“Degei the Most Powerful”
Fijian mythology has a many deities; however, Degei is the most powerful. He was said to have lived on the slopes of the Kauvadra Mountains near the Ra coast. Degei was believed to have been in the form of a huge snake. Therefore, it was thought that when Degei made abrupt movements in his cave, earth tremors and thunder occurred. Even though, Degei was said to have judged the souls of the dead after they went through either of two caves, Drakulu or Cibaciba, Degei sent some souls to Burotu, which was paradise. In addition, he tossed the others into a lake where they would sink to Murimura, the bottom. Immediately, it was there that they would be rewarded or punished, whichever was deemed appropriate. Although, Rokola was a son of Degei, he was associated with carpentry and canoe makers worshipped him.“The Priests”
Priests had the role of communicating between the gods and humans. Therefore, people prepared large feasts for the priests. Likewise, the chiefs and elders took the food into the temple, which was called the bure kalou. As a result, they presented it and offerings of whales’ teeth to the priests, who then communicated with the gods. Meanwhile, the priests would begin to twitch, first in one limb and then in another, until he was seized and fell in a fit, with eyes rolling and sweat running from every pore. During, this experience the gods spoke and everyone listened to the priest's words. Afterward, the shaking slowed to a stop and the priest relaxed and recovered.
