Ethnic group native to Fiji
| This article needs to be
updated
.
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
(
November 2023
)
|
Ethnic group
iTaukei
Indigenous Fijians
kaiViti
|
---|
|
c.
615,000
|
|
Fiji
| 475,739
[1]
|
---|
Australia
| 96,960
[2]
|
---|
United States
| <40,000
[3]
|
---|
Canada
| 25,180
[4]
|
---|
New Zealand
| 19,722
[5]
|
---|
United Kingdom
| 4,500
[6]
|
---|
Norfolk Island
| 47
[7]
|
---|
|
Majority:
Fijian
and
English
Minority:
Pidgin Hindustani
|
|
Christian (
Methodist
66.6%;
Roman Catholic
13.3%;
Assemblies of God
6.2%;
Seventh-day Adventist
5.1%, other 8.8%).
|
|
Papuans
,
Ni-Vanuatu
, other
Melanesian peoples
, other
Austronesian peoples
,
Indo-Fijians
|
Fijians
(
Fijian
:
iTaukei
,
lit.
'Owners [of the land]') are a nation and ethnic group
native
to
Fiji
, who speak
Fijian
and
English
and share a common history and culture.
Fijians, or
iTaukei
,
[8]
are the major indigenous people of the
Fiji Islands
of
Melanesia
. Indigenous Fijians are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western
Melanesia
approximately 3,500 years ago and are the descendants of the
Lapita
people. Later they would move onward to other surrounding islands, including
Rotuma
, as well as settling in other nearby islands such as
Tonga
and
Samoa
. They are indigenous to all parts of Fiji except the island of
Rotuma
. The original settlers are now called "
Lapita
people" after a distinctive pottery produced locally. Lapita pottery was found in the area from 800 BCE onward.
As of 2005, indigenous Fijians constituted slightly more than half of the total
population of Fiji
. Indigenous Fijians are predominantly of
Melanesian
extraction, with some
Polynesian
admixture.
Australia has the largest Fijian expatriate population, according to the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. According to the Australian census, the largest ethnic backgrounds that Fijians identified with were Indian/Indo-Fijian and Indigenous Fijian origins.
[2]
Fijians were also the fifth largest Pacific ethnic group living in New Zealand; a decrease of 8 percent between 1996 and 2001. In 2001, the estimated Pacific Islander population size is 231,800 Fijians comprising about 7,000 of that (Online numbers and side table disagree).
[9]
[10]
Outside
Oceania
, a notable Fijian diaspora is found in other
Anglophone
countries, namely
Canada
,
United States
and the
United Kingdom
.
The
Bose Levu Vakaturaga
(
Great Council of Chiefs
) once passed laws and regulations governing the indigenous Fijian people. Until its disbanding by the
Military of Fiji
following the
2006 coup
, the Great Council of Chiefs met yearly to discuss native Fijian concerns. The council, which was formerly responsible for appointing Fiji's president, was composed of 55 Fijian
chiefs
selected from the 14 provinces. Included in the council were three appointees from the island of Rotuma and six appointed by the
Minister of Fijian Affairs
. The Minister of Fijian Affairs consulted with the President as part of the selection process. Former Prime Minister
Sitiveni Rabuka
was given a lifetime appointment on the council.
Culture
[
edit
]
19th-century Fijian couple in traditional dress.
The native
Fijian language
belongs to the Central Pacific (Fijian ? Polynesian) branch of the
Austronesian
family.
[11]
The Fijian traditions are centred around ceremonies and events, that bond the community.
Yaqona (pronounced Yang-gohna), otherwise known as
kava
? another important traditional custom ? is an infusion prepared from the root of
Piper methysticum
, a type of pepper plant. The plant itself is also often referred to as yaqona or the kava plant. Yaqona is extremely important in indigenous Fijian culture ? in the time of the 'old religion' it was used ceremonially by chiefs and priests only. Today, yaqona is part of daily life, both in villages and in urban areas and across all classes and walks of life. 'Having a grog' or 'drinking grog', as drinking kava is sometimes known, is used for welcoming and bonding with visitors, for storytelling sessions or merely for passing time.
[
citation needed
]
The
Tabua
is a much revered whale's tooth which is used in both public and private occasions or ceremonies. The tooth is considered sacred.
[12]
About 86 percent of the land in Fiji is owned by indigenous Fijian people.
[13]
In 1876, Sir
Arthur Hamilton-Gordon
, the British
colonial
Governor
, prohibited the sale of Fijian land to non-ethnic Fijians. This policy continues today, and in 2014 the sale of freehold land to foreigners was further restricted.
[14]
[15]
The Governor also banned the employment of native Fijians as labourers, and in 1878, began importing
indentured labourers from India
to work in the sugarcane fields. The effects of this immigration created an ethnic polarisation and rampant
Anti-Indian sentiment
, which has proven to be politically challenging to Fijian race relations.
[16]
Indigenous Fijians overwhelmingly report as being Christian, with the
Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma
claiming the loyalty of 64.5% (2007 census). Other significant denominations include the
Roman Catholic Church
(9.1%), the
Assemblies of God
(5.7%) and the
Seventh-day Adventists
(3.9%). 10.4% belong to other churches from a large number of denominations. Only about 0.8% report as following non-Christian religions or no religion.
