Construction of 37 climate-resilient homes under the Nabavatu Relocation Project in Dreketi is now underway, marking the latest step in efforts to move families out of areas repeatedly affected by landslides and other environmental hazards. The development reached a visible milestone last week when women from Nabavatu led a traditional roofing ceremony to bless the new houses and signal the community’s progress toward safer, long-term accommodation.
The ceremonial laying of roofs — performed by the village’s women — was intended to invoke blessings, unity, protection and gratitude as the community approaches relocation. Organisers said the event emphasised cultural continuity even as residents prepare to leave hazard-prone land, underscoring the central role of women in both the ceremonial life and the practical rebuilding of Nabavatu’s social fabric.
Construction crews have been active on the site in Dreketi, with works focused on delivering housing designed to better withstand climate-related risks. The project’s 37 houses are being built with resilience and sustainability in mind, organisers say, aiming not only to replace lost or unsafe dwellings but to provide living conditions that reduce future exposure to landslides and other environmental threats linked to changing weather patterns.
Relocation has been a growing response across Fiji to communities facing chronic hazards, and the Nabavatu project reflects that broader shift. For families affected by past landslides and slope instability, moving to newly constructed, safer homes is expected to reduce immediate risk and support longer-term community stability. Project planners say the housing will also aim to meet standards that sustain livelihoods and family life for future generations.
The roofing ceremony is the latest in a series of culturally framed milestones communities in Fiji have used to mark major adaptation and relocation efforts. By centring traditional practices in the construction timeline, Nabavatu leaders are seeking to blend cultural continuity with the technical requirements of climate-resilient housing. The involvement of women in the ceremony highlights their leadership within the village during the transition process.
Officials coordinating the project describe the relocation as part of ongoing national and local strategies to assist vulnerable communities adapting to climate change and environmental hazards. While the ceremony and construction progress represent tangible steps forward, organisers say further work remains before families can make the move — including finishing interiors, services and any required infrastructure to ensure the new settlement is fully habitable.
As building continues, Nabavatu residents who have long dealt with the stress of unstable land and repeated safety concerns say the project offers hope for a more secure future. The current milestone, marked by the traditional blessing of roofs, signals not only physical progress on the ground but also a community-driven approach to adaptation that combines cultural practice with efforts to build resilience.