Shangri-La's Fijian Resort and Spa officially opens Marau Village
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Shangri-La's Fijian Resort and Spa officially opens Marau Village
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Category: Asia Pacific - Fiji - Industry economy -
Hotel opening
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2009-09-01
The paramount chief of the Nadroga Navosa province, the Kalevu, Ratu Sakiusa Makutu, officially opened the re-vamped Village site at Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa on Friday (28 August). Named – Marau Village – the area can sit over 400 people and is the venue for the Resort’s firewalking and meke shows by the Beqa firewalkers and well known Laselase meke group.
Speaking after being accorded a traditional ceremony of welcome Ratu Sakiusa said the recreation of the village on Yanuca Island, home to Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa, was significant. He said the heritage of the Kalevu was entrenched in the history of Yanuca and it was important for visitors that the Village would showcase Fijian culture as well as the traditional food.
Addressing guests who attended the opening, resort general manager, Daniele Vastolo, said that the revamp of the Village was an opportunity to showcase and further enhance the cultural experience for visitors. “We hold weekly shows and we wanted to look at ways of presenting a cultural experience that was embodied in the design, performance and culinary side of our Fijian show,” Mr Vastolo said. “We also looked at ways of introducing a more green and sustainable approach and this will include things such as the option of eating off banana leaves (with fingers) woven natural plates instead of using crockery and cutlery, commissioning clay food warmers and bowls from the community here who are so well known for their pottery, and composting the used banana leaves for our farm at Natadola,” Mr Vastolo said. He added that he also hoped that guests would be able to experience the essence of Fijian service. “It is believed that anywhere one goes around the world culture is learned quickly through the music and food of a country and most important through its people.
“We have all these elements here, the food, music and dance by the fantastic Laselase Meke Group. “But most of all here at Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa we strive to offer real Fijian service and we believe that the true meaning of this comes straight from the heart and not from the mind,” he said.
The Marau Village was renovated over a three-month period and traditional elements such as thatch roofs, magi magi (coconut sinnet) and slabs of vesi, a hard wood endemic to Fiji, at the buffet stations. Baka vine and waqiri vines also feature at the Marau village with a beautiful piece of Baka vine rescued from a sawmill in Lautoka.
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