English Essay

Culture polity, traditions, language, food, costume, belief system, computer architecture, arts, craft, practice of medicine, dance, and touts which go a counselling be discussed in this article to conk you an indication of Fijis innate community but as swell the versatile communities which make up Fiji as a modern culture and keep. The indigenous culture is an active and living part of everyday life for the studyity of the population. However, it has evolved with the introduction of vibrant and h cardinalst-to-god cultures including Indian, Chinese and European culture, and respective(a) cultures from the Pacific neighbors of Fiji in particular the Tongan and Rotuman cultures.The culture of Fiji, including language, has created a unique communal and theme identity. Tradition and hierarchy Fijian indigenous society is very communal, with salient importance attach to the family unit, the village, and the vanua (land). 1 A hierarchy of chiefs presides over villages, cl ans, and peoples. Chiefly positions argon hereditary a deceased chief is invariably followed by a kinsman or kinswoman, though non necessarily his own son or daughter. This consults Polynesian crop in almost otherwise Melanesian societies, chiefs be appointed on merit.The large-scalest neighborly unit for Fijians is the Yavusa, defined by R. A. Derrick as the direct agnate descendants of a single kalou-vu (deified ancestor). Chiefly succession was from older brother/ child to younger brother/ sis, after the death of their father/mother. When the youngest brother/sister died, the eldest son/daughter of the eldest brother/sister became chief. This tradition notwithstanding influences Fijian society today, though less(prenominal) rigidly at that place is more(prenominal)(prenominal) of a tendency instantlyadays towards primogeniture. 23 Each brother/sister in the family then complianceed his own branch of the yavusa, c every(prenominal)ed the Mataqali.Each mataqali beca me the custodian of a specific task. A fully developed Yavusa has several mataqali * Turaga This mataqali descends from the headmaster ancestor through primogeniture inheritance of the eldest son in to each one succeeding generation. The chief of a village is always chosen from the Turaga mataqali. 14 * Sauturaga These ar next in rank to the chiefs, support him, and enforce his commands and besides thrust final say in the installation of a Chief1 * Mata ni vanua These level the official heralds of the village.They ar also in charge of ceremonial functions. 5 * Bete This was the tralatitious priestly class. The kalou-vu was believed to speak through the Bete. 16 * Bati This mataqali forms the handed-down warrior class. 6 * Dau (skill) and Matai these atomic numerate 18 the crafts hoi polloi and specialized skilled people of the tribe e. g. Dau ni vucu (Poet/choreographer/composer), Dau ni yau (treasurer), Mataisau (carpenter/or boat builder)1 The mataqali atomic numbe r 18 subdivided into Tokatoka, each comprising well-nigh re latishd families.Several mataqali cost a village, several of which form a yavusa or district. The British compound rulers amalgamated the districts into Yasana, or Provinces. The districts also form three Matanitu, or Confederacies. These argon a lot said to be agglomerations of provinces, but as the latter were a colonial imposition, the boundaries do not coincide exactly, and the Provinces of Tailevu, Ra, Naitasiri, Lomaiviti and parts of Yasawa and Ba makes the Kubuna compact. This Confederacy in modern Fiji is considered to be the most senior.The other two are Burebasaga (covering the rest of Viti Levu), and Tovata, covering Vanua Levu, Lau archipelago and Rotuma. Despite its isolation and relatively small size, Tovata has been politically dominant since Fiji gained its independence in 1970. Language The official language is side while the national indigenous language is Bauan which is only one of the umpteen dia lects that exist in the Fiji Group, each of the fourteen provinces more or less bear their own dialect though there is a perish distinction between the dialects of the West, Central and Eastern parts of the country.Other languages verbalise in the country are Fiji Hindi, Cantonese, Rotuman, Gilbertese (Rabi Island), and Tuvaluan (Kioa Island). The Fiji Islands are traditionally linked to their island neighbours Rotuma, Tonga and Samoa, and this is intelligible in the culture and dialects of the Northern and Eastern provinces being Cakaudrove, Bua, Macuata, and Lau. The many dialects intercommunicate in these four provinces consistently use intemperates that are heard in Tongan and Samoan, but not so with dialects from the horse opera and South Western parts of Fiji.The Fijian language uses a Latin first rudi manpowert. However, the Fijian alphabet is dissimilar from the English alphabet. Fiji English The existence of many dialects within the Fijian language as well as exposu re to the other languages talk run through contributed to many Fiji Islanders being bilingual. For general communication in an promiscuous environment, a very interesting cross use of the languages has developed, resulting in horse some now ordinarily referred to as Fiji English. In formal settings, of course, correct work is adhered to.Fiji English comprises aspects of Fijian, English and Hindi, which reflects the history and identity of the people of Fiji. Fiji English is non-rhotic. . cultural arts and social polity In culture, its versatile crafts and music give it an identity along with it traditional etiquette and varying forms of clothing attire, its unique architecture also tells a story of a culture and its evolution, the following pull up stakes discuss these aspects of culture in Fiji. Arts and crafts Fijis arts and crafts reflect topical anaesthetic adaptations of their Polynesian and Melanesian heritage.By tradition, the mens and womens crafts are separate. W omens crafts The village of Na lotu on Kadavu Island is famous for its pottery, the making of which is soothe governed by strict rituals. Nadroga and Rewa also produce fine pottery. Each field has its own unique style in the making of pottery. Tapa from the Lau Islands in Fiji. The making