Vatulele is a coral and volcanic island 30 kilometers south of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It has an area of 32 square kilometers with maximum altitude only 34 meters.
The island is inhabited by four villages, including Taunovo and Bouwaqa. Economic activities include coconut and taro farming. Vatulele is known for its Legend of the Red Prawns and Petroglyphs.
Vatulele is a raised coral limestone paradise that lies to the south of Fiji's main island of Viti Levu. Vatulele, often discussed but rarely visited, has figured prominently in Fijian legend because of its extraordinary red prawns. Known as ura-buta (cooked prawns) or uradamudamu (red prawn), they have to be seen to be believed.
The islanders treat the prawns with great respect, consider them sacred and are forbidden to kill or harm them in any way. Legend records that anyone who tries to take them away will suffer a shipwreck.
Scientists may not share the explanation of the origins of the ura-buta (red praens) but they remain fascinated by the environment in which the prawns live. Known as anchialine habitats, they are pools some distance away from the sea but which still maintain tidal influence. In actuality most of the pools are brackish due to interactions between the lens of freshwater under the island and the tidal influence. Linked with these anchialine pool is a great network of caves and passages, most of them virtually unexplored.
Source of materials: Wikipedia
2 comments:
Lucky prawns, get to enjoy their paradise while their counterparts are gourmet dishes!
prawns are often in red (their cooked color) in illustrations. This one is an exception.
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