Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ROTUMA
The most remote of the Fijian islands, 43-square-kilometre
Rotuma
lies over 600km north
of Suva in a lonely stretch of ocean south of Tuvalu. Its Polynesian culture and language
are significantly different from that of the Micronesian Fijians, and the island is only part
of Fiji at all thanks to an accident of history.
In 1881, tired of internal friction, the seven chiefs of Rotuma decided it was in their best
interests to cede their island to Britain, following the example of the Fijians. Unfortunately
for the Rotumans, the island was deemed too isolated to justify its own governor. Instead
it was decided that Rotuma should politically become part of Fiji, its remote neighbour to
the south. On May 13, 1881, at a spot in Motusa marked by a stone wall embedded with
a brass plaque, Rotuma relinquished its sovereignty to Fiji. Movements for independence
from Fiji have been mooted since Fiji's independence from Britain in 1970, but today, with
over five thousand Rotumans based in Suva, Rotuma's independence movement has little
support.
The islanders do, though, want to keep Rotuma
free from mass tourism
. In 1985, 85 per-
cent of Rotumans voted to keep tourist development at bay, making the island a challenge
to visit without a personal invitation.
AROUND THE ISLAND
The government headquarters for Rotuma have been stationed at
'Ahau
since 1902.
Colonial-style buildings house the hospital, police and judiciary as well as a small cement
jail with two tiny cells. The island's post office is also located here.
Rotuma is enclosed by a lagoon fringed by a reef and is almost completely surrounded by
stunning white sandy
beaches
set off by jet-black volcanic rock. Two of the best are
Oin-
afa Beach
on the northeastern point of the island, which is also a good spot for body surf-
ing and snorkelling in the turquoise lagoon around the twin islands of Haua; and isolated
Vai'oa Beach
, one of the prettiest in the South Pacific, and usually deserted, with towering
palm trees and fabulous snorkelling.
A handful of impressive
archeological sites
can be found inland - including the ancient
burial site
of the kings of Rotuma on top of
Sisilo Hill
and an ancient stone tomb near
Islepi Village
- as well as over a dozen
volcanic cones
. The highest of these rises to 256m,
protruding from the gently rolling hills which are extensively planted with
taro
, yams,
kava
and numerous varieties of fruit trees, particularly oranges.
FARA
Without doubt the liveliest time to visit is over Christmas, a period noted for the singing
and dancing festivities of
Fara
. The party begins on December 1 (Dec 24 for Juju and
Pepjei districts) and lasts until mid-January. Each evening children wander around their vil-
