item details
Overview
Burekalou occupied a special place in Fijian villages in pre-Christian times. They were the houses of the priests, who were regarded as the mouthpiece of the gods. The burekalou was usually the grandest dwelling in the village, in many cases even bigger than the chief's house. It was often built on top of a mound: the higher it stood, or the higher its roof, the closer it took the priests and their prayers to the gods.
Usage
When they travelled, priests often took model burekalou like this with them. This ensured that the spirits could remain within their own abode and in the presence of the priests, who were the only people they trusted to provide for them. One scholar suggests that these models 'aided the priests in their acts of divination ... by serving as "vehicles" for the spirit'.
Details
Specific people in the village were trained to make such models. This intricately woven example, with its fine ridge-cap and ridgepole, sits on a solid cushion of coconut fibre cords.