Hand made for a pittance

Froduction of Women’s Hand icraft in Fiji by Tuga Vulaono Nacanaitaba. Published by New Zealand Coalition for Trade and Development, Wel lington, N.Z., 1984. SNZIO.

Isbn 0-908617-04-6.

This is a research project, spon sored by the New Zealand Coalition for Trade and Development and the Centre for Applied Studies in Develop ment, USF, Suva.

Its presentation lists of tables, figures, appendices, bib liography and footnotes is the work of a well-organised researcher; the report could well be a small thesis.

However, this should not dis suade those interested in Fijian handicraft from reading it. In fact, some of the information on the effect of handicraft produc

tion on the economies of small villages would be valuable reading for those who seek to understand Fijian rural condi tions.

The report is centred on case studies of village women and their handicraft production on Vatulele, Moce, Oneata, Komo and Koro islands. The author has looked at what sort of return these women get for their production efforts, at the way each island and in some cases how villages on each island specialises in a particular type of handicraft, and the difficulties of marketing.

She does not describe the actual preparation of materials and production methods of the masi (bark cloth), and ibe (mats); this is well documented in other publications.

She has concentrated on de

scribing the part that handicraft production plays economically within the lives of the house hold and the village. A major revelation (at least for this read er), is that a village woman can expect a return of $1.50 for a small piece of mosi 12 inches by 18 inches, which took her ten hours to produce.

These hours take into account the collection of the trees used from gardens which are often quite a distance from her home, preparation of the material, actual manufacture of the mosi and drying times for the dyes. What a miserable reward for such skill.

Other figures reveal the frustrations village women have to deal with in getting their handicraft to market. It can cost up to $lOO for a roll of 10

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assorted mats to be transported from their island to the Suva markets.

Research showed that these mats may return $199; deduct the boatman’s fee and the stall holder’s commission and the maximum return for the pro ducer is in the order of 30 cents per hour; the likely return would be less.

These tables alone should be compulsory reading for every tourist who contemplates the purchase of a piece of masi or ibe as a memento of their visit.

Perhaps some may think twice before trying to knock $1 off the price.

Tauga Vulaono Nacanaitaba, in her conclusion, calls for more co-operation among the va rious groups which seek to assist the village women with either training or marketing. At present each group offers diffe rent advice on the same prob lems and this causes confusion among the women whom they are trying to help.

Government Development plans increasingly include handicrafts and its production as matters for assistance but with little concrete result.

Perhaps these agencies should read this report to see where the need for real action lies.

Ngaire Douglas.