[17]
Approximately 70% of indigenous Fijians are farmers, many of which are
sustenance farmers
. They commonly grow such crops as
sugar cane
,
cassava
, rice,
sweet potatoes
, and bananas.
[
citation needed
]
Fijian policemen in
Suva
, 1967
Guard outside the presidential palace in
Suva
, 2003
Group of Fijian children, 2008
History
[
edit
]
Historically, Fijians were known as the
canoe
building experts of the Pacific, using them to trade with
Tonga
. They were usually large double-hulled canoes, called a
Drua
(pronounced nDroo-ah), with each side being similar except one was shorter and served as a type of
outrigger
. These were united by beams, with a platform on it that extended beyond the sides.
[18]
- The article on the
History of Fiji
offers a
timeline
of events.
The
Lapita
people, named after their distinctive pottery style, were the first people to inhabit Fiji in about 3000 BCE, and evidence of their settlements exist throughout Fiji ? particularly around the Sigatoka Sand Dunes. They were followed by the
Melanesians
in about 500 BCE, and trading with
Tongans
and
Samoans
since
Fiji
was founded, has added to the cultural mix. In the Later years, there was active commerce between Tonga and Fiji, and later in the history of this relationship, the Fijians in the Lau Islands (Eastern Fiji) became vassals to the King of Tonga. One particular reason Tongans and Samoans came to Fiji was to build the Drua (large double-hulled canoes) which they could not build on their own islands because of the lack of proper timber.
From the early 19th century, both European and Chinese traders (dishsant visited Fiji for its sandalwood, hardwoods, beche-de-mer, marine life and, more recently, gold).
[19]
The British ruled Fiji from 1874 to 1970. In 1970, Fiji became a fully independent nation with constitutional arrangements to ensure that traditional Fijian interests were preserved.
His Royal Highness Prince of Wales
,
Prince Charles
, presented the Instruments of Independence to Prime Minister Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara
on 10 October 1970 at a massive gathering at Albert Park in Suva. In 1972,
the first general elections
were held using
the 1970 constitution
. In 1987,
two military coups
were staged. The first coup was bloodless, and the second coup severed ties with the
British Monarchy
. A controversial and racially divisive
new constitution was adopted in 1990
, and in 1992 the first general election was held under the auspices of the new constitution.
The constitution was
revised again in 1997
and was deemed to be more equitable by the many racial groups in Fiji. Free and peaceful
elections in 1999
resulted in a government led by an
Indo-Fijian
, Mahendra Choudhary, but
a violent coup
in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political and racial turmoil.
Parliamentary elections
held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase
.
Re-elected in May 2006
, Qarase
was ousted
in a military coup on 5 December that year, led by the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces(RFMF),
Commodore
Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama
, who initially appointed himself acting president, but in January 2007 assumed the position of interim Prime Minister, promising a return to democracy in the near future. This did not eventuate, however; elections were not held
until 2014
.
[20]
[21]
Traditions and ceremonies
[
edit
]
A traditional music show
The
Fijian traditions and ceremonies
are based and share commonalities throughout time.
Name
[
edit
]
In August 2008, shortly before the proposed
People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
was due to be released to the public, it was announced that it recommended a change in the name of Fiji's citizens. If the proposal were adopted, all citizens of Fiji, whatever their ethnicity, would be called "Fijians". At present,
[
when?
]
the word "Fijian" does not denote a nationality, and refers exclusively to indigenous Fijians. Citizens of Fiji are referred to as "Fiji Islanders". The proposal would change the English name of indigenous Fijians from "Fijians" to
itaukei
. The indigenous word for Fijian is "Kaiviti"
[22]
Deposed Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase
reacted by stating that the name "Fijian" belonged exclusively to indigenous Fijians, and that he would oppose any change in legislation enabling non-indigenous Fijians to use it. The Cabinet at its meeting on 30 June 2010 approved the Fijian Affairs [Amendment] Decree 2010. The new law effectively replaces the word 'Fijian' or 'indigenous' or 'indigenous Fijian' with the word 'iTaukei' in all written laws, and all official documentation when referring to the original and native settlers of Fiji.
All Fiji citizens are now called 'Fijians'.
[23]
[24]
[25]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Other sources
[
edit
]
|
---|
List of resources about traditional arts and culture of Oceania
|
Art
| |
---|
Broad culture
| |
---|
Geo-specific,
general
| |
---|
Canoes
| |
---|
Dance
| |
---|
Festivals
| |
---|
Languages
| by area
| |
---|
Sovereign states
| |
---|
Associated states
of New Zealand
| |
---|
Dependencies
and other territories
| |
---|
|
---|
by category
| |
---|
|
---|
Literature
| |
---|
Sovereign states
| |
---|
Associated states
of New Zealand
| |
---|
Dependencies
and other territories
| |
---|
|
---|
Music
| |
---|
Mythology
| |
---|
Research
| |
---|
People
| |
---|
Religion
| |
---|
Sovereign states
| |
---|
Associated states
of New Zealand
| |
---|
Dependencies
and other territories
| |
---|
|
---|
|