Meke Movements

London🫶🏽

Taking a mini break from the big break and travelling to the other side of the world.

FIJI🇫🇯

Performing Meke today at during orientation week for GIG Fest.

Global Immersion Guarantee offers students the opportunity to learn from local leaders on how they are managing the human impact on our environment.
Out of 8 countries to choose from, FIJI is on that list.

Vinaka vakalevu 🐚

Vaqanivasua 🧶

Ubi ni mocemoce

MAMMA MIA IS SHOWING IN FIJI!

Opening night is this week Friday, 9th until next week Saturday 17th.

📍Civic centre, Suva

What an incredible cast! I can’t wait to see this 😆

Boxing Day at Lepanoni (Lebanon)

That’s the Matuku will power for you🔥

Great work Ta Poasa, can’t wait to visit Mai Lagi.

Packed with goodness

Meanwhile on the village ⛰️🌊

More info on Tropical Cyclone Mal, Fiji

Category 1 tropical cyclone Mal was located around 430km West of Rotuma or 650km Northwest of Yasawa-i-Rara at 3am this morning. It is currently moving quite rapidly in a southeasterly direction towards Fiji with a speed of 28km/hr.

It is expected to pass close to the west of the Fiji Group tonight with the centre of the system expected to lay approximately 170km west of Nadi at 3am tomorrow morning. The cyclone may begin to have an impact on the Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups from later today. While the system is expected to begin to affect Viti Levu from later this afternoon, most of the destructive winds are expected tonight.

The current projections indicate that it is going to be a Category 2 system, but on the high end of this scale. Storm force winds are likely over the Yasawa and Mamanuca Groups, western and southern Viti Levu, Vatulele, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands However, it is a huge system and its effect can be far reaching. Consequently, Gale Warning is in force as far as western Vanua Levu (Dreketi, Bua to Savusavu), eastern Viti Levu and Lomaiviti Group.

These winds can break tree branches, blow unsecured and loose materials, disrupt communication network and power supply due to damaged power lines, damage temporary and weak structures, increase the risk of sea travel for all types of sea crafts, and increase the risk for hazardous breaking waves and coastal inundation of debris along low lying coastal areas, especially during high tides. The ground is already saturated with a lot of rainfall in parts of the country. Thus, it can take little rainfall to knock off trees.

The trough of low pressure associated with tropical cyclone Mal is already bringing a lot of rainfall over the country, especially over the Central Division. Consequently, a Flash Flood Warning is in force for parts of Suva and Lami with a Flash Flood Alert for most parts of the Central Division and Ovalau Island. Rainfall activity may intensify when the cyclone comes close to Fiji. The whole of Fiji Group is under a Heavy Rainfall Warning. High tide is around 7am this morning, with the next one at around 7pm tonight.

🇫🇯HAPPY FIJI DAY🇫🇯

Matuku Proud 💪🏽

Vakabati & vakayava🧶

Displaying of the mats that were used for a Tevutevu for my sister’s wedding. (There was many more😁)

Forever in awe at the pattern work, colour combinations and fine details of the vavakula - mostly woven by the women in our family. (hoping to also inherit this skill😅)

Suva point sunset 🌞

World’s Indigenous Peoples Day🌏🇫🇯

Bulanaires all around😁🇫🇯

No place like home 🇫🇯

Talanoa with .t tonight!
Netani Coriakula talanoa with Dr.T about the buiniga vakaviti - traditional Fijian hairstyle👨🏾‍🦱🇫🇯

23rd July, Sunday
6pm 🇦🇺
8pm 🇫🇯

Watch the livestream via .t page

Rotuma and Torres Strait Islands

Full circle moment🌀
Flying to Fiji to celebrate my earthday, I decided to visit my nei’s home and hang out with the family. When I arrived they told me that my yaca was at a Meke practice, that they were performing for the Yaubula Festival end of the week. Instantly I called her, and she was at another relatives house except nobody knew where he lived… so I got the Fijian directions (describing the main road, streets to follow, land marks, & “theres a white car parked outside”🤣)so I opened google maps and applied the instructions to find the exact location😅) then off I was to crash their practice.

For the next 2 days I was cramming this Meke and the words. I was so excited and eager to learn, I had completely forgotten about my injury and insecurities about returning back to dance. As it was a sitting dance, I thought it would be the perfect first performance back, post injury, and especially with my family.

Lastly, as we were walking into the stadium, it hit me that this was where my dance journey started. The last time I performed here was in 2011, at the Kula Film Festival, dancing for Natabua High School. It was the first time I got to perform in front of a massive crowd, at 16yrs old. I remember thinking that this was what I meant to be, an entertainer! Now, here I am performing Meke with my family, for the first time, at the same place my dream sprouted- Realising, I made it. Everything I dreamed of as a small teen, I have worked to make it true 💃🏽

It’s been a tough year battling thoughts that “I’ll never be the same” and hearing people talk bluntly that I need to give up dancing and find a “real job”. But in true Laura form, nobody can tell me what to do, I just sit back and tell them “watch me”💪🏽

Mata meke ni MATUKU🏝️
Lau Yaubula Festival🐚

LAU YAUBULA🐚
Day 1
Gymnasium, Suva📍

Vuli Meke 🐚
Tikina ko Matuku Preparing for the Lau Yaubula happening tomorrow - Thurs 28 & Friday 29, at the Gymnasium, Suva 📍

BRB Burncity ❄️🇫🇯

In Fiji, a wheelbarrow is a prized possession.

The use of a wheelbarrow varies, from being used as a shopping trolley to ferrying kids around in the village. The wheelbarrow is also vital for market stall holders to move their goods from one place to another.

Here at the main Suva market, these wheelbarrow taxis are a common sight.

For a few dollars, these blokes are more than happy to follow you as you shop around in the market, then carry your market purchases straight to the carpark 😊