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In 1875, Fiji’s King Cakobau brought back measles from a trip to Sydney, causing a “virgin soil epidemic” that killed a third of his people. Fiji has unique traditions, such as walking on hot stones and only allowing the chief to wear a hat and sunglasses.
Everyone deserves a vacation, but when Fiji’s King Cakobau took a trip to Sydney, Australia, in 1875 to celebrate his country’s official protection under British rule, he returned with something far worse than jet lag. King Cakobau and his retinue brought back measles and the ensuing epidemic wiped out about a third of his countrymen. The devastation popularized the term “virgin soil epidemic,” which refers to a widespread disease that suddenly infests a place where it has never been present before. Before King Cakobau’s trip to Australia, the Fiji Islands had always been safe from the spread of disease by outsiders because they are located so far from most civilization.
Facts about Fiji:
The tradition of walking on hot stones began in Fiji about 500 years ago.
The only person allowed to wear a hat and sunglasses in a traditional Fijian village is the chief.
Raising eyebrows can mean different things in Fiji, from saying ‘yes’ to hailing a cab.
