Indigenous Fijian Research Articles

An Indigenous Fijian Perspective: Prioritising Indigenous Fijian values and aspirations in decolonising Early Childhood Education.

An Indigenous Fijian Perspective: Prioritising Indigenous Fijian values and aspirations in decolonising Early Childhood Education.

The Indigenous Rights Challenge to Common and Equal Citizenship in the ‘New’ Fiji

ABSTRACT For most of its postcolonial history, Fiji’s government was under iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) control, viewed by iTaukei as the guardian of their status and rights. However, iTaukei-headed governments from the military coup in 2006 until the parliament elections in 2022 undertook modernizing reforms that emphasized equality and enjoyed predominantly Indo-Fijian support. Central in the governing political party’s manifesto from the resumption of elections in 2014 was the new constitutional principle of ‘common and equal citizenry’. Electoral competition and parliamentary debate under the 2013 Constitution have been marked by protests against the removal of much of the institutional support for Indigenous group rights that existed in Fiji’s political system until the 2006 coup. The December 2022 elections brought a new government by a coalition of parties led and supported mainly by Indigenous Fijians. Its agenda includes a promise to redress the weakening of Indigenous status and rights under Bainimarama’s rule.

Революционные и квазиреволюционные события XXI в. на Фиджи

This article examines a period that can be broadly characterized as the era of military coups (similar to analogues of revolutions) and military revolutions in the state of Fiji, which began in the late 1980s and continued into the 21st century, receiving the name coup culture both in the media and in academic literature. The main factors of political instability in the region are the conflicts between the indigenous (Melanesian) Fijian and Indo-Fijian populations of the country, which have been caused by various reasons ranging from religious to economic. As a result of the events of the 21st century, a military dictatorship under the leadership of ethnic Fijian leaders was established in the country, and the proportion of the Indo-Fijian population was significantly reduced. In addition, there was a conflict between representatives of the state apparatus and local religious institutions, who were dissatisfied with the actions and policies of the new leadership.

Strategies for success of Indigenous businesses on customary land: case studies of three Itaukei (Indigenous Fijian) enterprises

This article aims to examine crucial elements that provide a platform for the success of Indigenous businesses based on customary land, drawing on case studies from Fiji. A qualitative, ethnographic, three case study approach was conducted, and talanoa (discussion or talking together in groups or between two people) method was used to collect data guided by the Vanua Research Framework. Four significant themes unfolded from the study in terms of essential strategies for the success of the businesses on customary land: following protocols for safe cultural affiliation of the business; practices of people working collectively; making socio-cultural contributions to the community and contributing to employee well-being. The research implies that Indigenous businesses on customary land tend to define success from a cultural viewpoint that differs from how business success is conventionally defined.

Balancing culture and survival: An urban-rural socioeconomic assessment of indigenous Fijian funerals in Fiji

As a final act, families of the deceased strive to implement funeral rites that are befitting of their loved one. However, perceived obligatory adherence to an immutable culture, plus emulation, can compel families to carry out a costly funeral. Yet, no data exist on financing and expenditure of indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) funerals in Fiji, which can mask any concerns and delay necessary interventions. Focusing on cash only, information for 239 iTaukei funerals (urban=128 and village=111) between 2000 and 2020 across Fiji was collected using Google survey forms. This revealed average cash contributions by the “decedent's family” and from “condolences” as US$3,104 and US$2,183, respectively. The total cash spent on funerals averaged US$4,979, which is equivalent to five months of Fiji's annual average household income. Costs between funeral locations were not significantly different and were attributed to lengthy village funerals that were enabled by access to mortuary, shipping, or flight charter costs, plus financing of village funerals by relatives residing locally and internationally. Forty-five families (19% of funerals) contributed more than US$4,800 (FJ$10,000) in cash towards funeral costs, with 28 families (12%) securing loans ranging from US$240 to US$7,200. To balance a respectable funeral against household survival, families reduced costs by modifying and/or dispensing with select rituals, prepared ahead by saving, or participated in communal functions, which are reciprocated in the future. This research shows that although funerals may not yet be considered a social economic burden, early research can identify and address issues, thereby enhancing community resilience.

