Fiji Meke

Introduction By Jo Nacola

A meke in Fiji is a composite art form and each meke is composed for a special social occasion: the building of a house or canoe, the completion of a bridge, the planting of a garden, birth, marriage, war, a hunting trip and so on. It is best described as the combination of verse, song and movement. When the situation demands, the narration may be recited and enjoyed as such or for that matter merely sung. When a meke is to be seen by an audience, the movement is worked in to express the narration in gestures. Therefore, the three elements—verse, song and movement—are integral parts of a single creation, that is, a Fijian meke.

The meke described here celebrates a social occasion, a fishing competition at Kia, off the north-west coast of Vanua Levu. Like other similar meke the composition integrates the re-working of traditional material so that mythical persons and landscape blend with the immediate human and physical environment. This is not to say that a meke lacks originality for like any other work of creation, a meke is a private and personal expression of the poet-composer. It is local art in its own right.

“Meke” for the first annual celebration of the Kia Island Fishing Enterprise, Macuata, Fiji.

Performed August 13, 1969. Words by Timoci Yunibola. Translation by Master Akuila Tutora and Allan Banner.

Women’S Mere

Ucu Mali ’ula a ciri mai wasa Sa mai Vola ’a tu ni asa Dm sa cere ca’e ’a mar am a Me dm la’i vilivili i sawana E vica sa ciri yawa sara Sa ciri sa yawa Lewena Au wele to’o i na vu ni vau le’a Sa lutu a vicovico ni cava raude Edra sa ’ aci’aci a yalewa ’A Reveni me sa va’arewa Me so'oti Viti va ale’ale a raude E ’adava ca’e tu ’a baba ceva ’O Bati’i ’u la’i va’unea Edra veitalanoa 3 a yalewa ’A Gonedau ’a sa vole’a ’A vala ni qoli ’a mai ’unea ’A veivanua edra sa bera Sa mai taumade vei ’eda raude Yaba’i 1968 ’a i soqosoqo sa tauyavu raude Dra drau wili tu veiyanuyanu Medra dauqole ne rawa i lavo raude Komo ’o Vulaga i na Yatu Lau Buliya mai na Yatu ’Adavu raude Bati’i ’a seda ni yanuyanu 3 0 Kia ga edra salusalu raude Bogibogi ne lutu ’a caucau 3 O Senivono ’a vagoni yau 3 A Reveni me sa va’arau

Introduction Golden oranges floating in from the sea They almost ran aground The women stood up They went to the shore to gather the oranges into a pile Quite a few drifted away They drifted away.

Body I was sitting idly in a small vau tree When there was a sudden gust of wind from the south The girls called The Reveni is putting up its sail To sail in a short trip round Fiji To run along the southern side of Fiji In Batiki I went to look for fish The women were discussing this The Gonedau is nearing To come and look for fish They have gone to no other lands yet They are beginning with us.

In 1968 the fishing scheme started These are the islands that are included So that the fishermen can earn money Komo and Fulaga in the Lau Group Buliya in the Kadavu Group Batiki in the centre of the island But only Kia has the garland In the early morning came the breeze Senivono woke me up Reveni was preparing

Women's meke

Au sa dei lesu to’ko yau Au sa taleva mai Yatu Lau ’O ’adavu ’ei na seda ’o Gau Au so’ota ca’e a senibiyau Au ’eke mai mata i Ligau A maqa sara e vole’ati Yau raude Sa dola oti ’a i soqosoqo na i yaye Sa roboti Viti tauco’o na i yaye Qai yaco bera mai noqu ’oro na i yaye ’O Misita Edamu ’a ’nodra bosa na i yaye Ni sa yacovi Viti tauco’o na i yaye Ai matai ni tirivu e biuta ’O Draunibota ’u sa butu’a Sa uruva’i i loma i Suva Era sa qoroqoro qara Dru’a E levu a vosa dra qau cuvuta ’O i au sa qaqa dugaduga Ni dra ’ai wai ni noda vanua’ ’A ’oqu cina maqa cuvuta Me yacova ni rusa ’o vuravura

