The main town on the island of Taveuni is Somosomo Village; it’s known as a chiefly town, a designation indicating the residence of a chief who has descended from the traditional rulers of this part of the island. Somosomo Village has most of the island’s commerce, a school or two, and the transit center. Buses needing to make transfers at the center back into the dirt parking lot from the main road, which lets them pull straight out into traffic.

Our friendly guide Sepo told us that very few islanders have seen both the northern and southern ends of the island; the road’s not paved the entire way, and travel is costly. Instead, villagers from the ends of the island come to Somosomo Village once or twice a month to shop, then go back home. Sepo himself first made the trip all the way to the northern end of the island only a few years ago. (To put it into perspective, the island is less than 30 miles long.)

I spotted this little girl on the open-air bus that was headed south from the transit center.

Somosomo Village
Taveuni Island, FIji

photographed 7.5.2013