FUN FIJI FACTS 17

FAMILY and COMMUNITY

Fijian culture is strongly based on family and community - for Fijians, the community they live in is valued above all else.  While "Westerners" may view their villages as third-world, the Fijian is content because their values lie elsewhere, strongly bonded to tradition.  While living in what may appear to some as a time warp, Fijians are aware that outside commerce does bring comforts to their lives that they would not otherwise have.

In the Fijian tradition, the woman plays a secondary role in the community.  She is the performer of household chores.  Subservient to the men of her community, she has little or no role in village decision-making.  Regardless of sex, however, the older a person is, the more respect they command.  Children are often raised by their grand parents while their own parents work in the fields or elsewhere.

The mataqali, a small group of elders, men who have earned the village's respect, are the primary decision-makers.  In each village there is a chief who acts as spokesman to the mataqali and who is only accountable to the provincial chief.  The provincial chief oversees a large number of villages.  His endorsement of a village's decision is accepted without question, but his role is primarily symbolic.

Money is rarely seen in the village, but its value is understood.  The village community is supported by a level of team work and infrastructure whose very foundation is based on traditional values and not one's financial wealth. You may recall that tipping individuals is generally frowned upon when visiting Fiji and that contributing to a general fund at the end of you visit is the proper way to acknowledge good service.  Now you can understand why.

When visiting a Fijian village, you may remark at the serenity and peaceful disposition of those living in the community.  Respect is shown through all levels of Fijian culture from the smallest baby to the chief. There is never a voice raised in anger or abuse of members of the community.  If a wrong is committed, this is discussed at a meeting of the mataqali who have the power to authorize punishment on the transgressor. The whole community learns about the crime and, as a result, this is a very rare event.

Since family is the focus of today's facts, here are a few words for you:


English     Fijian (pronunciation)
father          tata (tah-tah)
mother       nana (nah-nah)
son              luvequ tagane (loo-veng-oo tah-gah-neh)
daughter     luvequ yalewa (loo-veng-oo yah-lay-wah)