Page 15 - Fiji Traveller Issue 3

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti "So I decided to follow the dream; thankfully, I have a very
supportive family to go live in another country and start a
When Jay Whyte was 13, he befriended a security guard at business," he said.
the Shangri-La Fijian Resort in Sigatoka, who introduced the One of the first things he did was research boats and write
Australian visitor and his family to an authentic Fijian experience a business plan. He decided the boat had to come from New
up in the green terrain of Navosa. Zealand, as that was the home of jet boating.
It was an experience that will forever be etched in his mind He flew over Neil Ross, a well-known Kiwi jet-ski builder to
and heart. inspect the river, and shared his dream and vision. The next step
More than 30 years later, that curious, bright-eyed boy is the was to connect with his pen-pal. Matasau advised him how to
owner of the famous Sigatoka River Safari, and his business approach the village chiefs, the traditional custodians of the area.
partner is that same security guard, Pita Matasau. “I did everything the traditional way first and then the
Whyte recalls of their first meeting: "He was doing one of his bureaucratic side second, so to me, I was just doing what I knew
rounds and he was wearing a little pin on his shirt that made it to be the right thing," Whyte says.
stand out; it said Bendigo, which is where my mom was from in "It was a wonderful experience in the sense that I had my
Australia. So we started talking, and I followed him around the spokesman, and he would relay the story to the chiefly houses,
resort for the next few hours. saying, ‘This is Jay, we’ve known him since he was 13, he visits
"He told me all these wonderful stories about Fiji, about his the village every two years, and we have seen him grow up.’”
village, and he is a great storyteller, so I was just captivated," Once the chiefs heard of that long connection, and Whyte’s
Whyte continues. dream of connecting visitors to authentic Fijian experiences,
The bond between them was further solidified when Matasau “they were completely onboard and supportive."
invited Whyte and his family to his village. "We organised a After getting approval from the chiefly villages along the
minivan and went two hours up into the Sigatoka valley, and once Sigatoka River, Whyte started working on business requirements,
we got there, they welcomed us like we were long lost family. getting the necessary licenses and training his crew.
"I just fell in love with Fiji, the people, the culture, and we went Sigatoka River Safari is now well established and well
horseback riding to a waterfall, went swimming in the river, and respected and has added to its fleet. Whyte is also a well-known
I was captivated, hooked; it was like living the real deal," Whyte figure in Sigatoka and was heavily involved in helping establish
says. rugby associations in the town, and the now-famous Coral Coast
Fast forward a few years, and Whyte was an adult, stuck in Sevens.
traffic on his way to work as a public servant in Australia. He As a businessman, he strongly believes that "if you are going
remembers feeling unhappy, contemplating what to do, and to do something, you want to do it right; do not take shortcuts,
yearning to be back in Fiji. and understand it is a marathon, not a sprint."
"I remember saying to myself, I’d rather live my life knowing
I have taken a chance, then wonder 10 years down the track, sigatokariver.com
‘What if?’

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