Sitiveni Laso and Inoke Rokodakunivosa of Can Do Generation team won the Bilibili  Race  at the Labasa River yesterday.

The race was organised by the Commissioner Northern’s office as part of this week’s climate change awareness.

Macuata District Officer Asesela Biutiviti who was the coordinator of the week-long programme at Katonivere Ground,  near Labasa River said this was the first time a Bilibili race was organised.

“Seven teams participated in the race and these include the youths from Christian Mission Fellowship Church and civil servants,” Biutiviti said.

“The main purpose of this one day event was to revive the art of bilibili making and its use since it was used by our ancestors.

The bilibili is normally used in Naitasiri, Tailevu, and Rewa so we would like to revive that too for the people of the north.”

Can Do Generation team member Jope Tuimavana said they saw this event as a way of promoting their tradition and culture.

“The art of making bilibili has disappeared,” Tuimavana said.

“An event organised as such in an effort to raise awareness on climate change has motivated us to make creative ways to encourage others to revive the use of bilibili instead of using boat that consumes fuel.”

Koicolo team member Loata Halofaki who was one of the participants said this was a good initiative led by the coordinators.

“Bilibili has always been a mode of transportation in the past and it does not need fuel or engine,”Halofaki said.

“This is one way of contributing to the decrease in the harmful effects of climate change in our country.”

Edited by Osea Bola

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