Spatial use of marine resources in a rural village: A case study from Qoma, Fiji

Understanding the value of fishers’ Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge (ITK) and of fishers’ spatial use of customary fishing grounds is an important contributing factor to marine resource management. This study investigates and documents ITK of marine resources and the associated spatial knowledge of fishing areas in Qoma, a rural fishing village in Fiji. Using a sex-generational lens, our research combines theory and methods from Participatory Geographic Information Systems and ethnography. We document how fishermen and fisherwomen use geographic space in their traditional fishing grounds showing changes in the areas they travel to and fish. Targeted marine resources and knowledge of those resources differ between fishermen and fisherwomen, reflecting the traditional roles of men and women within Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) culture. Fishermen and fisherwomen of ≥60 years have a richer knowledge of marine resources than younger fishers (men and women), measured by the number of unique species they could identify or describe using local taxonomic classification. Our ethnography findings highlight the importance of maintaining this ITK to preserve marine resources of significance for future generations. Our study concludes with insights into three knowledge gaps; the spatial use of traditional fishing grounds by fishermen and fisherwomen (including a statistical analysis and map), generational differences in fisher knowledge, and the distinctive differences in fishermen’s and fisherwomen’s ITK of fishing. This study also discusses how these three key insights when combined can contribute to improved local fisheries resource management.

Sources of Indigenous Fijian ‘law’: village mores versus town-based criminal laws

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to reflect on oral history interview data provided by an ex-soccer star who played for Fiji and in what is now the Fiji Premier League, and reconcile his criminal past (according to town-based criminal laws) with his current village assistant headman status. The article compares and contrasts two sources of law – customary Indigenous traditions of rights and responsibilities and town-based criminal laws, which have their origins in British colonial-era laws and are now administered and enforced by the neoliberal Bainimarama government. Because the soccer star’s jewellery store robberies were of Fiji Indian-owned stores, it is difficult for them to penetrate into the world of ‘village-space’, other than as a repressed spectre, since non-Indigenous people cannot live in Indigenous villages. For the Indigenous Fijians, ‘town-space’ is a place for employment, education, venturing out and partying, beyond the gaze of village elders, whereas ‘village-space’ is the ordered space of home and community. ‘Quasi-space’ is here defined as space physically in the town, but when Indigenous people are the only ones present, or a clear majority, some aspects of village understandings can dominate in that space at least for certain time periods and with variable intensity.

Perceptions of drinking water access and quality in rural indigenous villages in Fiji

Abstract Poor rural water quality is a health challenge in Fiji. A mixed-methods study in six iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) villages was conducted to understand local perceptions of drinking water access and quality, how this changes drinking water source choices, and impacts of age and gender. Seventy-two household surveys, 30 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Household surveys revealed 41.7% of community members perceived their water as dirty and 76.4% perceived their water as clean. Two-thirds of households reported that they always or usually had enough water. FGDs and KIIs revealed water access and quality was influenced by population size, seasonality, and rainfall. Perceptions of water quality caused villages to shift to alternative water sources. Alignment of the qualitative and quantitative data identified four themes: sources and infrastructure, access, quality and contamination. There was mixed alignment of perceptions between access and quality between the household surveys, and KIIs and FGDs with partial agreement sources and infrastructure, and quality. Gender was found to influence perceptions of dirty water, contamination, and supply and demand. Perceptions of water quality and access shape decisions and choices for water sources and can be used to inform resilience and inclusive water strategies.

Indigenous enterprise on customary lands: Diverse economies of surplus

This study examines Indigenous Fijian and Papua New Guinean enterprises on customary land. It explores the duality of merging Indigenous and Western principles of entrepreneurship and the ability to balance business and socio‐cultural imperatives. A qualitative, ethnographic‐case study approach is deployed, withtalanoa/tok storiused to collect empirical materials. Two interrelated themes emerged from the study: The need for Indigenous enterprise models to contribute to a more holistic conception of well‐being, and as a result, the requirement to rethink how surplus is distributed beyond mainstream shareholder ownership models. This study reveals a more nuanced approach to distributing surplus based on Indigenous conceptions of kinship. The specific theoretical contribution of this study is an Indigenous conception of surplus distribution that offers a challenge to traditional shareholder models.

