Monday, February 26th
In the South Pacific there is a fusion of modern and traditional life. Scuba surveys of the reefs will be conducted by boats with GPS and digital cameras, but before any of this can begin we will go to the Tikina Wai High Chief in the village of Lomowai to make sevusevu (a traditional ceremony where we ask for permission to visit their village, reef and mangrove) in the ceremonial bure (a large thatched roof room used for all community meetings and ceremonies). We bring kava root, called yanqona, to present to their village. Kava is culturally very important in the South Pacific, and the soporific effects of its roots led to its being marketed globally as a sleep and relaxing aid.

Our group is then invited to tour the local mangroves and visit the tidal flat where sea water comes in and is collected to make ceremonial salt. The tradition had begun to die out, but WWF recently helped an elder train 20 younger women (salt-making is traditionally women's work) in traditional techniques.

Following the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia, coastal regions and villages with intact mangrove between them and the water faired better, with less wave damage. The mangroves slowed the wave and diffused the energy as the water had to move through the intricate network of mangrove trees. Mangroves can also build coast line, and in some regions may be able to keep pace with sea level rise.

We return to the ceremonial bure for a final round of kava, also called grog and are treated to singing of traditional Fijian songs. The primary salt maker also presents us with a kilo of their ceremonial salt in a hand-woven basket.

The ride to and from the village underlined the effects of land use change in Fiji. For most of the drive, we were surrounded by sugar cane fields and plantations of a non-native pine tree.

Apparently 85% of Takina Wai is cane plantations. There is an area close to our hotel that used to be a rich wetland and provided critical habitat for migratory birds. Now, many of the mangroves that used to surround the wetlands have been cut down for cane fields, the wetlands have become drier and more polluted, and the birds that once relied on this as a resting and feeding area have mostly disappeared.