South Pacific Island Children (1951)

[Music] uh [Music] far out in the pacific ocean a new day is darling on the islands of fiji there are many islands on the fiji's we are going to visit the little village tanga cave on the shore of the largest island soon it will be time for breakfast so father ratu luke and his two sons naivindi and rapopo set out through the sleepy village to get fish for breakfast from the shallow water they will catch the fish with spears watch father ratuluque he knows how to walk quietly in the water and just where to find the fish you have to know how to use the spear or there may be no breakfast there ah father has a nice one meanwhile women do their part in getting food fresh roots are part of the breakfast so mother devara and a neighbor woman dig roots of tapioca from the village garden at the edge of the jungle her daughter davila picks leaves of the breadfruit tree that will serve for breakfast dishes tapioca roots and taro roots are roasted over the fire davila learns how to do it other roots are boiled in the pot too now father naivindi and rapopo come back from the beach on his spear father has enough fish for the family [Music] people of the fiji islands eat a great deal of fish fish from the ocean fruit from the trees and roots from the rich soil it's still cool and pleasant for breakfast in the open air you can see that rapopo enjoys his breakfast after the morning fishing [Music] davila combs her bushy hair before she leaves for school oh here comes a visitor this is varne his family has just moved to the village barney doesn't know his way around so father tells rapopo and avila to take him with them to school this morning in school the teacher wears sandals and a long native dress the children are used to having classes out of doors now the teacher calls on davila to read what is written on the blackboard the letters are in english but the words are in fijian varney gets acquainted with everyone davila finishes reading rapopo turns to watch the other children work children of the fiji islands learn to make many things out of strips of palm leaves such as mats and fine baskets this boy carves a kind of wooden musical instrument called lolly when played it sounds like a small drum nearby several men are helping to build a house for varney and his family barney's father couldn't do it alone [Music] davila's father ratu luke is very good at weaving roots [Music] not far from the new house divara helps barney's mother find a place for her garden father ratuluque is rapidly finishing the roof of the new house it will keep out the rain and the hot sunlight [Music] today the women work in the village garden the tapioca patch needs to be clean weeds and grass must be kept out so the food plants can grow it isn't hard work and doesn't take much time and the children stay close by [Music] while mother devara and the other women work in the gardens the men work fast to finish the house for the new family they strengthen the walls with long grasses stuffed firmly between the slender strips the walls will be strong to keep out the heat and heavy rays [Music] back at school it's recess and time for a game a game of tag for the boy [Music] this game goes well and the teacher turns to a group of girls nearby they're playing a game seated on the ground it takes much practice to play it well and they think it's lots of fun [Music] now it's the end of play at school and time to go back to classes [Music] [Music] way up there is naivindi davila's older brother naivindi has finished his school days and has a job he likes very much he makes some spending money climbing the tall coconut trees and picking the nuts the fresh green coconuts are full of milk to drink and the dried ripe ones have many uses this is a green coconut it is full of a cool sweet juice which is very good to drink but you must have a sharp heavy knife and know how to cut through the husk and make a hole in one end this is the next day and the village chief calls the men together to plan a fishing party they will need a long net rapopo has learned how to help to make a net takes many palm leaves separated into blades and wound around slender vines now the net is ready rapopo and his friends help the men carry the net to the water they wade in and form a long curving line far out from shore holding the net down in the shallow water of the lagoon they wait for the signal to start towards shore they will drive the fish ahead of them inside the net there are many fish in the shallow water near the fiji islands and the people believe that they must take some fish out so others will have room to grow father rattu luke is doing his part all the fish inside the net try to swim away from it this drives them closer and closer to the edge of the water at the beach pounding the water frightens the fish still more in the village the women and girls get ready for the feast davila makes garlands of flowers made of strong grass [Music] as the fishermen come closer to shore they have made the circle smaller inside the net in the shallow water they see hundreds of different kinds of fish darting about the fishing has been a success and there will be plenty of fish for the beast closer and closer the fish are driven together [Music] they are jammed close together among the coral rocks of the shore and it is easy to catch them with the long sharp spears [Music] soon all the larger fish are taken out naivindi and rapopo help put them on strings these fish will be delicious when broiled on charcoals of coconut shell [Music] now the feast is ready and the fathers and mothers eat while the girls serve them nearby rapopo and his friends beat the rhythm for a special dance it is a fiji girls dance they dance seated on the ground clapping their hands this is a happy day a day to remember there were plenty of fish in the net there was excitement in the fishing and now with the feast and dance davila and rapopo their friends their parents and all the fishermen have a good time on their peaceful island far across the pacific ocean [Music] my [Music]