THE GUIDE - Rough Guide to Fiji - page 199

a F$20 temporary membership fee to access. There's also an excellent bookshop where you
can pick up the free monthly student magazine, Wansolwara .
National Stadium and Sports City
Close by the university is the National Stadium with a capacity of close to twenty thousand,
while across the way in Sports City is the National Aquatic Centre and Vodaphone Indoor
Sports Arena .
Tamavua, Samabula and Cunningham
Some of the most expensive residences in Suva are perched on the steep cliffs of Tamavua ,
with fantastic views of the harbour. They also look down on industrial Walu Bay, with its
shipyards, oil storage tanks and car lots. Samabula , east of Central, is divided between the
middle-class homes along Rewa Street and the appalling estates around Raiwaqa further
south. A short distance up Rewa Street is the Mariamma Hindu Temple which has spell-
binding fire walking ceremonies in August. To the west is the Royal Suva Yacht Club , a
pleasant spot to have a beer and enjoy the views across the harbour towards the Viti Levu
highlands and the prominent volcanic plug of Joske's Thumb.
Cunningham is the newest municipality on Suva's northern and eastern boundary, heading
along the Kings Road towards Nausori. It includes the busy suburb of Nabua as well as Queen
Elizabeth Barracks, headquarters of Fiji's army, where four rebels were beaten to death after
an attempted mutiny following the events of the 2000 coup.
INDIAN FIRE WALKING
Between April and September every year, Dravidian Hindus around Fiji seek favourable
omens from the gods during the replanting of crops. To test their faith and devotion, many
take part in one of the eighty or so Indian fire walking ceremonies that occur throughout
rural Fiji. The build up to any ceremony is a two-week long process of denial and self-
discipline to attain purification, culminating in a night of passionate dedication when the
fire pit is lit. Before crossing the pit, the yellow-clad participants undergo body piercings,
notably through the tongue and cheeks, bathe in either a river or the ocean and are finally
physically whipped into a frenzy before strutting across the hot embers - not surprisingly a
few participants end up in hospital. The most accessible of the ceremonies is held in August
at the Mariamma Hindu Road Temple off Rewa Street.
Lami Town
Five kilometres west of the city centre along the Queens Road is the pretty seaside residential
area of Lami Town , with a small market selling fresh produce. Beyond is the tranquil setting
of the Bay of Islands , with yachts anchored offshore alongside the rocky islets of Draunibota
(“cave island”), and Labiko (“snake island”).