Abstract:
Traditional Fijian ceremonies continue to exist as a model for life. They reflect Fijian world view, and define the social and political structures, religious beliefs, values and practices inherent in Fijian communities. Functioning as a framework within which people continually evaluate their behaviour in relation to others, these ceremonies also act as a focus of achieving and maintaining unity and a unique Fijian way of life. While they generally emphasise the importance and maintenance of the existing traditional order, these ceremonies are also manipulated as a means of achieving new goals and aspirations in the quest for a more prosperous and better life.
The ceremonies discussed in this work highlight the critical points of Fijian life: the initiation of young people into their communities, marriage, death, and improvement of tenuous and ruptured relationships. Whereas ordinary behaviour in the daily lives of the Fijians is generally relaxed, casual and allow a wider range of alternative patterns ceremonial behaviour demands formality and order and continues as the ideal for "proper" behaviour.
Despite variations of procedure and emphasis, all the ceremonies recorded and discussed in this work were concerned with the universal themes of promoting and sustaining human life, maintaining peace and achieving prosperity. Life, peace and prosperity are defined in a uniquely Fijian way which make the people see themselves as different from that of any other ethnic communities living in Fiji, or elsewhere in the world.
In analysing these ceremonies a number of key elements and issues came to light. They include social integration and cooperation, allocation of power and privilege, flexibility of ceremonial functions, security and protection, productivity, redistribution and equity, continuity of life and relationships, identity and inter-ethnic relations, use of time and resources, participation, and the need for transformation and superordination in life. All of these are functional parts and parcel of the ceremonial presentation herewith recorded and discussed.