Litia Cava 
As part of the recent Women’s and Agriculture Expo, a team from Radio Fiji One joined the trip to Vanuabalavu in Lau, reconnecting with villages and marking the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation’s 70th anniversary.
Senior Radio Personality Watisoni Butabua went live from the villages of Levukana, Lomaloma, and Dakuilomaloma, capturing stories that revealed radio’s deep roots in island life.
Elderly villagers remembered when radios were rare.
Children would gather at the few homes that had one, eager to hear the news.
Some believed the voices came from little people inside the set, a memory that brought laughter and nostalgia. A few even admitted to trying to open the radio to see who was “talking.”
These stories were aired during the nightly 9pm segment on Radio Fiji One or Na Siteseni ni Yalomatua, known to many iTaukei as the station dedicated to sharing wisdom and stories from Fiji’s older generations.
Village leaders including the Tui Levukana and the Tui Dakuilomaloma spoke about how radio remains a lifeline especially during cyclones and national events when access to information is limited.
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Women and children also took to the mic, sharing how radio still shapes daily life, connects communities, and carries voices that matter.
For FBC, the visit wasn’t just a celebration of 70 years on air, it was a reminder of radio’s staying power and its continued role in bringing stories, warnings and voices into the heart of every village.
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