SPIRITS of ancestors are not only experienced at Lomolomo in Vuda, but also within the villages living beside the Tuleita pathway these spirits followed on their journey towards Verata.
This was evident when visiting villages such as Bukuya, Nagatagata and Lewa in the highlands in the upper reach of Ba province.
Stories relayed by the Bete ni vanua of Bukuya, Silovate Rasaku, aged 44, said Lutunasobasoba passed away close by the village along the Tuleita in the vanua o Magodro.
"As the others proceeded, one of his sons, Roko Ratu ni Bukuya stayed behind to look after his grave since he was buried there," he said.
He said until today it is forbidden for anyone to point to the exact spot where he died.
But a visit to Lewa, high chief Tui Cawanisa Ratu Semisi Ketewai claimed that Lutunasobasoba is buried in a cave about 3,000 feet below the Tuleita.
"It was at night when our warriors went to Bukuya, dug up his body and brought him to be buried here in the vanua of Savatu," he explained.
It is said Lutunasobasoba was not buried, but he was placed in a cave beside a river that flows beneath the Tuleita pathway, as Ratu Semisi said.
In following the Tuleita pathway from Nausori highlands to Nadarivatu, hardly any house sits on the Tuleita except the Tui Cawanisa's house, the Nadarivatu District Officer's house that was built in the colonial era, and Ratu Sukuna's tobu ni sisili (pond).
Yet close by to Ratu Semisi's residence is a spot on the pathway called Novinoti. 'Noti' actually means notes.
Stories relayed to me by the villagers say that long before the money notes were introduced to Fiji, their ancestors' spirits were already handling money.
"Sometimes at night one could hear the squashing of money notes as if someone is counting it at the said spot," says Lewa villager Peni Nagata.
Also fundamental to this, is a deep respect for those wise ancestors from pre-historic times who walked this path thousands of years ago. It is said that one can feel their presence when travelling alone in the middle of the night along the Tuleita.
Former Nadarivatu District Officer, Inoke Tagicakibau said he and his family experienced the existence of spirits when he was posted there.
"I would normally listen to stories told to me by the villagers here at Nadala and Lewa about how one could feel or witness our ancestors' spirits roaming the pathway at times," he told myself and our Fiji Times driver and also his kaivata from Gau, Aisea Nailago.
The D.O's government quarters, a wooden colonial structure type house sits alone on the Tuleita pathway among the big pine trees. On a bright moonlit night, one can sense or feel as if something is lurking in the dark behind the shadows.
Mr Tagicakibau said one such incident took place one evening as they (family) were all at home
He said it was an experience of a lifetime for him and members of his family.
"We were all in the house that evening when the door suddenly opened and a slight cold breeze was felt by all in the living room.
"Then all of a sudden, the house furniture started moving around as we stood and watched from a corner of the kitchen," Mr Tagicakibau said.
"The electricity lights were on and we did not see anyone. So frightened I motioned to the family to keep still and watch.
"After a few minutes later the door opened and closed as if someone went outside. By then everything was quiet as if nothing had happened," he said.
After relaying the incident to the villagers, he was then told that the house sits on the ancestoral pathway and that they should not be surprised or afraid if ever they encountered such strange events.
High chief and statesman, Ratu Sir Lala Vanaaliali Sukuna's pond is located on the pathway beneath the tall pine trees and other trees as well as if it's overlooking the Tavua and Vatukoula plains apart from the grown trees and reeds obstructing its view.
Surely if the Tuleita is our ancestor's spirit pathway, then why do we have houses and a pond built on it?
Is it something to provide shelter for our ancestor's spirits or the need to witness the truth.
Some say the ancestor spirits are not gods; it is the land - creeks, hills, rockholes, mountains and other natural features - that is the sacred reality, and which has the primary place in the Fijian's religion as the medium of spiritual power.
But Ratu Semisi says that we should also remember our place in relation to our ancestors, then we are more likely to remember our own mortality and get over our astounding hubris.
We are likely to remember that we inherited the world from our ancestors and have to leave it habitable for future generations.