NA VILA: Sacred Power Over Heat and Fire

The voivoi or pandanus (Pandanaceae sp) is a versatile plant with leaves growing to about 2 meters long. The leaves are harvested, boiled and dried to weave liku (skirt) for the firewalkers. The latter is the main component of the firewalker's ensemble.

DYING PANDANUS BLACK:The dried pandanus leaves are dyed black through a natural steeping process in swampy mud pools. The dried leaves are clustered in batches before immersing in mud.

The ‘kalabuci damu’ is a cultivated plant similar to A-wilkesiana but with rounded leaf blades up to 15cm long. Leaves from this plant are boiled with the swamp steeped pandanus to darken its colour.

Water is boiled to maximum in a large pot before black dried pandanus leaves are first dipped then 'kalabuci damu’ branches are placed atop. This is simmered overnight.

DYING PANDANUS YELLOW: Fresh turmeric or ‘cea’ (pronounced "there") is a natural dye used in the yellow coloring of pandanus. Cea is dug, cleaned, grated then boiled with dried pandanus leaves.

Dried pandanus is boiled in a pot and grated turmeric is added by the handful. Extra care is taken to ensure that the turmeric is evenly suspended in the pot. This is to ensure right consistency and spread of colour.

The pandanus turns yellow after a long implement (often a long stick) is used to push and stir the leaves and strong turmeric mix together. The swirling and thorough soaking movement ensures proper coloring.

WEAVING PROCESS: At the completion of the dying process, pandanus is cut into strips and sorted into pairs (black and yellow). These are then plaited to produce the liku (skirt) which is the main part of the traditional ensemble.

Yellow and black pandanus strips are woven together using dried fibres of the wild hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus). The weaving process accompanied by chanting is a communal affair of women folk.

Wood from the ‘Ivi’ (Inocarpus fagiferus) makes great firewood for the irevo (firewalking pit) because it gives off great heat and burns slowly.

Huge rocks are manually collected by men for the firewalking pit. As many as 50 of these rocks can be gathered for the fire pit. The best rocks are from nearby rivers and creeks.

The balabala fern (Cyatheaae family) is also used as a medium to "transfer" invisible fire gnomes (veli) from the forests to the irevo (firewalking pit). The whole tree is laid across the irevo.

Vines or lianas and slender branches cut from the forest are collected and used as "broom" to clear and drag the burning logs and leftover embers, leveling the heated rocks in the irevo.

This is the foremost arrangement of rocks and logs in the irevo to facilitate free flow of air and maximum combustion since pit is 3 - 4 feet deep. Bolders and huge log are placed atop before incineration.

The completed arrangement and actual look of the irevo before incineration. Note the careful arrangement of logs around the pit. The dried coconut branches popping out are used to fire up the irevo.

Bolders and large rocks are then piled one by one atop the log arrangement. The logs are proportionate to rocks size so that burning will engulf the entire pit and heat rocks to the max.

The burning of the logs slowly heat the rocks for hours. Rocks turn bright red during the combustion process.

Super heated rocks and bolders after hours of burning. When the embers die down, the heat is felt about 5 feet from the pit. It is now ready for the vilavilairevo (firewalking) ritual.

The sacredness of the ceremony requires the dauvila respect certain taboos before they walk. They congregate in a special house the previous evening preparing before walking to the irevo the next day.

Before the actual ceremony, the dauvila use the vines prepared to level the irevo stones and bolders.

Slender branches are used to remove embers and also level hot stones. Note the balabala (fern) tree stem laid across the fire pit to transfer invisible fire gnomes protecting the dauvila (firewalker) when they walk on hot stones.

The dauvila begin the walk across the fire pit (on hot stones). The order of "walk" is random. Any who breaks the taboo will burn his feet during the walk.

In the firewalking ceremony, the transmission of this gift is evident with a young member of the clan walking across the pit as well.

The irevo is covered with silaniviti (Coix lachryma) for ritual protection and to sustain the earthoven for use in future.

At the end of the vilavilairevo, a special chant or song is sung to celebrate the successful culmination of the vila ritual and that no one was harmed in the process.