Story of the Mat: A Woman's Tale

One of the many talents women of Nubukaluka Village articulate is mat weaving. While women in most villages in Fiji don’t know the art of mat weaving, it is not the case for the elderly women of this highland village. They make sure young women learn and preserve the art. In fact, there are two reasons for this. First, it is in Nubukaluka where the chiefly title of the Tui Waimaro resides. Therefore, it is essential for women, whether married or born there, to master such arts. When the chief calls for the collection of such artefacts, the women have their own to draw from. The second: mats are among the village women’s primary sources of income. While the man have their farms, the women have their mats. However, while both reasons bring wealth and recognition to the women, the art gives the women a sense of identity. It is the primary reason for maintaining it.