. My tongue tingled, my body relaxed. And just like that, I was part of something deeper - a ritual of welcome, respect, and togetherness.
In addition to kava ceremonies, the locals organised limbo, performed cultural shows, including meke dances, and even sometimes fire dancing at night. Especially I enjoyed the “Bula Dance.” The drums beat. The dancers moved and sang. We clapped. And the ocean hummed in the background. Then the party started for full.
I didn’t try firewalking on my journey in Fiji, but I came close! Firewalking is the act of walking barefoot over hot embers or stones - a powerful Fijian tradition I didn’t dare to try. Just walking on the “burning” beach sand on Beachcomber Island in the midday sun felt close enough! The heat rising through my feet, the shimmer on the sand - it was like nature’s version of a firewalk. Luckily, the ocean was only a few steps away - my own cool escape from the heat.
Fiji taught me that the biggest adventures often come in small cups - shared with open hearts. Bula!
Stein Morten Lund, July 1987.
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