FIJI CUSTOMS AND CULTURES
FOOD
There are many tropical fruits to choose from, bananas, mangoes and papayas are popular choices. Fijian diet frequently consists of boiled cassava and taro, which are roots that usually come from one’s own garden.
LANGUAGE
Fiji Language: English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
| Greetings in Fijian | |
| ENGLISH | FIJIAN |
| Do you speak English? | O(ni) kila na vosa vakavalagi? |
| Excuse me | tulou // too low |
| Good morning | Nî sâ yadra |
| Good night | Nî sâ moce |
| Goodbye | Nî sâ moce |
| Hello | bula! // Boo-lah |
| Merry Christmas | Marau na Kerisimasi |
| Please | yalo vinaka // yarlo veenarka |
| Thank you | vinaka // veenarka |
| What is your name? | O cei na yacamu(ni)? |
| Yes / No | Io/Sega // Ee-yo/Senga |
| Days of the Week in Fijian | |
| ENGLISH | FIJIAN |
| Sunday | Sigatabu |
| Monday | Moniti |
| Tuesday | Tusiti |
| Wednesday | Vukelulu |
| Thursday | Lotulevu |
| Friday | Vakaraubuka |
| Saturday | Vakaraubuka |
| Months of the Year in Fijian | |
| ENGLISH | FIJIAN |
| January | Janueri |
| February | Feperueri |
| March | Maji |
| April | Epereli |
| May | Me |
| June | June |
| July | Julai |
| August | Okosita |
| September | Sepiteba |
| October | Okotova |
| November | Noveba |
| December | Tiseba |
| Numbers in Fijian | |
| ENGLISH | FIJIAN |
| one | rua |
| two | dua |
| three | tolu |
| four | vaa |
| five | lima |
| six | ono |
| seven | vitu |
| eight | walu |
| nine | ciwa |
| ten | tini |
| fifty | limasagavulu |
| one hundred | dua na drau |
| five hundred | lima na drau |
| Colors | |
| ENGLISH | FIJIAN |
| Black | loaloa |
| Blue | karakarawa |
| Green | drokadroka |
| Purple | lokaloka – damudamu |
| Red | dumudamu |
| White | vulavula — vulaci |
FASHION
Western style clothing is becoming more widespread throughout Fiji. Casual clothing is usually worn. Native women wear a wraparound dress called a “sari”. Native men wear pants and shirts.
FAMILY
The father acts as head of the family. Large families are not uncommon. The elderly are often cared for by their own children. Cooking is done in a smaller separate structure. Indians usually live in furnished tin, cement or wood homes. Urban dwellers of any ethnic group often live in Western-style homes.
SOCIALIZING
Salutations
When people are related they may greet them by referring to their relationship rather than their first names. It is common to address most people by their first names. Fijians will go out of their way to greet people they meet.
Gestures
Public displays of affection, even between married couples is discouraged. It is offensive to touch someone’s head (with the exception of a child’s). Staring is considered offensive.
Visiting
Refreshments are usually given, comprising of juice or tea. It is impolite to refuse them. Visiting is often done unannounced. One should remove one’s shoes when entering a house. It is impolite to stand higher than those who are sitting.
Cultural Attributes
Fijians are generally relaxed and courteous. They are proud of their traditions and culture.
RELIGION
Fiji Religions:
At last census, 52.9% of the population were Christian, 38.1% Hindus, Muslims 7.8% and Sikhs 0.7%. Methodists and Roman Catholics predominate. Indians are mostly either Hindu or Muslim and the Chinese are either Christian or Buddhist. There are also some Sikhs and Christian Indians. The people often celebrate festivals of other religions. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution. Religion plays a major role in the lives of all Fijians.
The constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice.
The generally amicable relationship among religious groups in society contributed to religious freedom.
58 percent of the population is Christian, 30 percent Hindu, and 7 percent Muslim. The largest Christian denomination is the Methodist Church, Other Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church also had significant followings. The Methodist Church was supported by the majority of the country’s chiefs and remained influential in the ethnic Fijian community, particularly in rural areas. There also were a small number of active nondenominational Christian groups.
