In the early days, sports held a practical place in Fijian society. Apart from its recreational value, sports were used to help train young warriors. Often older men would bring the male children a severely injured captive of war for use as live target practice for their arhcery skills.
Another game of skill was called Tiqa or Ulutoan which was basically a competition of both accuracy and distance. A reed, three to four feet long, armed with a six-inch oval point of heavy wood, was thrown by an individual from the forefinger to skim along the ground a distance of a hundred yards or more.
Veisaga was a wrestling sport practiced on a large scale in some parts of Fiji. Both men and women would meet on a hilltop for these wreslitng matches. Minor injuries would often occur from this, but they were concealed by the participants as a matter of pride. If pain was shown then intense ridicule would follow.
Veisolo was another rough sport and at times resulted in death. It involved an attack made on a number of visiting males by a woman. The women wou ld wait until the food was served, then would rush their guests with the intent to make them scatter so they could take the food. Playful retaliation would follow by the men gently throwing the women to the ground. However, this game would sometimes get out of hand and there were instances where men were killed.
Of course these sports are no longer practiced in modern Fiji. Today, Fiji is most well known for its prowess in the game of Rugby and in particular Rugby 7's. Rugby union is very popular in Fiji. The national team is quite talented and has competed at five Rugby World Cups, the first being in 1987. Their best results were at the 1987 and 2007 World Cups where they reached the quarter finals. Fiji also competes in the Pacific Tri-Nations and the Pacific Nations Cup.
The Fijian Rugby Sevens team is constantly one of the top two or three teams in the world, often the premier team. They have won 2 Sevens World Cup titles and the 2005/06 IRB Sevens Series. They have also won a number of Hong Kong Sevens titles which is considered the most prestigious annual international Sevens tournament.
Soccer was a minor sport but over the last decade with further international funding from FIFA and sound local management of the sport has grown in popularity amongst the Indian community initially but now also the Fijian community.
Outrigger paddling or Va'a has been in Fiji for many years now. It has grown to be a strong and competitive sport. Part of the South Pacific Games, it is integral to the unique identity of the pacific people.
Many sports exist in Fiji, and in many ways each has its on cultural following. Such sports include sailing in varying forms, various adventure sports, Asian martial arts, boxing and cricket. Also surfing and windsurfing, which was brought to prominence by former world champion and Fiji athlete Tony Philps. And then there are sports such as golf which has been made famous by Fiji athlete Vijay Singh.
English Fijian (pronunciation)
I am from the USA O yau mai Merika (oh yow my Meh-ree-kah)
My name is... O yau o...
No comments:
Post a Comment