Top Reasons to Visit Fiji

From Donna Heiderstadt

Fiji is a melange of two main cultures: native Fijians, who are proud of their Melanesian culture, and Indians, who were brought o Fiji as servants by the British in late 19th-century and now, as more than 30 percent of the population, are a vibrant and visible part of the cultural mosaic. Visitors to Fiji will likely witness Fijian traditions such as a kava ceremony (also called yaqona, it is a drink made from the root of a pepper plant and water and its effect is mildly calming with a novocaine-like feel to the lips and tongue). Other rituals include the lovo, a feast of pork, chicken, fish, taro, breadfruit and sweet potatoes cooked in an underground oven; the meke, a rhythmic dance; and fire-walking, which began on the island of Beqa.