Vatukacevaceva Village
Vatukacevaceva Village and the Sacred Nakauvadra Range
September 2006
Vatukacevaceva is an iTaukei village in Ra Province, near the northern foothills of the Nakauvadra Range on Viti Levu. Photographed in 2006, the village was surrounded by cultivated land, dry grasslands and the steep mountain ridges of northern Fiji.
The Nakauvadra Range holds major cultural and spiritual significance in iTaukei traditions. Oral histories identify the range, particularly Uluda, one of its northern peaks, as the dwelling place of Degei, an important ancestral deity commonly represented as a serpent. Traditions concerning Degei vary among communities, but describe him as an origin figure associated with humanity, ancestral descent and the passage of spirits after death.
Vatukacevaceva has longstanding ceremonial connections to the mountains. Access to culturally significant sites traditionally requires the permission of the appropriate community authorities. Visitors may be expected to observe local protocol, including the presentation of yaqona roots as sevusevu, an offering that expresses respect and formally requests acceptance.
The photographs document village homes, cultivated and harvested land, community gatherings and residents of different generations in 2006. Together, they record everyday life within a community closely connected to the physical and cultural landscape of the Nakauvadra Range.
