Because you will be staying in a village where kastom ways are still practised, there are a number of cultural protocols that guests will be expected to follow.
Tibara village is a ‘dry’ village. Guests may bring small quantities of alcohol, but this must be consumed only in the Guest House or on the verandah of the Guest House, and never in the lagoon, or on the beaches, or in canoes, or in the village proper. Villagers should not be offered alcohol. There are no refrigerators, so guests are not able to keep alcohol cold.
Tibara is a Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) community so tea and coffee are not drunk. However guests are welcome to bring their own supplies and hot water is provided.
Guest are expected to dress discreetly, with torso and upper legs covered. Crop tops and very short shorts are not acceptable. This requirement is sensible anyway to avoid sunburn, especially if guests are taking anti-malarial medication which tends to increase the adverse effects of sunburn. Rashies or other upper body covering should always be worn in the water.
SDAs respect a number of food restrictions in accordance with laws set out in the Book of Leviticus in the Bible. Crustaceans are strictly forbidden as food, and the only meat consumed is fish. Nevertheless, several people in the lagoon collect and cook crabs (including coconut crabs) and these can be purchased for a small additional cost.
SDAs worship from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. During this time, meals are often not available for guests. Guests are advised to bring dehydrated meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a Saturday. Most Fridays a market boat visits the village and guests can also purchase fresh fruit and vegetables (and sometimes fish and crab) from this boat and arrange to have these cooked on Friday ready to consume on Saturday.
Guests are not expected to attend church services on the Sabbath, but are very welcome to participate in any and all services if they would like to do so. There are five or six services held on the Sabbath and each service takes up a collection.
Because there are effectively no guest services on the Sabbath, those guests staying at Tibara Lodge on the Sabbath will not be charged for that day's stay.