the Kava Bowl
This traditional, grounding drink is made from the root of a pepper plant
What is Kava (or Yaqona)?
What’s in the Lovo?
Underground cooking methods, wrapping techniques, and typical earth-oven foods.
You must always remove this type of headwear before entering a village to show respect to the chief
What is a hat (or cap)?
: This traditional art form combines song, fluid hand movements, and spear dancing to tell stories.
meke
This universal word means both "hello" and "life
What is Bula?
This is the large, shallow wooden bowl used to mix and serve kava.
What is a tanoa?
This national dish consists of raw fish marinated in lime juice and served in coconut milk.
What is kokoda
This is the traditional, wrapped sarong worn around the waist to cover knees in a village.
What is a sulu
This highly prized, ceremonial whale's tooth is exchanged during major events like weddings and funerals.
What is a Tabua?
This is the most common way to say "thank you" in Fiji
What is Vinaka?
This is the exact number of times you must clap your hands after finishing your cup of kava.
What is three times?
This starchy, white root vegetable is a daily staple food in Fiji, often called tavioka.
What is cassava?
Because it is considered sacred and spiritually protected, you should never touch this part of a person's body
What is the head
This island is the only place in Fiji where members of the Sawau tribe traditionally perform firewalking over hot stones.
What is Beqa Island?
: If someone tells you "Moce" (pronounced moe-thay) at the end of the day, they are saying this to you.
What is goodbye (or goodnight)?
This is the name of the coconut shell cup used to drink kava.
What is a bilo?
These green leaves are often stuffed with meat and coconut cream before being placed in the underground oven.
: What are rourou (taro) leaves?
You must do this with your footwear right before entering a Fijian home or community hall.
What is take them off?
This ancient, patterned style of pottery is named after the prehistoric people who first brought it to Fiji
What is Lapita pottery
This phrase translates to "see you later" or "until we meet again.
What is Sota tale
This is the traditional name for the formal presentation of kava root when entering a village.
What is a sevusevu
This unique method of boiling down fresh sea water or coastal soil is used to harvest traditional Fijian salt.
What is salt-making (or traditional salt harvesting
this Fijian word represents the sacred connection between the people, the land, and the sea.
What is Vanua?
This traditional cloth is made from the beaten inner bark of the paper mulberry tree and painted with geometric designs
What is Masi (or Tapa cloth
This casual, well-known phrase means "no worries," "relax," or "take it easy.
What is Malua (or "Fiji time"