Global epidemiology of childhood bone and joint infection: a systematic review.

Childhood bone and joint infection (BJI) is a potentially severe disease that may have permanent sequelae, including growth impairment and limb deformity. It has been characterised in the literature with a focus on Western epidemiology; there are currently no reports detailing global epidemiology and bacteriology. This omits key data from determining temporal trends, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and resource allocation. This review aims to identify studies that characterise the incidence of childhood bone and joint infection or provide detailed bacteriology within their region. A systematic review of the literature was performed from 01/01/1980 to 31/12/2020. Data hasbeen analysed to give incidence of disease per 100,000 children, primary pathogen by country where available, and risk ratio (RR) for disease by ethnicity. This is applicable for areas that experience race-related inequitable burden of disease. Forty-four articles met the inclusion area; of these, seven were population-wide studies, primarily from Europe or the United States, and the remainder were cohort studies. Incidence could be derived from 26 studies compromising over 34, 000 children. Information on bacteriology was available from 39 publications (10, 957 cases). Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen in the West. Recently, disease secondary to Kingella kingae and methicillin-resistant S. aureus has increased. Salmonella remains a dominant pathogen in African regions. Increased risk of disease is observed in Aboriginal, New Zealand Māori, Pacific, Indigenous Fijian, and Bedouin children. The current state of the literature detailing incidence of childhood BJI focuses on disease patterns from the West. There is a paucity of high-quality publications in the developing world. Despite these limitations, global trends in burden of disease show race-related inequitable risk of BJI. Temporal and regional variation in bacteriology can be demonstrated. III.

The ridge-to-reef approach on Cicia Island, Fiji

Many Pacific countries and territories embrace an officially recognized ‘ridge-to-reef’ approach to environmental management. This is the case of Fiji, where the Lau Seascape Strategy 2018–2030, led by Conservation International, aims for integrated natural resource management across 335 895 km2. This area includes Cicia Island, which deserves particular attention since, years before the design of the Lau Seascape Strategy, its population developed its own informal ridge-to-reef scheme, involving a combination of certified organic agriculture and locally managed marine closures. Based on 1 month of ethnographic fieldwork, this paper presents this scheme and highlights local perception and conceptualization of its positive effects on both the land and the sea. These reflect the iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) concept of vanua, which intrinsically connects the health of the land, the sea, and their (human and non-human) dwellers, while stressing the importance of addressing land-sea processes and management efforts beyond an ecological perspective, i.e. through an engagement with the iTaukei relational ontology.

The role of women in community resilience to climate change: A case study of an Indigenous Fijian community

Climate change is projected to have wide-ranging effects on natural resources, environment, agriculture and fisheries. The various impacts of climate change pose significant risks to Pacific Island communities and people's livelihoods. A community consists of different groups of people and requires contributions from all members to build community resilience to the impacts of climate change. The Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) women have skills, knowledge, and unique local and traditional experience that can increase the resilience of the community, however, their voice is not often heard in a patriarchal community. An understanding of gender roles in a community is essential for adaptation to climate change.Fijian communities exhibit elaborate social support system and traditional practices that demonstrate high level of dynamism and institutional support in the community's response to risks. Using semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participant observations, the study investigated the enabling and inhibiting factors that affect the ability of iTaukei women to contribute to building community resilience. The findings from the study identified that the village women contribute significantly to three key areas of community resilience, particularly social resilience, economic resilience and ecological resilience. The findings also indicated that women face barriers that prevent them from contributing to decision-making on issues related to climate change resilience in the community. The study recommends interventions that are culturally accepted and that also support the role of women in decision-making, while promoting their participation in various climate change forums in the community.

