16/10/2023
NAIHEHE CAVE- UPPER SIGATOKA VALLEY
We bring to you our first cave adventure story from Viti Levu. We were quite amazed to discover that there are at least half a dozen caves in Viti Levu that we can go to for a weekend full of adventures (after seeking approval from the traditional landowners that is). The scientist in us is ever excited to collect samples from caves to study them and hopefully find novel organisms but that is not what this page is about! We only talk about our adventures and not about our scientific curiosities here !
Naihehe caves famed for its role in the historic “Little War of 1876” and a cave fortress to one of Fiji’s last cannibal tribes. According to folklore, it was ruled by a bete (priest) and the high chief of Sautabu village whose people would often hide inside the caves for months at a time during tribal warfare. Naihehe in Nadroga means to confuse or cause confusion. According to legend the enemies of the Sautabu tribe would get confused when they approached the mouth of this cave or get lost in the forest while searching for them. It is known by the people, that whoever wishes to enter the cave must seek the permission of the priest (bete), or you might get lost when you enter.
How to get to Naihehe
Naihehe caves are located ~40 km from Sigatoka town. You will need to take the Kavanagasau road towards Tavuni Hill fort and then drive up on the gravel road. The road is in fairly good condition but can be dusty and is narrow at points so drive with care. When you get to the site you will approach a green concrete house which is ~100 meters from the entrance of the cave. You must go to the house of the traditional priest (passed through lineage) and seek his permission to enter the cave. We recommend you take 0.5-1kg of kava to present as a sevusevu to the priest. Remember you are entering a traditional site and you must follow protocols. Additionally, you may be required to pay a small fee which we urge you to do so generously. Some tour companies charge fair bit of money for this cave tour! You can also get to Naihehe via the Sigatoka valley road, but you will need to cross the river to reach to the other bank where the cave is located.
The cave
The cave is accessed via a small entrance which has the walls covered with roosting birds. The entrance is tight but it's nothing compared with the next barrier - the pregnancy gap. The pregnancy gap is merely 5-10 steps long, but you will need to go with your knees bent low to go across to the main chambers. There is a small stream that flows from the inside of the cave to the outside and you must wade through the stream to get to the main entrance.
Naihehe is 170 meters long; with sparkling stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones and underground springs. Hang from high ceiling wall. It was here that Sautabu warriors stood guard for 79 days as enemy warriors squeezed through the pregnancy gap the guards struck them on the back of the head. Naihehe comes with its own indoor oven, chiseled out over millions of years as water dripped from the cave's ceiling. Warriors would drag the paralyzed victims here to roast. Beside the oven sits a ritual platform where live sacrifices were conducted on behalf of the village priest. The cave extends far beyond what we see. The small stream at the end of the cave extends far beyond. Our guide told us that divers used diving equipment and ropes to go beyond this chamber twenty years ago; they journeyed for hours and still didn't reach the end
The main large chamber has a secret access to the top of the cave. Access to the cave top is either by climbing the walls or attaching vines to the top of the wall. Our guide told us that the top of cave leads into the forest where coconut trees, breadfruit trees, yams, fruits, and other root crops grow. The cave stream also has freshwater prawns and fish. Inside of the cave is pitch black and you must bring a good light source for visibility. Our guide also told us that the cave contained bones and other artefacts which have been removed from the site from various different archaeological studies in the past