In culture, its various crafts and music give it an identity along with its traditional etiquette and varying forms of clothing attire, its unique architecture also tells a story of a culture and its evolution, the following will discuss these aspects of culture in Fiji.
Arts and crafts Fiji's arts and crafts reflect local adaptations of their Polynesian and Melanesian heritage. By tradition, the men's and women's crafts are separate.
Women's crafts The village of
Na lotu on
Kadavu Island is famous for its pottery, the making of which is still governed by strict rituals.
Nadroga and
Rewa also produce fine pottery. Each region has its own unique style in the making of pottery. The making of
Tapa cloth, or
(masi), is another craft associated with women. Tapa is made from the bark of the paper
mulberry tree and decorated in charcoal with symbolic motifs and various patterns. In modern times, it has become fashionable for a
masi to bear the name of the person who made it.
Masi are often exchanged as gifts on formal occasions. The island of
Vatuelele of the southern coast of Viti Levu is famous for its
masi products. Most Fijian mats are made from the leaves of the
pandanus tree. The long process of preparation includes scraping and boiling the leaves, and drying them in the sun. There are different mats used for different occasions, and some are made as gifts for formal occasions such as
weddings. Most mats are bordered with highly decorative and brightly coloured wool. One well-known Fijian mat is the kuta, made by women in
Vanua Levu, particularly
Bua. Also made out of Masi/tapa cloth, is the headdress called
I-sala. Most of the time it is white.
Weaving using various materials was another craft generally mastered by the women but also aspects of weaving were mastered only by the men, various types of weaving practiced were and still are;
basket weaving, coconut rope weaving, and coconut leaves weaving.
Men's crafts Carving was practiced by the men; carving would be used for items of practical use, simple shapes and designs . A lot of effort was put into well adorned weapons and items for the home and ceremony. Today carving is practiced for its use in tourism and no longer plays a major role in Fijian society and life except in the case of the tanoa used for drinking kava. , the most impressive Fijian canoe. Canoe building was another art practiced only by the men. Canoes were not only the major form of communication, but were important in all aspects of Fijian society, from the gathering of food and transporting of crops to use in presentation ceremonies and they were instrumental in wars and politics which were rife in Fiji. The art of canoe building was varied across the group and had several different types but of a similar design. The camakau was a small twin-hulled canoe for fishing or small transportation purposes. The most impressive canoes in Fiji were that of the
Drua. In Fiji's early history before European involvement, control of the seaways was a major and decisive objective; disrupting or cutting off the enemy's supply and reinforcements gave great advantage in battle and would ensure victory. Sea battles involving hundreds of canoes were frequent. The canoe, which inspired fear and awe and so often held the balance was the mighty Drua. One of the most elaborate and beautiful artifacts of
Oceania, the Drua was a product of considerable group efforts and human sacrifice. Double hulled and of gigantic proportions, the Drua was a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship, requiring total community involvement in its construction and human sacrifice in its launching. Its speed out at sea would be in excess of twenty knots and still remained highly manoeuvrable, it was capable of carrying upward of 150 warriors and took some 6 to 7 years to build and would vary in length from 100 feet to 118 feet and have a mast height of 60 to 70 feet, in the mid-19th century the following accounts were recorded:
"Up went the huge sail, down went the great steering oars, splashing into the sea, and away we shot like a racehorse. Owing to the great rate at which we were going, the sea was like a hissing cauldron on either side of our course, and the vessel, instead of having time to mount over the smaller waves, cut its way through them." (West, 1869).
"It had a magnificent appearance with its immense sail of white mats; its velocity was almost inconceivable." (Wilkes, 1840). Ratu
Seru Cakobau commanded an impressive fleet which had Several Drua with armed warriors ready for battle the led Canoe was named 'Rusi I Vanua' or 'Cursed is the land'. Much of the art of Canoe building has been lost and only a small few still practice the art on a very small scale as its use in this modern era seems to have lost its place. The craft of Canoe building was traditionally reserved for the male.
Performing arts The Meke An indigenous art form is the Meke, which may incorporate the seasea (women's fan dance) or a
meke wesi (men's spear dance). It is usually a narrative of an important event such as a war, a chiefly installation, or even a scandal. Some
mekes are generations old, and form an important part of Fiji's oral history. In olden times, the
meke was considered to be an oracle from the gods, and the
Dau ni vucu, or composer, would often go into a trance before a performance. Others are modern, composed for a particular event, much as a
poet laureate might write a poem to celebrate an event in a Western country. Each district of Fiji has its own form of
meke, performed in the local
dialect. Other forms of Polynesian and Melanesian dance art forms exist with most widely known being dances of Rotuma and Tonga. There are also various Indian dances and Chinese dances which are performed at relevant festivals marking important times for these communities which are now a part of Culture in Fiji.
Music Music of Old Fiji consisted of various chants which often told a story or preserved information to be passed on from generation to generation, these songs used various traditional instruments. With the introduction of European and Asian cultures music in Fiji has evolved and songs sung in the Fijian vernacular are popular but so also are songs in Indian and English, some local artists mix all three languages and traditional instruments from each culture making for a very interesting musical experience. A distinct Indian sound has evolved in Fiji that some see as influencing modern Indian music and even jazz.