Men’S Meke

Ucu ’A vula a Julai sa cila Sa ’o e a vula au cere ’ina Gonedau ’a sa basi’a ’A Tagane medra vodo co’o ’ina Dra nanuva a loma ni vasaliwa ’A qoli lelevu dra co’a ’ina Au co’a ya au co’a cebura’ina Au sa tui ’ya tui ’ya tui ’ya Au sa tui ’ya Lewene ’Au i rua ni siga au sa vodo E vaele a mata ni tu’i vodo ’a siwa a sa tata sorosoro ’ai waqa dra so qoroqoro Dra tauca a vosa va’a na’oro Sobosobo ’Ai ’a tolu ni siga au vodo ’ina Dra wase a savamarini ni siga Medra yadra bogi ’o ira ’a siwa Au curu maliwa voli ’ina

I wanted to return I have been to the Lau Group From Kadavu and the centre Gau When I sailed up the waves were large I anchored in front of Ligau And I was never prouder Fishing efforts have started Covering all the islands of Fiji It was late coming to my village Mr Adams is their leader The news of it spread and arrived in all the islands of Fiji.

The first trip they departed They returned to Draunibota where I stepped down The news of it carried into Suva They were amazed and overwhelmed They spoke much of it “Kia has won They are the best fishermen of our land.”

My light will be the brightest Until the end of the world Introduction It was in the month of July The month that I started there The Gonedau appeared And all the men boarded They went diving into the sea And many large fish appeared there I speared one I took it off my spear And then I put in on my stringer I put it on my stringer.

Body On the second day I boarded The tips of the spears were sharpened The fishing lines were thrown in The sailors started in wonder They said in their own tongue “Amazing”.

On the third day I boarded They were divided into the divers by day And those who would handline at night I entered amongst them (turn to p 72)

Club meke

Fan meke

A maqa sara ’a tagane au will a Au tagane ni lonia ni wasaliwa Moce ‘oto mai Vunitagia ’O Senivono ’a sa ’aci ’ina “Mai rogoya mada ’a ’oqo ’iga Sa vo wale e vica ’a siga ’O Eleni 'a yaco mai ’ina 'O e a ’ka Pisa Ko ni Merika Me mai ti’o e na eda maliwa Me dau ni va’asala ni ita”

Au wele to'a e na roqu ’oro Au rugoya e duga ’a tovotovo Ni sa bera ti’o mai ’a i rogo Cere ca’e au sa va'a vodo Me’u la’i vuli me’e i na oro ’A siga ni sucu me soqosoqo Sa ’ui ’a vo’aco'a levu ’A ui ’a domo i salialevu Ma ililia’ina ’a vatu lelevu ’A oqo waqa ’a sa ciri lesu 7 na Nu’use Me’u va’acequ Au wele to’a na Suva i sawana Ma rogo ’aci’aci i delana A dm sa mai taro ’a marama "O i rua dm sa va’acava?”

“Mudru sa mai to ni mata’a O cei viro ’o mudru wawaca?

Au sa dei lesu i Labasa Me’u va’abisabisa qau tama Bisabisa

I could not find a man equal to me For I am a man of the sea I was sleeping at Vunitagia And Senivono came to awaken me “Please listen to my dream Just a few days to go Allan will arrive there He is from the Peace Corps in America To live amongst us To be an adviser”

I was sitting idle in my village I heard it rumoured before the arrival Of the news of my departure I got up and I boarded In order to go and teach meke in the village The birthday of the fishing scheme The current was strong as the tide went out The current of the open ocean And the boulders of the sea were moved No boat drifted back To Nu’use where I rested I was sitting idle on a heap of stones I heard someone calling from the hill Two women came to question me What about us?

Come and participate tomorrow Why do you wait for others?

For I want to go back to Labasa So I can yell this Bisabisa.