International service-learning: possibilities for developing intercultural competence and culturally responsive pedagogies

ABSTRACT Globalisation and human mobility have contributed to increased student diversity in Australian schools and globally. Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmesare under pressure to prepare pre-service teachers (PST) who can respond to the educational and cultural needs of diverse student cohorts. International study tours and service-learning programs are conceived as means for developing interculturally competent “classroom-ready” teachers. This paper reports on a New Colombo Plan water safety/swimming programmedesigned and delivered by pre-service teachers in a rural Fijian community. Findings indicate that immersion as “other” was important for building empathy and appreciation of the lived realties of linguistically and culturally diverse Indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian children. Additionally, findings reveal various ways by which PST enacted cultural competence in teaching the water safety/swimming program. Where international service learning is not always be an option, we argue for multiple opportunities for PST to work with children within diverse communities and cultural life-worlds. At stake is the potential of ITE programs to enable the development of pedagogical practices for meeting the cultural and educational needs of all children We believe these calls have relevance for ITE educators and their programs in Australia and the broader Asia-Indo-Pacific region.

Family: Pacific perspectives

AbstractModels that conceptualize family are employed by psychologists, governments, legislators, and policymakers to inform professional practice and formulate public policy. However, extant models are notably Western‐centric in both origin and context. Given the cultural diversity of today's globalized world, it is timely to question whether such models can adequately represent populations within their ambit. This paper takes Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model as one representative way of thinking about family and employs it as the point of contrast with Pacific family arrangements. Particular consideration is given to Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei), Tongan, and Māori perspectives. The model was found to be inadequate for representing Pacific family arrangements. This finding has important implications as it creates a space for new insights and possibilities. To this end, key family‐related metaphors common among Pacific peoples have been incorporated to conceptualize one potential alternative.

Generational retreat: locally driven adaption to coastal hazard risk in two Indigenous communities in Fiji

The relocation and retreat of low-lying coastal communities are expected to increase in anticipation of, and response to, sea-level rise and subsequent coastal hazard risks. As such, there is burgeoning attention in research and policy surrounding relocation that is managed and supported through external sources. Yet there exists limited research into the ways Indigenous communities are autonomously retreating from emerging coastal hazard risk, despite long histories of mobility and inherent adaptive capacities. We contribute to this gap through qualitative data derived from two low-lying coastal iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) communities that are exposed to coastal erosion, storm surges, and flooding events, alongside other socioeconomic pressures. We explore the approach of “generational retreat” which is emerging as a long-term relocation strategy employed by village residents. Generational retreat is a form of mobility whereby households, namely, younger generations, incrementally retreat in response to existing, emerging, and anticipated coastal changes while maintaining connections to place and village life. We show how communities are drawing on local processes and resources to direct autonomous adaptation pathways which are suited to local sociopolitical, cultural, and environmental contexts. We further explore opportunities for governments and external actors in supporting these locally conceived and driven forms of retreat as an adaptive and sustainable response to coastal change.

Urban-Rural Compliance Variability to COVID-19 Restrictions of Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) Funerals in Fiji.

Research on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has focused primarily on impacts in Western societies despite emerging evidence of increased vulnerability among indigenous peoples such as Pacific Islanders. Using Facebook public posts, this research assessed compliance to COVID-19 restrictions such as social gatherings (SG) and social distancing (SD) in non-COVID-19, indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) funerals in Fiji. Results showed 95% of the 20 funerals exceeding SG limits with greater, and highly variable crowd sizes in rural than urban communities. Additionally, 75% of the 20 funerals did not adhere to the 2-m SD requirement of which 80% were in rural areas. Higher SG and SD compliance in urban funerals could be partially explained by the presence of a recognized authority who enforced crowd size limits, and the heterogeneous urban community who were more likely to flag breaches than their collectivistic, homogeneous, close-knit, rural counterparts. Ultimately, health authorities need to utilize a social lens that incorporates etic and emic differences in culture to ensure maximum compliance.

