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in crowded spaces though, it’s probably better to come on used to be in IT. However, when my father-in-law decided to
Thursday or Friday morning to avoid the Saturday rush. retire, we quit our jobs and took over the business.” This was
The produce you’ll find at the market varies according to 20 years ago, and since then they have greatly increased their
seasonality. If you’re lucky, you might find some fresh ginger product range, mostly by chatting with the customers and asking
or turmeric roots, the big, heart-shaped taro leaves, lady finger them what new products they would want to buy. “We must have
bananas, breadfruit, avocadoes, and ota, Fiji’s edible fern. more than 1000 items now, from the basic ones like onions or
On the Usher Street side of the market, you’ll also notice ladies potatoes to all sorts of spices, whole grains (we have three types
selling cooked meals. This is your chance to try some traditional of millet), pulses, gluten-free flours, kava and salts.” You can
dishes such as palusami (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk), also find some less common ingredients, like black or Himalayan
nama (sea grapes), Fiji’s “vegan cheese” lumi (made from a salt and saffron, for a very reasonable price. “We’re very happy
seaweed like agar, which is cooked in coconut milk until it gets we decided to take over the business and change our career, we
the texture of hard cheese), kora (grated coconut fermented in love the interaction with the customers and we’re lucky we have
sea water) or some fish dishes. some great staff we can rely on”.
The sellers are women such as Tima, who is originally from Keep in mind that if you’re travelling overseas, you can ask the
Gau in the Lomaiviti group. Tima now lives in Suva with her vendors to seal and label your spices, kava or grains for export.
family. When we visit she’s at the market with her grandchildren
playing next to her, while she cleans fresh nama that she sells The fish market
on its own or as part of ready-made salads. “The nama you To find the fish market, head back to Rodwell Road and walk
find at the market is hand-picked from the reefs, generally from towards Scott Street. The fish market will be on your right next
the cleaner, deeper waters next to the small islands around Viti to the creek.
Levu, like the Mamanucas or Yasawas. Mine comes mostly from And do not forget to check out what vendors are selling along
the Ra province” she says. Ra is known for its pristine waters the way. When in season, this may include delicious mangoes
and world-class diving. and a local nut called vutu, which is generally sold in a small
white paper bags.
Ascend for dry goods
Some people don’t realise that the market has a dry section Suva Municipal Market
upstairs. Make sure you ask where the stairs are to avoid missing Usher St and Rodwell Road
some great stalls selling kava, Indian spices, pulses and whole 6am-6pm Monday-Friday
grains. 6am-4.30pm Saturdays
Sylvia from Dayal’s Spice & Kava tells us that when her father- Closed on Sundays
in-law started the family business in the 50s, everything was in
the downstairs area, as the dry section upstairs was only built
in the 90s. “Back then, my husband, Anukar, and I used to have
office jobs: I was a credit officer in a finance company and he

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