Viviana Taubera grew up in the island nation of Fiji and was always in or near the ocean. She turned her love for the water and marine life into a career as a marine biologist. She is passionate about coral-reef and mangrove restoration and manta-ray conservation, and she is an advocate for local Fijian communities.
This interview is part of The World Made Local, a global collaboration between the seven international editions of Condé Nast Traveler in which 100 people in 100 countries tell us why their home turf should be your next destination.
How would you describe Fiji in your own words?
Fiji is all about water. It’s a small nation made up of little islands, so there is water everywhere. And lots of green! I’m from the island of Taveuni, which is a really small island. There are a few cars there, and most people just walk everywhere. But the few cars that are there just stop and pick people up. It’s a very friendly place with a strong sense of community. I visited Australia, and people at the shops or on the street don’t really say hello to each other or stop and chat. In Fiji, if you go to the shops or are out and about, you say hello or “Bula” to whoever you see. Everyone is considered an auntie or an uncle.
What smells and sounds conjure home for you?
Ah, the smell of lovo takes me back to Fiji. Lovo is a traditional way of cooking where you dig a pit and place coals in it, and then you wrap meat and vegetables in banana leaves, place them on the coals, and then bury the “oven”—and the food cooks underground.
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We have a traditional type of dancing where we call on our ancestors. We do it for visitors and at home for special occasions. We also have a traditional style of singing and songs that we sing for visitors to welcome them to Fiji, the “Bula Malea” song, and then to say farewell to them. The goodbye song, “Isa Lei,” is very sad. In the song, we wish guests a safe journey home, and we tell them that we hope to see them again. Both songs are overwhelmingly beautiful—people often weep during them, especially the goodbye song.
Where should we eat in Fiji?
Kokomo launched the first chapter of the international Dock to Dish program, which supports local fisheries. There’s a local tribe of women from an island here. The fisherwomen source indigenous fish that are in season and that are mature in size. Kokomo then buys from these fisherwomen, and the head chef, a Fijian woman named Caroline Oakley, cooks the fish. She’s amazing, and it’s powerful that a chain of local women are bringing you the fish you’re eating.
What’s a favorite spot we should visit?
There’s a freshwater mountain lake called Lake Tagimaucia, on the island of Taveuni, that is stunning. I’ve been a few times. It’s a really long hike to get there, but it’s worth it. For us, the lake water is very cold. But a good cold, because you hike up and the water is chilly and the air feels cold—it’s refreshing. And there is a little flower that you’ll see around the lake—this is the only place in the whole world where this flower grows.
Where to go to relax and get away from it all
I go swimming with manta rays when I need to relax and recharge. Manta season here is April to August, but they’re around all year. No one has a bad time swimming with mantas! It’s like a mental-health reset.
Follow Viviana Taubera on Instagram @vee_taubera
