A five-day handicraft workshop organized by Birdlife International Fiji will “help villagers earn money rather than waiting for Government assistance,” the Roko Tui Cakaudrove, Ro Aca Mataitini said.
Ro Aca was commenting on a recent workshop that saw 28 women from the District of Laucala in Cakaudrove receive training in traditional jewellery making and basket weaving.
The workshop was conducted by Samuela Cabe, an expert in traditional and contemporary jewellery and Finau Mara who had represented Fiji as a master weaver at the Pacific Arts Festival.
According to Tuverea Tuamoto from Birdlife, the training was focused on improving the livelihoods of communities in the Laucala District and in particular landowners of the Ringgold Islands- a group of seven seabird islands to the North of Taveuni.
The islands support globally important seabird populations.
“Through the workshop we wanted to show the landowners that there are alternative income sources rather than those that might exploit the islands limited fragile natural resources,” he said
As an example of the income making potential resulting from the workshop, participant Maria Walesi said that she had spent 25 years weaving mats but had never woven a basket.
Women from Laucala show their jewellery and woven baskets they produced during the workshop
“I spent nearly one month in finishing a mat and that would earn me $160, whereas a basket only takes me four days to complete and it can easily fetch me $85 in the Flea Market,” she said.
She added that she will return and teach other women in the village about an art that is quickly disappearing from their communities.
Ro Aca said that the training has helped young women take the challenge upon themselves to develop and utilize their cultural and traditional skills into a valuable income source.