The Scared Turtles of Kadavu Summary

It is a story of scared turtles of Kadavu, one of the larger islands of the Fiji group. Fiji Island is in the South Pacific Ocean (east of Vanuata, south of Tuvalu, and west of Tonga). It is an island nation consists an archipelago of more than 332 islands, including two significant islands, Vanua Levu & Viti Levu. Fiji has a local government system that looks after the city and town councils. Everything falls under the supervision of Urban Development and the Ministry of local government.

Kadavu is a more oversized island among other islands of the Fiji group, and there's a Fijian village named Namuana located fifty miles by water from the capital of Suva. Namuana village is located near the government station in Vunisea Harbor. Historians said that to shorten the long journey around the east and west of Kadavu Island, the warriors of Kadavu found a solution and slid their canoes on rollers up over the narrow neck of land.

The scared turtle of Kadavu story is based on the strange ritual followed by the women of Kadavu being strange. It is an exciting story that touches the heart of people. Anyone who wants to see the ritual of calling a turtle in Namuana village must visit the bay right under the cliffs of a rocky headland. After reaching the beach, visitors can climb a rocky tract to a point some 150 to 200 feet up the rock face or sit on the rocks under the turtle's buff on the beach. An eye-calming and splendid view of Namuana village's maidens assembled on the beach and sang a strange chant to call the turtle. When maidens start chanting, the giant turtle is seen rising from deep down into the water of the bay & reached the surface of the water, listening to the music.

It is just not a story, it's the reality that takes place, and due to this, the water of Namuana village sea coast area is forbidden for the fishing of turtles. Another reality related to this ritual is that the presence of Nabukelevu village members in the ritual can spoil it as turtles will not arise on the bay's surface in their presence. The maidens have to abandon calling the turtles.

The women of Namuana village follow this strange ritual to call turtles from the sea as they find it lucky for them, and this arises from a story of the chief of Namuana, who had a lovely wife named "Tinacoboga" (beautiful princess). They are parents of a charming daughter, "Raudalice." Mother and daughter are fond of fishing, so they often go among the reefs around their home. One time both of them went farther into the bay than usual to capture the fish (climbed the cliff beyond their village). Nabukelevu village lies in the shadow of Mount Washington (the highest mountain on Kadavu island). Mount Washington is known for mariners as there is a lighthouse that warns them of the dangers of rocky coastlines.

Both (mother and daughter) went farther from the sea coast in search of fish and were seen by Nabukelevu fishermen. The fishermen leaped from their canoes and kidnaped them by bounding their feet and hands with rope. Both the women put in the bottom of the canoe and the fisherman ahead of their journey home. Both ladies pleaded with them for their lives, but cruel kidnappers became deaf to their pleading and would not listen to their requests.

But the plead of women were heard by the sea God who showed his mercy, and soon a great storm arose in the sea and tossed the canoe. Huge waves capsized the ship, almost swamped it. On one side, the canoe was foundering in the sea, and on another side, the fisherman was astounded to see that both the scared women suddenly changed into the turtle. Fishermen get scared of death and seize both to save their own life & throw them into the sea.

The fisherman made women (turtles) to slipped over the side of the canoe, then the weather changed automatically, and there were no deadly waves in the sea. The fisherman of Nabukelevu then restart their journey home, and the two women of Namuana who changed to turtles and were thrown in the water will remain in the water of the bay. Their (thrown women) descendants are believed to arise when turtles are called after chanting. It is an unbelievable reality or ritual of Namuana village that women of that village chant for turtles from the cliff, and the giant turtles come up to the surface of the blue water of the bay on the island of Kadavu near Namuana village.

Only the people of Namuana village have this strange strong power of calling these turtles else. The presence of an enemy tribe from the village of Nabukelevu doesn't even call them up at any cost. From there, this ritual has been followed till today.