Fiji Food - A Cultural Feast of Flavour and Friendship Part 1

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In this blog, we embark on a culinary journey through Fiji, exploring the unique flavour dishes, and dining experiences that make this country so special. Food in Naocobau was one of the main aspects bridging the gap between us volunteers and the Fijians. It allowed us to bond with our Na’s over cooking classes, allowing us an exposed glimpse into the lives of the women in Fiji. The journey from farm to table was that of a long one, involving everyone in the community providing Fiji with a sense of pride which cannot be replicated in the UK.

From Sea to Table

Fiji’s fertile land and pristine waters provide an abundance of fresh, locally-sources ingredients. This country’s fertile soils hold an array of tropical fruits and vegetables, including cassava, taro, breadfruit and papaya. Seafood enthusiasts will revel in the rich catches of mahi-mahi, shark, and succulent lobster. From the sea to the land, every dish that I savoured in Naocobau was made with love and effort and sourced just minutes from my home.

The meals consisted mostly of fresh vegetables grown in the village or fish caught by my brother Tuvuki. Fish or ‘ika’ in Fijian was the favourite food of every person that I asked in the village. Tuvuki, who was thirteen, was a keen spear fishes and would often go out into the sea in the morning before school to catch our fish for the day. One of my favourite memories from Naocobau was the image of Tuvuki coming up the hill on the back of a horse, school uniform on and two bags of fish in each hand.

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day and by far my favourite. Babakau, was a hybrid of pancake and donut made with yeast, flower, sugar, and oil. These pockets of heaven were a crowd pleaser amongst the volunteers and helping my Na to make these every morning was one of my favourite parts of the day.


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