Compiled
by Joseph Veramu
In
traditional times, Fijian life rotated around the lunar months based on
geographical and biological changes. Time was not counted in days, weeks and
years as in contemporary times. Changes in the lunar month were seen in the
flowering or fruiting of various crops and plants or the availability of marine
foods and resources.
The Fijian (iTaukei) Traditional Lunar Calendar is of great
importance because it provides empirical wisdom and knowledge to inform our
current agricultural and marine practices. While many rural iTaukei still use the
Calendar to regulate their farming and marine activities, there is a strong
case for wider adaptation of these traditional practices in our schools, homes
and workplaces given the challenges of climate change that we are facing in
Fiji and globally.
With the very high incidences of deaths in Fiji caused by
non-communicable diseases the lunar calendar provides valuable nutritional and practical
farming information on root crops, fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants that
we can grow around our home gardens. For consumers, it provides information of
root crops, fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants that are available at
various months of the year in our markets. It is noted that eating locally home-grown
foods is far better than eating canned processed foods high in fats and toxic
chemicals. Traditional Fijian food and agricultural / marine practices provide
a sustainable alternative that promotes healthy lifestyles.
Research by the University of Hong Kong and the Fiji
Fisheries Department, for example, shows that over the last 30 years, Fiji's
kawakawa (grouper) fish has been drastically reduced by 70 percent. Following the
traditional iTaukei calendar of accessing (and nurturing) agricultural and
marine resources will ensure that our harvests are done sustainably and takes
account of our future generations.
Fijians (iTaukei) lived by a lunar calendar which normally
reached its apex in February with the yam harvest. The yam was considered a chiefly
root crop that was an important part of ceremonial food presentations. Yams that
were cultivated (in addition to those varieties that grew wildly in the
forests) were the only root crops that could be kept in their natural state and
used for a year or longer. Other vegetables, fruits and root crops were
perishable unless they were processed to be preserved for weeks or months for
consumption at a later date.
In traditional times, the iTaukei word yabaki referred to the annual
yam harvest. Its contemporary use denotes a year.
The first harvests of food crops isevu were presented to chiefs or priests. In contemporary times
the isevu has been presented to the Church.
Version
1: Source: Na Vanua o Viti (25/6/2017) https://www.facebook.com/NaVanuaOViti/posts/636327459900206
One version of the Fijian calendar notes that it was based
on planting and fishing seasons that was divided into 11 months. This version
notes that the Fijian calendar year began in June/July known as Vula i
Werewere for clearing the land for planting. July/August is the Vula i
Cukicuki when patches of ground were tilled for yam beds. September is the Vula i Vavakada, when young yam plants were
tied to reeds to enable the vines to grow upwards. October to January were named after marine resources. October is
the Vula i Balolo Lailai, when there
is a small rise of the balolo, a sea worm found in reefs. November is the Vula i Balolo Levu when there is a
spawning of the sea worm. December is the Vula
i Nuqa Lailai when small quantities of the rabbit fish are visible. January
is the Vula i Nuqa Levu when the
rabbit fish spawns. February is called the Vula
i Sevu when the first harvest is usually presented to the Chiefs and the
Church. Soon after the 'sevu' (presentation of the first harvest) they then
built a special shelter or store house called the 'lololo' before they continued
to harvest the rest of the yams from their farms. April is called the Vula i Gasau when reeds sprout afresh. May
is Vula i Doi when the doi tree
flowers.
Version 2
Vula i Nuqa Levu. January.
“Nuqa”, the ‘rabbit’ fish, (siganus vermiculatus), a
delicacy amongst Fijians is in abundance. They move in schools in great numbers
close to shore. They tend to be passive and easily caught. Fish that are caught
in fish fences (ba ni ika) during
this time are ki (surmullet), deu
(goatfish). Shellfish such as the kai
koso, kuku, kolakola (aetheria
semilunata), the chiton (tadruku) and
the sea-slug (bosucu) are in
plentiful supply. Land crabs (lairo) are spawning. The edible
jellyfish (drose) are floating in abundance.
“Red tide” fish poisoning is a danger at this time. Polynesian chestnut (ivi) is gathered during this time. Mango trees are fruiting in the
drier parts of Vitilevu. Dawa fruit
(lychees) and wi (ambarela) are
harvested. Breadfruit (uto) is in
abundance. The damanu hardwood tree
is flowering. Flowers used for perfumed oil or garlands such as the lagakali, bua ni Viti, and caucau are blooming.
Vula i Sevu. February: The climax of the
year. The start of the yam harvest and constructing yam storage sheds (lololo) in the farmlands. This is the important time of the presentation
of first fruits of the harvest to the Chief and the Christian Church. At this
time, there is abundant supply of breadfruit (uto), taro (dalo), cassava
(tavioka), Polynesian chestnut (ivi), the fruit of the wi (ambarella),
dawa (lychees) and oranges. During this month, the dakua salusalu hardwood tree is flowering. Fish harvested in the fish fences at this
time include the malevu and voro.
Vula i Kelikeli. March. The month is marked by
frequent rainfall and thunder and lightning. (yaseyase). Harvesting and storage of yams continues in earnest. Some
long yams are buried. Some breadfruit (uto)
varieties, the Polynesian chestnut and the vutu
fruit are in maturity and ready for picking. Sweet potatoes (kumala) are being planted. Sea crabs (qari), mud lobsters (mana) and the small
crabs (kuka) are plentiful. Limited
supply of fish in March and April. The
migratory shore-wading Golden Plover (dilio)
bird will leave Fiji for Alaska/Siberia in March and April. Reeds (gasau),
(yalu) vine, and the (tokatolu) are flowering.