Religion ran largely along ethnic lines. Most indigenous Fijians, who constituted approximately 54 percent of the population, were Christian. Most Indo-Fijians, who accounted for an estimated 38 percent, practiced Hinduism, while approximately 20 percent of this community followed Islam. In addition an estimated 6 percent of Indo-Fijians were Christian. Other ethnic communities include Chinese, Rotumans, Europeans, and other Pacific Islanders. Approximately 60 percent of the Chinese community practiced Christianity, and approximately 4 percent adhered to Confucianism. The European community was predominantly Christian.
Hindu and Muslim communities maintained a number of active religious and cultural organizations.
Numerous Christian missionary organizations were nationally and regionally active in social welfare, health, and education. Many major Christian denominations, most notably the Methodist Church, had missionaries in the country. The missionaries operated numerous religious schools, including colleges, not subsidized by the Government.
Citizens have the right, either individually or collectively, both in public and private, to manifest their religion or beliefs in worship, observance, practice, or teaching. There is no state religion. Religious groups are not required to register. The Government did not restrict foreign clergy, domestic or foreign missionary activity, or other activities of religious organizations.
Citizens celebrated major observances of the three predominant religions as national holidays, including Christmas, Easter, Diwali, and the Birth of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Government partly sponsored an annual ecumenical prayer festival.
RECREATION
Recreation in Fiji: Rugby is the most popular sport with soccer a close second. Other sports included volleyball and swimming. Among the men drinking yaqona (Kava) is an important social ritual.
HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS
Public holidays in Fiji reflect the country’s cultural diversity. Each major religion in Fiji has a Public Holiday dedicated to it and is usually enjoyed by the nation as a whole as these days are usually those of sharing, giving and fun.
Also Fiji’s major cities and towns hold annual carnivals, commonly called festivals which are usually named for something relevant to the city or town it is being held, such as the Sugar Festival in Lautoka, as Lautoka’s largest and historical industry is sugar production.
Public Holidays that fall on the Weekend are usually moved to either the Friday of the preceding week or the Monday of the following week. This includes religious holidays as well, though in essence they are celebrated on the actual day.
List of important festivals and days in Fiji
| Date | Festival | Notes |
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | Celebrations can continue for a week, or even a month, in some areas. It is common practice in Fiji to beat drums and shower one another with water. Fireworks and an annual Street Party is held in the heart of Suva, the nations capital to welcome the new year and is one of the largest new year celebrations in the South Pacific. |
| February/March | Holi | Hindu “Festival of Colors” This however is not a public holiday. |
| March/April | Ram Naumi | Hindu celebration of the birth of Lord Rama. This is also not a public holiday. |
| March/April | Easter | Major Christian festival; the Friday (Good Friday) and the Sunday (Easter Sunday) are both official public holidays. There is also a Public Holiday on Easter Monday, the Monday soon after Easter Sunday. |
| March/April | Palm Sunday | Also celebrated as Children’s Sunday by Fiji’s Methodists,it is not a public Holiday. |
| May | Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day | The celebrations in honor of Fiji’s first modern statesman actually begin a week early. It is almost always celebrated on a Friday. |
| May 4 | National Youth Day | Public Holiday celebrating the Youth of Fiji, which comprise a large part of the population and their contributions. |
| June 15 | Queen’s Birthday | Official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, former and traditional Queen of Fiji |
| Sometime in the first half of the year and based on the Islamic and lunar calendars. | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | Muslim festival celebrating the birth of Muhammad. Public Holiday is not on the actual day of celebration due to the unpredictability of the moons appearance that signals the day. |
| August | Bula Festival | Celebrated in Nadi |
| August | Hisbiscus Carnival/ Festival | Celebrated in Suva |
| September | Sugar Festival | Celebrated in Lautoka |
| September | Friendly North Festival | Celebrated in Labasa |
| September | Coral Coast Festival | Celebrated in Sigatoka |
| October 10 | Fiji Day | The anniversary of both Fiji’s cession to the United Kingdom in 1874 and attainment of independence in 1970. The week leading up to Fiji Day is called Fiji Week, a week of religious and cultural ceremonies celebrating the country’s diversity. |
| October/November | Diwali | Hindu “Festival of Lights,” in honor of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. The Public Holdiay is a day of colour and celebration amongst all of Fiji’s races and creeds not in its religious aspect but for its festive and cultural one. Hindus in Fiji usually open their homes to other families to share in the traditional sweets and foods of Diwali in Fiji. |
| December 25 | Christmas | Christian festival, though celebrated by the country as a whole. |
| December 26 | Boxing Day | The day after Christmas. |
No comments:
Post a Comment