Felix Chaudhary 
[Source: Supplied]
Local author Adi Tulia Nacola will premier Bubu Belo, her first short film in the iTaukei language this Thursday at Film Fiji in Suva.
Written, produced and directed by Nacola, Bubu Belo follows the two main characters, Bubu and Tamana, who live in a little wooden cottage by the sea.
Shot on location in Verevere village in Ra, the province she hails from, the story shares the importance of knowing where one comes from so they can move forward into the future with a sense of identity and belonging.
Nacola says reliance on the land versus the increasing rural-urban drift has been plaguing indigenous people – for many different reasons – for centuries.
“Opportunities might be in the big cities of the world, but there is also a place for opportunities in the village and remaining connected to one’s own land, to know where one comes from,” Nacola shares.
A strong advocate for storytelling and sharing of traditional knowledge within families, the short film was created as a means to build a bridge between elders and youths, including youth who know their language and the ones who are yet to find it.
Bubu Belo captures the important relationship between elders and children and shares the importance of storytelling as a teaching tool to reach younger generations to impart the benefits of respecting each other and the land.
Following Thursday’s premiere, the film will travel to the province of Ra for screenings in multiple villages and communities.