Vula i Gasau. April. This is a rainy month.
The reeds gasau are flowering. Long
yams are being dug. Citrus (moli),
including the shaddock (moli kana)
and the breadfruit (uto) are in great
abundance. The mako and damanu
trees are flowering. The kavika fruit
is reaching the end of its season. Dilo
nuts which are rich in oil are fruiting. The dilio migratory birds are now leaving Fiji for the great journey to
Alaska/Siberia. Mud lobsters (mana),
sea crabs (qari), and shellfish kuka are daba with their eggs that are a delicacy. Near the sea shore the tugadra fish are plentiful. While small
fish like the daniva, salala, sara can
be caught near the sea shore, there is usually a poor catch for those trying to
get larger fish.
Vula i Doi. May. The doi shrub (alphitonia spp.) flowers. The uvi
leka yam and the kawai reaches
maturity and is ready for harvest. Sweet potato (kumala) and arrowroot (yabia)
are also in abundant supply. The tarawau
trees are yellow with their ripe nuts ready for harvest. The vesi leka
and the yasiyasi trees are fruiting. Near
the shore, schools of salala fish move. This month is the time also for late cyclones,
heavy storms and strong winds called cagi
ni doi. Sailing becomes much safer after this month as it signifies the end
of the cyclone season.
Vula i Werewere. June. The cool weather
begins during this lunar month. It is the time to begin weeding (werewere), and planting the first
yams. Kawai yams are still plentiful, as are some of the wild yams such
as bulou. The duruka and vico starts
flowering. The coconut crab (uga vule) is
succulent with its rich juicy fat. Oranges and kavika are in short supply. Among fish, there is an abundant
supply of gerridae (matu) and
sardines (daniva). The dilo and dakua salusalu trees are fruiting.
Humpback whales can often be seen offshore sometimes with their young.
At this time, the giant sea turtles cannot be seen for the next three months to
August.
Vula i Cukicuki. July. This
lunar month is marked by cold weather. By the end of the month, digging (cukicuki) and planting of yams is
usually completed. The signs that yams should be planted are the flowering of moivi, drala, vasili, and vaivai ni vavalagi plants. Sweet
potatoes (kumala) is usually
harvested. Maize (sila) usually matures
in July and August. Deciduous trees like the tavola, wi, and sinu lose
their leaves in these cold months of July and August. The kesala
and kawakawa fish spawns
The octopus
(kuita) is plentiful. There is
usually a good catch for fisherman catching daniva,
ose, and matua.
Vula i Se-ni-drala (Vula-i-kawakawa). August. During
this month the weather is cool. It is also the end of the dalo season that began around March. The damanu, drala and kauceuti
trees are flowering. The mangrove (tiri)
and the vaivai ni valagi are
fruiting. It is the high season for octopus (kuita) and the small sardine-like
fish called the vaya and the matu. The fish kesala (kerakera) and the kawakawa
are still breeding. The giant green turtle is now mating, drifting in couples
at the surface of the sea (veibalati na
vonu).
Vula i Vavakada. (Also called vula i kadrekadre month for sprouting of
yams). September. During this month, rods are staked to support
yam vines (na vavakada). Dalo and kawai are also planted. The following trees and plants are flowering:
mango (maqo), drala, buaniviti, mokosoi,
wadamu. Rock cod (kawakawa) is still spawning. In
traditional times this would also be the time for the javelin-throwing sport veitiqa, after the completion of
planting. The Golden Plover dilio is returning
to on its annual migration.
Vula i Balolo Lailai. October In this month we have
the first appearance of edible sea annelid balolo in some parts of Fiji. Taro,
kawai, via are usually planted at
this time. Cagolaya a medicinal plant (for coughs and colds) are in abundance.
Kavika fruit and breadfruit (uto) are ready for harvest / picking. Avocado (pea) is abundant especially from
October through March. This is also the beginning of the season for watermelon
that will continue through February. Flowering has begun for the daiga and mokosoi trees. The misimisi
scented plant and the vesi hardwood tree are fruiting. The deciduous Polynesian
almond (tavola) is putting our fresh new leaves (sovasova). More migratory birds
dilio arrive in Fiji.
Vula i Balolo Levu. November.
During this month we have the second, larger appearance of balolo at some shores. Pineapple, mango and
kavika fruits are in season. Dawa and vutu fruits are also fruiting. Misimisi a scented plant is ripe. The sea crabs (qari) are “full” of spawn (momona),
and there is an abundance of the walu
fish. This is the beginning of the hurricane season. Long distance sailing
becomes risky due to storms.
Vula i Nuqa Lailai. December.
This is the period of the cyclone season that might last through March /
April. There are smaller schools of rabbit fish (nuqa). The trevally fish (saqa)
is spawning. Young sharks (bulubulu) are now born, swimming close to shore.
Sharks have a tendency to bite during this time. This month is also the period when land crab
(lairo) especially the lairo vula are
aplenty. In some areas the balolo may appear.
The walu fish and the trevally
(saqa) are breeding. Some early yams
like the vurai can be dug up for
consumption and can also be planted. Trees that flower during this month are
the flamboyant tree (sekoula), timber trees like the buabua and kuasi, both
being species of podocarpiaceae and the nuqanuqa. Breadfruit (uto) matures in addition to
fruits like mango, kavika, dawa, and pineapple.