Why they must be counted: Significant contributions of Fijian women fishers to food security and livelihoods

Worldwide, small-scale fisheries (SSF) are an important source of food and livelihoods for rural communities and contribute substantially to national economies. Women play crucial roles in these fisheries, yet their contributions are largely invisible, often ignored and unrecognized. We conducted household and focus group surveys to examine the role of indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) women in SSF, documenting fishing practices and contributions to household food security and income. Our results reinforced several traditional views, such as iTaukei women preferentially fishing closer to their villages; but also challenged other assumptions with women fishing a wider range of habitats (from inland rivers to the open ocean) and species than previously described, and many using a boat and fishing with men. In addition to gleaning for invertebrates and seaweed, women also caught over 100 species of fish. Women fished primarily for subsistence, emphasizing their significant contribution to household food security. Although almost half of the women sold part of their catch to supplement household incomes, they also engaged in other income earning livelihoods, and therefore were not solely dependent on fisheries. Of concern was the high targeting of nursery areas for fish and invertebrate species by women fishers, and species with low spawning potential ratios. Given the level of engagement in, and contributions to fisheries, the inclusion of iTaukei women fishers in fisheries planning and management is critical for ensuring the sustainability of SSF in Fiji. Furthermore, empowering women for full participation in fisheries and lifting them out of poverty requires a re-consideration of traditional gender norms in rural communities, which are already shifting and evolving.

Urban Fijian Indigenous Families’ Positive and Negative Diet, Eating and Food Purchasing Experiences During the COVID 19 Safety Protocols

The Greater Suva Urban Area (GSUA) is the most densely populated area in Fiji and was greatly affected by the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak. This study explores how lockdown and other COVID-19 safety protocols impacted the diets, eating behaviour and food purchasing behaviour of iTaukei (indigenous Fijian) families living in the GSUA. In-depth interviews with 13 iTaukei mothers from diverse socio-economic and occupational backgrounds highlight that loss of income was related to food insecurity, which also affected access to balanced meals and dietary diversity. Women also noted positive changes, including (1) reduced consumption of red and processed meat, (2) increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, (3) reduction in eating out and greater reliance on home-cooked meals, (4) reduction in food wastage, (5) increase in home gardening, and (6) greater concern for health and well-being. Unhealthy eating behaviours were also recorded, including greater reliance on energy-dense foods, increased cooking and baking of unhealthy foods, increased snacking, and replacing dinner with tea, snacks and sugary foods. These findings raise concerns about the long-term effects of COVID19 safety protocols on health and well-being and provide insights into opportunities for promoting healthier eating lifestyles, better management of resources, and enhancing food security.

Community perspectives on scabies, impetigo and mass drug administration in Fiji: A qualitative study.

Scabies is endemic in Fiji and is a significant cause of morbidity. Little is known about the sociocultural beliefs and practices that affect the occurrence of scabies and impetigo, or community attitudes towards the strategy of mass drug administration that is emerging as a public health option for scabies and impetigo control in Fiji and other countries. Data were collected during semi-structured interviews with 33 community members in four locations in Fiji’s Northern Division. Thematic analysis examined participants’ lived experiences of scabies and impetigo; community knowledge and perceptions about scabies and impetigo aetiology and transmission; community-based treatment and prevention measures; and attitudes towards mass drug administration. Many indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) participants noted extensive and ongoing experience of scabies and impetigo among children in their families and communities, but only one participant of Indian descent (Indo-Fijian) identified personal childhood experience of scabies. Scabies and impetigo were perceived as diseases affecting children, impacting on school attendance and families’ quality of sleep. Awareness of scabies and impetigo was considerable, but there were major misconceptions around disease causation and transmission. Traditional remedies were preferred for scabies treatment, followed by biomedicines provided by local health centres and hospitals. Treatment of close household contacts was not prioritised. Attitudes towards mass drug administration to control scabies were mostly positive, although some concerns were noted about adverse effects and hesitation to participate in the planned scabies elimination programme. Findings from this first study to document perspectives and experiences related to scabies and impetigo and their management in the Asia Pacific region illustrate that a community-centred approach to scabies and impetigo is needed for the success of control efforts in Fiji, and most likely in other affected countries. This includes community-based health promotion messaging on the social dynamics of scabies transmission, and a campaign of education and community engagement prior to mass drug administration.

Food Security in COVID‐19: Insights from Indigenous Fijian Communities

Food Security in <scp>COVID</scp>‐19: Insights from Indigenous Fijian Communities