Fiji Firewalkers

Overview

Many years ago on the island of Beqa (pronounced Mbengga), a tribe called Sawau lived in a mountain village called Navakeisese. In this village there lived a famous storyteller known as Dredre, who regularly entertained the members of the tribe with his stories. It was customary for the people of the village to bring gifts to Dredre in appreciation of his entertainment. On one occasion when asked what gifts he would like, he requested each person of the audience to bring him the first things they would find while hunting the next day. One of the warriors of Beqa called Tui-na-Iviqalita, went fishing for eels (rewai) in a mountain stream. The first thing he caught felt like an eel. When he pulled it out of the mud, it assumed the shape of a Spirit God.