Clothing and costume The traditional attire was grass skirts for women and loin cloths for men. Skirts were short for single women, and long for married women, with girls wearing virgin locks before marriage. Most girls had the lower parts of their bodies decorated with
tattoos after their first menstruation, as an initiation from girlhood into womanhood. Chiefs dressed more elaborately. Modern Fiji's national dress is the
sulu, which resembles a skirt. It is commonly worn by both men and women. One type worn by both men and women is the 'Sulu vaka Toga' pronounced Sulu vakah Tonga which is a wrap around piece of rectangular material which is elaborately decorated with patterns and designs of varying styles this is for more casual and informal occasions. Many men, especially in urban areas, also have
Sulu vaka taga which is a tailored sulu and can be tailored as part of their suit. Many will wear a shirt with a western-style collar, tie, and jacket, with a matching
Sulu vaka taga and sandals, this type of sulu can be worn to a semi formal or formal occasion. Even the
military uniforms have incorporated the
Sulu vaka taga as part of their ceremonial dress. Women usually wear a multi-layered
Tapa cloth on formal occasions. A blouse made of cotton, silk, or satin is often worn on top. On special occasions, women often wear a
tapa sheath across the chest, rather than a blouse. On other occasions, women may be dressed in a
chamba, also known as a
sulu i ra, a
sulu with a specially crafted matching top. There are many regional variations throughout Fiji. Residents of the village of Dama, in
Bua Province Fiji wear finely woven mats called
kuta, made from a reed. While traditional and semi-traditional forms of dress are still very much in use amongst indigenous Fijian culture, there is a greater influence for Western and Indian Fashion in urban areas as in neighboring developed nations.
Traditions and ceremonies Etiquette in indigenous Fijian ceremony is rather intricate depending on the function as various formalities and presentations do several things; firstly it shows respect between two communal groups, strengthens tribal and family ties and reinforces social, tribal and family ties. Various items are used in ceremony and surrounded by ceremony such as
Kava, known in Fiji as
yaqona, which is Fiji's national drink. Traditionally, it was used only in important ceremonies. Nowadays, it is a social beverage. There is a strict protocol associated with
yaqona drinking. One should clap once, clasping the hands, take the cup, and drink the
yaqona in a single draft before returning the cup to the bearer. Another highly prized item in ceremony is the
tabua or Whale's tooth, other items also the use of
tapa cloth (
masi) and mats are also used traditionally in ceremony. In modern day, practices such as the bulubulu ceremony (which acts as a mediation between two people, a victim and offender) will incorporate the kava and tabua into the ritual. Also various regions have tradition that has been passed down generation to generation for centuries one example are the firewalkers of
beqa. The
Sawau tribe of Beqa are noted for their ability to walk on white hot stones without being burned. Strict rituals have to be observed before the firewalking ceremony. There is an ancient myth about how an ancestor of the Sawau tribe was given this power by a spirit god in exchange for his life, after the god was captured by the man who was fishing for
eels.
Cuisine The cuisine of Fiji in pre-colonial times consisted of
root crops,
vegetables, and
fruits, as well as various land animals such as
wild pig, and various birds. The coastal tribes would have had the same, but also had a large amount of local
seafood. These would have been prepared with local
herbs and
spices on wood fire rock ovens. Most cooking areas were located in the center of the house so the smoke would repel insects and strengthen the roof thatching. Another popular method of cooking, which is still used today, is the
lovo which is an earth oven — a fire made in a pit in the ground lined with heat-resistant stones. It closely resembles the
hāngī of the
New Zealand Māori. When the stones are hot, food wrapped in (banana) leaves are placed in the pit, covered with soil and left to cook before being exhumed and eaten. Dishes cooked this way include
palusami, parcels of
taro leaves saturated with
coconut milk,
onions, and sometimes tinned
meat. Modern Fijian Cuisine is rather diverse with great influence from
Indian cuisine and
spices. When these are applied to local traditional dishes, it makes for interesting eating. European, Indian, and Chinese variants of cuisine, along with traditional foods, are commonplace in most, if not all households in Fiji.
Architecture In Old Fiji, the
architecture of villages was simple and practical to meet the physical and social needs of the people and to provide communal safety. The houses were square in shape and with pyramid like shaped roofs, and the walls and roof were thatched and various plants of practical use were planted nearby, each village having a meeting house and a Spirit house. The spirit house was elevated on a pyramid like base built with large stones and earth, again a square building with an elongated pyramid like
Christmas Christmas is an official holiday of Fiji. It is a special time of celebration, observed by the majority of the Fijian people. They wear local unique attires, symbolising the celebration of new beginnings. The
lovo, a type of earth oven, is the main form of meal preparation and includes a traditional feast of staples such as fish, taro and pork. Most resorts are erected with Christmas decorations and put on special events for the holiday season. In cities such as
Nadi and
Suva, Western-style Christmas decorations can be seen in outdoor public spaces.
Festivals ==Education==