Hope - a fateful moment (Vol.4) ✅️

Chapter 35

They booked a guide immediately afterwards to accompany them and translate for them if needed. Together they made their way to the small island of Vatulele in the south of the main island. It was a coral and volcanic island. The island is inhabited by four villages, including Taunovo and Bouwaqa, whose inhabitants belong almost exclusively to the original Fijian population – the iTaukei.

They took the ferry to the island. The closer they got, the shorter the distance became, the more Hope felt he was arriving home. Is this my home? Where are my roots? Hope looked completely different from the residents. He had fair skin and hair and yet he felt a connection to this country that he couldn't explain.

When they entered the mainland of the island in the small port of the city of Ekumbu, he paused briefly and took a deep breath. Home.

"Well, we'll go to Lomanikaya from here. That's where the address you're looking for is," said their guide, Kona, a young Fijian in his mid-twenties. He was about 5'7'' tall and had the typical appearance of the iTaukei – dark skin and black short curled hair. His friendly and open-minded nature made him likable.

They drove along the bumpy road with a rental car. There were green trees everywhere and the sound of the sea could be heard through the open windows. The fresh air smelled of salt. Hope absorbed all these impressions, even if he could not see the beautiful nature. Sereph described it to him as he tenderly stroked his mate's shoulder.

Kona told them about the history of the island and also the legend of the red prawns of Vatulele.

"This legend is about the beautiful daughter of a chief. Her name was Yalewan-ni-Cagi-Bula, which means Maid of the Serene Wind. Her great beauty became known on the islands and legitimate chiefs throughout the country courted her to become their bride. But Yalewan-ni-Cagi-Bula, though beautiful from the outside, had a contemptuous heart and rejected any contender.

"On the mainland of Viti Levu lived the son of a chieftain who was heir to the throne of the mainland tribes. When this handsome and privileged young man heard about the beautiful chieftain's daughter, he realized that she alone was worthy to be his bride.

"True to custom, he made his way to Vatule to present his marriage offer. He brought many beautiful gifts, including a selection of ura-buta, giant red prawns from the coastal streams of Viti Levu, wrapped in leaves and perfectly prepared in a coconut milk sauce. This meal was a very special and rare delicacy, fitting a woman of such position and beauty.

"But Yalewan-ni-Cagi-Bula wasn't persuaded. She became angry about the gifts and ordered her ladies to throw the young suitor from the cliff over Ganilau – also called Caves of the Eagles. When he fell into the sea, the juicy red prawns fell from his hands into a rocky pond.

"The young man survived the fall and spent the rest of his days in Veti Levu. Every day he looked south across the ocean towards the distant Vatulele and mourned Yalewan-ni-Cagi-Bula.

"In desperation, he tried to build a stone bridge to achieve his love, but failed in the impossible task. He managed to create a rock foundation on the shore of Viti Levu, near the village of Votualailai, which is still standing.

"The shrimp came back to life when they landed in the water. The sacred scarlet prawns, fed by a freshwater stream from the waterfall above, are still there today. Around the pool you will find the leaves in which they were wrapped, growing along the rocky terrace where they are protected from damage.

"From this wonderful story, these shrimp were pronounced sacred, and no one was allowed to touch them. The curse that comes with this taboo is that anyone stupid enough to steal these shrimp or harass them in any way will be shipwrecked – which is indeed a bad curse in a country with over 330 islands."