How Sakiusa Became A Meke Teacher

By Peni Dagaga

A few years back, there was a well known elder in the village by the name of Sakiusa. He was re nowned for his big garden of dalo, yams, yaqona and other food crops.

Fhere was also a rumour during that time which says that Sakiusa prac tised witchcraft in order to have setter yields. This was proved by the vay that each year he usually topped sther farmers in the village with his delds.

Early one morning, he went to his arm up in the hills near his village. >n the way, he found out that the ;rass on the road had been trampled lown and he suspected that someone lad gone ahead of him to his garden, lakiusa followed slowly behind.

Vhen he came near his garden, he aw the footprints of someone walk ng in front.

He reached his garden and started o look around but he couldn’t see nybody. So, he decided to go to his alevale ] and check whether some ody had stolen some of his food rop. When he reached his valevale, e was surprised to see a velft fast sleep inside it. Sakiusa decided to atch the veli, so he crept up quietly nd, when he was near, he dived nd caught the veli’s long hair with is two hands.

The veli woke up and jumped and ied to free himself but Sakiusa ouldn’t let go and so the veli rushed atside. Sakiusa clung onto the veli’s »ng hair all the time. The veli mped up into the air, reaching the ee tops a number of times, but still

become a Vuniduvu* Sakiusa finally agreed.

Before Sakiusa set free the veli, he made the veli P romise that ’he (Sakiusa) would have power over the veli * , Now ’ Sakiusa is a Vuniduvu u" d he IS , also - u Caf as the result of hIS Stmggle Wlth the vdi * * * i . . .. £ eiy ”h^Vu S s “S" t o? OU .“rlig SSSn^SSS and tools. 2 veli — A devil in dwarf form which has very long hair -8 vunlduvu someone who is able to teach daSc?. meke ° r a traditional Fijian grou P

Sakiusa cll jng °n the veli’s long hair, ° n one of those Jumps, when they

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this m fde f him h 8 d n and All the veli’s struck was in vain The veli decided to ud The vdi promTsid Saklusa to th g arifTete? hfm go, he would grant Sakiusa better yieWS ,- year -. Sakiusa didr,,t agree. The veil again promised if he was free, Sakiusa would have a lot of money. Again Sakiusa disagreed.

Lastly, the veli promised Sakiusa that if he was let free Sakiusa would

Fijian women performing in a meke, a seasea (fan) dance.