1. The origins of the red prawns in Fiji is said to have begun on the
island of Vatulele, which is also known for the exquisite taoa
designs.
Story goes that long ago on the island, lived a beautiful daugh-
ter of a chief. She was so beautiful that every eligible chief who
visited Vatulele wanted her as his bride. Yalewa-Ni-Cagi-Bula,
however, was hard to please and scorned all their approaches.
Not far away on Viti Levu, lived a handsome Chief's son - heir to
the thrown of mainland tribes. He heard of Yalewa-Ni-Cagi-Bula
and decided she was the one for him. After much preparation,
the bold young chief set off, laden with gifts, to seek Yalewa's
hands.
He was welcomed by the Vatulele Chiefs and confidently, he
produced the special gift which he had personally carried from
Viti Levu. This gift was Fiji's greatest delicacy, a bundle of giant
prawns from the coastal streams of Viti Levu, cooked to perfec-
tion in coconut milk.
Any other maiden would have melted at the sight of this gift but
Yalewa-ni-Cagi's heart was cold. She got very angry and
commanded her servants to capture the young Chief and throw
him off Vatulele's highest cliff into the sea. As he tumbled down
the cliff, his gift of bright red prawns fell from his hands into a
rocky pool at the base of the cliff, and the leaves in which they
were wrapped fell among the rocks around the pool.
Fortunately the young chief survived the fall and returned home
heartbroken. And his spent his days pining for his lost love.
Everyday he went down to the sea and look towards the South
where on clear days, he could just make out Vatulele on the
horizon.
And what of the red prawns? They came alive where they fell
into the rocky pool, and today, the pools under Vatulele's cliffs
are filled with bright red prawns. The prawns are called ura-buta
[cooked prawns].
Considered sacred by the people of Vatulele, who believe that
anyone who harms them will surely be shipwrecked. Their
respect for these prawns are so high that no one is allowed to
catch it or eat them.