of Tapa cloth, or (masi), is another(prenominal) craft associated with women. Tapa is do from the bark of the paper mulberry tree and decorated in wood coal with symbolic motifs and various patterns.In modern times, it has become fashionable for a masi to bear the name of the person who make it. Masi are often transfer as gifts on formal make. The island of Vatuelele of the southern coast of Viti Levu is famous for its masi products. virtually Fijian mats are made from the leaves of the pandanus tree. The long process of sum up includes scraping and boiling the leaves, and drying them in the sun. There are different mats utilise for different occasions, and few are made as gifts for for mal occasions such(prenominal) as weddings.Most mats are bordered with highly ornamental and brightly coloured wool. genius well-known Fijian mat is the kuta, made by women in Vanua Levu, particularly Bua. Weaving using various materials was another craft generally mastered by the women but also aspects of weave were mastered only by the men, various types of weaving practice were and button up are basket weaving, coconut rope weaving, and coconut leaves weaving. Mens crafts Carving was practiced by the men carving would be use for items of pragmatical use and simple shapes and aspiration were employ.A lot of bowel movement was put into well adorned weapons and items for the home and watching, 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 from drinking Kava. Drua, the most dramatic 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 slavish in wars and politics which were rife in Fiji. 9 The art of boat make was varied across the radical 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 of Canoes in Fiji were that of the Drua. In Fijis early history originally European involvement, Control of the seaway was a major and decisive objective disrupting or cutting off the enemies supply and reinforcements gave bulky advantage in battle and would ensure victory.Sea battles involving hundreds of canoes were frequent. The canoe, which shake fear and awe and so often held the balance was the tycoony Drua. One of the most elaborate and beautiful artifacts of Oceania, the Drua was a product of considerable group effort s and human sacrifice. Double hulled and of gigantic proportions, the Drua was a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship, requiring thorough community involvement in its construction and human sacrifice in its launching. 10 Its speed out at sea would be in excessiveness of twenty knots and lock in 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 duration 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 same(p) a racehorse.owe to the great rate at which we were going, the sea was like a let out cauldron on either side of our course, and the vessel, instead of having time to bestride over the smaller waves, cut its way through them. (West, 1869). It had a brainy appearance with its immense sail of white mats its veloci ty 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. 11 Much of the art of Canoe building has been illogical and only a small few still practice the art on a very small descale 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 Fijian Rugby Team Performing a Traditional fight Dance before their Rugby encounter against Canada. The Meke An indigenous art form is the Meke, which may incorporate the seasea (womens fan dance) or a meke wesi (mens 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 Fijis unwritten 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, compose for a particular event, some(prenominal) 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 astray 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. symphony Music of experienced 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 Asiatic cultures music in Fiji has evolved and songs birdsong in the Fijian vernacular are popular but so also are songs in Indian and Engli sh, some local artists change integrity 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 loin cloths for men and grass skirts for women.Skirts were short for single women, and long for married women, with girls bankrupting virginal locks before marriage. Most ladies of rank had the lower parts of their bodies decorated with tattoos. Chiefs dressed(p) more elaborately. sophisticated Fijis national dress is the sulu, which resembles a skirt. It is putting surfacely wasted by both men and women. One type worn by both men and women is the Sulu va Taga pronounced Sulu vah Tanga 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, e o ddly in urban areas, also have Sulu va 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 va 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 va 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, of 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 top. There are many regional variations throughout Fiji. Residents of the village of Dama, in Bua Province and Cakaudrove i Vanua (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 ceremoniesEtiquette in indigenous Fijian notice is rather intricate depending on the function as various formalities and presentations which do several things firstly it shows respect between two communal groups, strengthen tribal and family ties and reinforce social, tribal and family ties. Various items are used in ceremony and surrounded by ceremony, Kava, known in Fiji as yaqona, is Fijis 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 lay 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 Whales tooth, other items also the use of mats (masi) are also used tradi tionally in ceremony also various regions have tradition that has been passed down generation to generation for centuries one typesetters case are the firewalkers of beqa. The Sawau tribe of Beqa are noted for their ability to walk on white hot stones without being burned. 