Bure (Fiji)

A bure is the Fijian word for a special kind of small wooden house. People in Fiji made bures from natural materials like straw and wood. They used whatever materials they could find nearby. These houses were built by stacking pieces or tying them with rope.

Long ago, the people of Fiji lived in two main types of houses. One type, called a vale, was where families lived together. The other type was a bure, a special place for men who had gone through certain traditions. Both kinds of houses were quite dark inside because they had no windows and only one small door to enter. Inside a vale, women would cook over a fire pit, and the floor was covered with soft leaves and special mats made from pandanus or coconut leaves.

Tourism

In Fiji, the word "bure" is often used to describe special hotel or resort buildings. They are like what we might call a "bungalow." These bures can be simple or very fancy, just like hotels in Europe or North America, depending on the resort.