Church with faithful in Fiji

A FORMIDABLE choir is the highlight of a Sunday session where the church is very much at the heart of the island community, writes Anthony Dennis.

fiji churches escape feb 2

I DON'T normally go to church by boat, especially in one speeding across the South Seas surrounded by leaping long toms and intensely blue trevally.

Apart from the odd wedding or funeral, I don't go to church at all. But this is devout Fiji. Not a lot happens on Sundays in Fiji, and therein lies part of its enduring appeal. A visit to the local church is one of the cultural activities offered by Likuliku Lagoon resort, where I'm staying. I'm attending the 10.30am service at a Methodist church on Malolo Island, where Likuliku Lagoon and its sister Malolo Island Resort, seven minutes away by boat, are located. Both employ many locals from the village of Yaro, where the church is and where Christian missionaries first arrived in 1835. It's estimated that more than half of Fijians are Christian, with most being Methodist. Catholics number fewer than 10 per cent. Hinduism is practised by nearly 35 per cent of the population. This is traced to the arrival of Indians brought to Fiji as indentured labourers for sugar plantations in the 19th century. Islam is adhered to by about 7 per cent of Fijians. In this part of Fiji, the Mamanuca group, churches on Sunday are rarely full. Christianity is not on the wane; rather, it is because so many villagers are away from home earning a living at resorts scattered throughout this alluring archipelago. Although Fiji was settled 3500 years ago, it wasn't until the mid-19th century that Christianity was fully accepted, and only around that time the natives ceased to practise cannibalism. I'm conscious that in Fiji these days it's possible for the foreign visitor to spend their entire time at their resort, with the only real culture encountered being the yoghurt at breakfast. Fine for some but on this visit to Fiji -  my first -  the objective has been to engage with the people, beyond the security of the banana lounge. It has been richly rewarding. At the Methodist church, the community fills three-quarters of the pews, including a formidable choir that alone is worth the boat trip from Likuliku. The faithful are summoned by the rhythmic Fijian lali drum, beaten by a young village girl. It adds a rousing note as we await the arrival of the minister. This most humble Methodist church, complete with barefoot pastors from the mainland in shirts, ties, jackets and the traditional sulu, couldn't be a greater contrast to my cushy 5-star resort. The simple metal cross atop the church is on a noticeable lean, and there are no fans to cool the congregation, just open doors and ancient louvres that allow a hint of a breeze. "We will conduct the service in our native tongue," the minister announces first in English. "We're sorry about that but we hope that you enjoy your few hours here." Four tourists - one young and one older couple -  leave a quarter of the way through the service due, I assume, to the heat. Frankly, I would have preferred that they stayed to the end, if only as a mark of respect. If the Fijians are offended, they aren't showing it. I persevere, particularly out of respect to the man seated next to me. His name is Bill, one of the Fijian managers at Likuliku and a devout Christian who calls Yaro home. He sits silently through the service, making notes with a pen in his Bible. The singing from the choir, including a young mother with a well-behaved toddler, is as sweet as any tropical fruit served back at Likuliku. On another Sunday, on Fiji's main island, Viti Levu, I visit the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in the heart of the capital, Suva. In an underrated small city full of pockets of splendid colonial architecture, the cathedral, built from Sydney sandstone, is a local landmark dating to 1912. As the parishioners file into the church, I'm impressed by how immaculately everyone is dressed. During the service, I slide outside the church to snap a few photos. Eventually I'm approached by a male usher in a sulu and a brightly coloured bula shirt. He stands before me and breaks into a broad smile. "Peace be with you," he says.  -- The writer was a guest of Holiday Specialists, Tourism Fiji and Air Pacific. -- Go2 FIJI - Getting there Air Pacific (airpacific.com) operates direct flights to Nadi from Sydney, with connections to Suva and other destinations in Fiji. - Staying there Rates for Likuliku Lagoon (likulikulagoon.com) start at $896 a night, including breakfast, lunch and dinner (food only). The resort is closed until March 31 to repair cyclone damage and is taking bookings from April 1. Rates for the boutique Five Princes, Suva (fiveprinces hotel.com), start at $130 a night, room only. To book a trip to Fiji, including accommodation at Likuliku and Five Princes, contact Holiday Specialists (holiday specialists.com.au) on 13 13 81. More: See fijime.com -- "Like" Escape.com.au  on Facebook Follow  @Escape_team on Twitter