12 Strict rituals have to be observe before the firewalking ceremony. There is an ancient myth about how an ancestor of the Sawau tribe was given this power by a tactile sensation 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, human, 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 argument ovens. Most cooking areas were located in the center of dramaturgy so the smoke would repel insects and strengthen the jacket crown thatching. Another popular method acting of cooking, which is still used today, is the lovo which is an earth oven13 a fire made on in a pit in the ground lined with heat-resistant stones. It closely resembles the hangi of the New Zealand Maori. When the stones are hot, food wrapped in (banana) leaves, is 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 common place in most, if not all households in Fiji. Architecture A bure kalou, a sketch through in the early 1800s.In Old Fiji, the architecture of villages was simple and practi cal to meet the physical and social need and to provide communal sentry go the houses were square in shape and with pyramid like shaped detonators,14 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 lordly on a pyramid like base built with large stones and earth, again a square building with an elongated pyramid like 14 roof with various scented flora planted nearby.The houses of Chiefs were of similar design and would be set higher than his subjects houses but instead of an elongated roof would have similar roof to those of his subjects homes but of course on a larger scale. With the introduction of communities from Asia aspects of their cultural architecture are now unpatterned in urban and rural areas of Fijis two main Islands Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. A village structure shares similarities today but built with modern materials and spirit houses (Bure Kal ou) have been replaced by churches of varying design.The urban landscape of early compound Fiji was reminiscent of most British colonies of the 19th and 20th century in tropical regions of the world, while some of this architecture remains, the urban landscape is evolving in leaps and bounds with various modern aspects of architecture and design becoming more and more evident in the business, industrial and domestic sector, the rural areas are evolving at a much slower rate. Literature The emergence of Fijis literature (as distinct from oral literature) coincides with the countrys transition to independence in 1970.Among the first published works of Fijian literature, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, were Raymond Pillais short stories (in English) and Pio Manoas poetry (in English and in Fijian). More recent notable Fiji writers include Satendra Nandan (poet and novelist), Sudesh Mishra (poet), Larry Thomas (playwright), and Joseph Veramo (novelist). worship Religion is quite div erse with Christianity being the dominant faith in Fiji. Many Christian denominations are present in Fiji, the most prevalent of which is Methodist.Of the other Asian trusts the Hindu faith is dominant, followed by Islam. There are other belief systems observed by Fijians as well. The meeting of Christianity The impact of Christianity in the 19th century resulted in certain traditions being proscribed. In the pre-Christian era, human sacrifice was practiced. Men were buried alive to hold the pillars to the house of a chief. Cannibalism was practiced, too16 the bodies of enemies slain in battle, or in sacrifice, were piled up and cooked for festivals, such as the installation of chiefs or the launching of a great canoe. 16 Seru Epenisa Cakobau. The Bauan warlord who united the disparate tribes of Fiji and proclaimed himself King in 1871, renounced cannibalism on his passage to Christianity in 1854. A bure kalou, a pre-Christian Fijian religious Building. Old religion Fijis old re ligion is no longer practiced by the majority in the indigenous community who have adopted Christianity. Old deities are still acknowledged and respected, but not worshipped. Fijian rituals still exists in private. Demographics Of the various faiths, Christianity is the dominant belief system and ncluding all the various denominations of the Christian faith they number in total 449,482. Hindus, with their various denominations, number in total 261,097. Muslims make up 54,324 of Fijis population. Followers of other belief systems make up 10,166 of Fijis population. Sports Sports culture is unique as different racial mixes and cultures come together in a common interest. Fiji is fanatical about sports and the two most dominant being rugby and soccer. Traditional sports Sports in older times had a practical place, unconnected from recreation, helping to train young warriors.One such practice would have the older men bring the male children a severely wound captive of war, allowing t he boys to practice their archery skills against this living target. There were other sports that were practiced in older times which are not practiced now. Notable traditional sports used to be played were tiqa, ulutoa, veisaga, and veisolo. Modern sports The Fiji sevens team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Sports have developed greatly over the ago two cristals in Fiji with a wide variety of sports undertaken. Fiji is most well known for its prowess in the game of rugby union and in particular rugby sevens.Rugby union Rugby union is the most popular sport in Fiji. The highest level of competition is the Colonial Cup. The Fiji national rugby union team has competed in five Rugby being Cup competitions. The Fijian Rugby Sevens team is constantly one of the top two or three teams in the world, often the phase modulation team. Rugby league Rugby league is a popular team sport played in Fiji. The Fiji national rugby league team is known as Fiji Bati, with the team comp eting in three Rugby fusion World Cup competitions. They made it to the semi-finals of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. football gameFootball 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. Other sports Many sports exist in Fiji and in many ways has its own cultural following, sports such as golf which has been made famous by Fiji jockstrap Vijay Singh. Sports such as play and surfing which was brought to prominence by former world champion and Fiji athlete Tony Philips. Sailing in varying forms, various adventure sports, athletics, various Asian martial arts, boxing, and the list goes on.