What is a ' bilibili '
A bilibili (pronounced mbili-mbili) is a traditional Fijian bamboo raft. Long sturdy lengths of bamboo are lashed together with natural twine to form a 'rocky' but practical means of travelling along the river. The raft is guided by a Fijian standing at the rear of raft, who will use a long pole to steer the bilibili around any obstacles that might occur. The rivers in Fiji are sometimes deep and slow moving, but often wind through narrower gorges, with shallow rocky water and waterfalls. A trip on a bilibili can therefore be quite an adventure!
Bilibili are traditionally used to transport vegetables and fruit from upstream villages down to the market towns at the mouth of the river. Since they are not ' powered ' vessels it is virtually impossible to navigate these craft back up stream. Instead they are often abandoned at the mouth of the river as they have performed their task of transporting heavy cargo quickly and easily to the markets. You will sometimes hear Bilibili rafts jokingly being called ' HMS No Come Back ' for this reason! Their owners, having sold their fruits and vegetables at market, then make their way back to their villages on foot, or by a powered 'taxi' boat or by vehicle. The bilibili saves the local Fijian farmers the cost of transport for the downward journey.
In this panorama, a Fijian villager sits on a bilibili repairing the raft. A young child swims alongside. In addition to using a bilibili raft for a downstream market trip, they are often used for crossing the river. For example, a village community might be on one side of the river, and some of their farms on the other, and they would traverse the rushing waters on a bilibili. When visiting Fiji, many tourists enjoy a ride on a bilibili - often part of a day's cultural excursion. The trip might involve an upriver boat ride to a Fijian village, lunch at the village (usually in the form of an underground oven feast, or ' lovo '), maybe a chance to see the ladies weaving mats, or the men fishing or working at their farms. And, of course, the opportunity of a ride on a bilibili. They are not 'watertight' so be prepared for getting a little wet! |
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