AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF A FIJIAN COMMUNITY
by Erinn Gregg

Conclusion

Works Cited

Fijians are embedded in complex networks of social relations which are molded by the tradition and offer a support system for individuals. Males receive the highest respect, and relationships between them structure authority in the village. But relationships between the women are often closer.

The economy of the village also affects the relationships which unfold as people tend to depend on their relatives for economic support. Kinship also shapes economic relations. The pattern in Drana appears to be a system of redistribution in which the wealthier households in the village contribute to those with less income, and as a result the economic status of the villagers is balanced. The economic support which is expected from these wealthier members of the family has become somewhat of a burden for those with more income. However, their respect for the social ties and the maintenance of the community offers little choice other than to support additional members of the family.

Life cycle rituals demonstrate how the community, more than the individual, is emphasized in Fijian culture. The focus here is less on the individual and more on the groups of people that come together to mark a transition for the community as a whole. The exchanges between groups of people are an expression of the emphasis on the maintenance of good relations between group of people and the focus on exchange as a representation.

Religion is another aspect of Fijian culture which places a strong focus on the community and the support system which it provides. In some cases where the support system in one religion is not satisfying, an individual may convert to another religion which provides better support. In the traditional Fijian religion ancestral spirits placed curses on those who sinned because they were straying from the community. Today, while this practice still takes place in the villages, people, rather than just spirits, are putting curses on one another. This does not follow the message of Christianity, but it is a reflection of the traditional beliefs. A religious community which provides for the individual and helps them in their journey to better themselves is one with community support for the strength of the whole.

Overall each aspect of Fijian culture rests on the foundation of a strong support system from others as well as the community as a whole. Individuals respect one another and value highly their dependence on one another as a source for living. As a result, the network of relationships is strengthened and continues to develop as people turn more towards the community than the individual.

Works Cited

Nayacakalou, R. R. 1978. Tradition and Change in the Fijian Village. Suva, Fiji: South Pacific Social Sciences Association.

Ravuvu, A. 1983. The Fijian Way of Life. Suva, Fiji: University of the South Pacific.

Rika, N. 1975. Is Kinship Costly? In The Pacific Way: Social Issues in National Development. S. Tupouniua et al., eds. Suva, Fiji: South Pacific Social Science Association. Pp. 27-31.

Vusoniwailala, L. n.d. Communication, Social Identity and the Rising Cost of Fijian Communalism. Pacific Perspective. Vol. 12 No. 2.