When Captain Cook spent time in Fiji in 1774, he and his crew were astounded by the “drua” – double-hulled boats that were then some of the most advanced sea vessels in the world. Elegant in their simplicity, they were created by binding together buabua trees, not with nails but by “magimagi”, or coconut fibres.
Over time, this shipbuilding genius went into decline, but nearly 250 years later, Fijians re-emerged as the world’s best – not in the water this time, but on the rugby sevens field. And now, in 2022, the ancient trailblazers have again risen in the 15-a-side version of the game, courtesy of the Fijiana Drua’s debut in the women’s Super W competition.
