‘Cry Maucia’ the rare flower
MANY legends try to explain the reason why the rare flower is found only in the interior of Taveuni, according to The Fiji Times on January 31, 1976.
The article presented a legend written by 15-yearold Shila Devi Bhusu of Taveuni’s Wairiki Junior Secondary School. Shila wrote that long ago, when Taveuni was first settled, there lived alone by the shore a 10-year-old hardworking girl called Maucia with her lazy stepmother Ciri, who never treated her well.
The Fiji Times quoted Shila’s legend: “Maucia, Maucia, come here at once,” Ciri called from the doorstep of the bure. “Yes, mother.
“How many fish have you caught?”
“One,” came the answer, almost a whisper.
“Only one,” shouted Ciri as she slapped Maucia’s pinkish cheeks, which were soon covered with tears.
“You will not have any food today.”
Ciri’s voice sounded like thunder to Maucia.
“Go and cook that fish for me!”
That night, hunger made Maucia desperate to escape from her witchlike stepmother. Trying to escape, Maucia was seen by Ciri, who chased her in the bush with a stick.
Maucia didn’t want to be caught and beaten by Ciri, so she ran as fast as she could towards the interior of the island. Maucia ran and ran and ran until she got all tangled up in thick vines, which hung from huge trees in the interior, near Lake Tagimaucia. Then she cried as she tried to free herself until blood rolled down her cheeks and into the soil.
The blood on the soil turned into little red flowers. Maucia died there and her body also changed into flowers. The flowers were named tagimaucia which means, “cry Maucia”.
The article stated these flowers grow only in the interior, surrounding Lake Tagimaucia, and they can’t be transplanted to other parts of the island.
The colour of the flower is red. There are other legends, but all mention blood being turned into flowers and always near Lake Tagimaucia on the island of Taveuni.