Boost to Macuata Tourism

Fiji Times News

Villagers at one of the potential tourist sites called the Yavu, which is the oldest standing structure of a bure from the time of their ancestors. Picture: MANEESHA KARAN

THE people of Naduri, which is the chiefly village of the Tui Macuata, welcome a move by a toursism association in the North to develop the area as historical sites to help boost tourism in the North.

Plans to develop the area into a tourist site was revealed to The Fiji Times by Labasa and Macuata Tourism Association president Paul Jaduram, who said the village was an excellent historical site.

"One of the sites identified as a historical site is the village of the Tui Macuata because it is home of one of our leaders," Mr Jaduram said.

The Fiji Times visited two of the historical structures which helped identify the place as suitable for tourist visits. The structures included a yavu the oldest standing structure of a Fijian traditional house called bure used by the chiefs in the earlier days and the first Macuata Provincial Council office.

The strong wooden structure of the bure stands strong on a pile of neatly arranged stones, likewise the ruined walls of the first provincial office.

Village headman Joseva Kosoi said the villagers were told of the plans to develop the place into a tourist site about two months ago.

"This is wonderful news for us because we didn't take the olden structures down, hoping that someday a plan like this would eventuate," he said.

He said the structures were from late 1800s or early 1900s.

"The yavu is the only part of the ancestral house left standing and this was the house our ancestors lived in."

"They used strong wooden poles which still remain standing firm into the ground."

"The first provincial office is in ruins today but the walls still stand firm.

"Both the structures are a pride of this village," said Mr Kosoi.

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