Sukulu Soko, a local businessman and environmental activist, recently shared his passion for bamboo, emphasizing its vital role in the ecosystem, its potential to enhance livelihoods, and its significance in combating climate change.
Soko, originally from Southern Lau, began his career as a high school computing teacher. He attended primary school in Levuka before moving to Viti Levu, where he graduated from Assemblies of God Primary School in Kinoya. He furthered his education at Ratu Sukuna Memorial School and later enrolled at Nasinu Teacher’s College, earning a diploma in computing in 1987.
Throughout his teaching career, Soko inspired many students, including notable figures like former Fiji TV news presenter Viliame Leqa and National Disaster Management Office director Vasiti Soko. However, he felt a deeper calling beyond the classroom.
In 2002, Soko decided to take a break from teaching to reflect on his next steps. He envisioned creating a sustainable business to support his family and eventually pass it on to his children. His journey into bamboo started serendipitously during a visit to Colo-i-Suva, where he discovered a unique yellow bamboo branch. After nurturing it for five years, he saw a business opportunity in the thriving bamboo he cultivated.
Harnessing traditional knowledge from his ancestry in Fulaga, known for wood carving, Soko began crafting various bamboo utensils. He also committed to utilizing every part of the bamboo plant sustainably, which led him to research methods of bamboo utilization through guidance from the Ministry of Forestry.
By 2009, Soko had gained extensive knowledge and created connections with bamboo enthusiasts worldwide, including the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization. He named his business Sunnyville Bamboo Development, blending his family name inspired by a favorite TV series and the sun.
Soko has since established himself as a bamboo expert in Fiji. He returned to teaching part-time, mentoring woodworking students on bamboo’s ecological contributions. He was involved in community outreach, promoting sustainable timber and bamboo practices.
Soko advocates for the ecological benefits of bamboo, suggesting its use near polluted areas and highlighting its potential for soil regeneration, riverbank stabilization, and carbon sequestration. He emphasizes that bamboo is a more sustainable alternative to timber, given its rapid growth and availability.
On September 18, World Bamboo Day, Soko urged a shift in perspective toward bamboo, challenging the notion of it as “poor man’s timber.” He pointed to its vital role in achieving several Sustainable Development Goals and expressed his commitment to advocating for bamboo’s recognition and integration into education in Fiji.
Soko remains determined to change perceptions about bamboo and ensure it receives the acknowledgment it deserves for a sustainable future.