Emily Sparks Email

Emily Sparks Email
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Follow-up Questions from Morning Section

For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: morning
Questioners: Christina Butler, Amy Csiszer, Susan Joyal, Amber Muller, William Verrill
Date: November 12, 1999
During the years of adolescence do individuals worry about whom they are associated with? Is it important to be with the "cool" crowd? What defines this "cool" crowd if it is not clothing, is it family ties or music or material things?
Emily Sparks replies: From what I've noticed, there isn't a "cool crowd" in the village. Everyone's grown up with each other their whole lives, so there's no one new to impress, and it's pointless to put up a front or try to act cool, since everyone in the village is your family. Of course for an event or if people go to town they dress up, but in the village life people do not worry about that.

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For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: morning
Questioners: Christina Butler, Amy Csiszer, Susan Joyal, Amber Muller, William Verrill
Date: November 12, 1999
What is the defining moment of entering into manhood or womanhood? Is there some sort of ritual or ceremony? Or is there an age that one reaches where they are just know to be an adult? Does marriage have anything to do with it?
Emily Sparks replies: I have not heard of any specific rituals associated with manhood and womanhood. I would assume that for girls getting her period is one defining moment, but I'm not sure. I know that a person's 21st birthday is a big deal, and people view this age as becoming an adult. This doesn't mean that the person will move away from their parents, or become independent of them, but it signifies when they are adults. For a family's eldest child (or sometimes eldest son), the father will have a big party -- for the village, and perhaps some special guests. Becoming 21 also offers some independence (more for men then women of course). However, when a woman gets married, that independence is gone again, for her husband controls her. (From what I've observed).

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Follow-up Questions from Afternoon Section

For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: afternoon
Questioners: Rhobie Langwig, Jhulian Newell-Litttle, Katie Hais, Craig Clarke
Date: November 12, 1999
Have you ever been in a social situation where you did something that is not accepted by Fijian culture, but is accepted in American society? If so, what?
Emily Sparks replies: Have I ever done anything that is not accepted by Fijian culture, but by American culture?? -- Well....of course!! Almost every day!! Just kidding, actually not that often, but definitely pretty often. Here are some examples -- my Nana knows that my favorite food that she makes are these coconut-papaya scones for breakfast, a huge treat. One time she saved two for the younger brothers for when they came back from school. She forgot where she put them, and then when she found them, I was joking around with her and said that she was hiding them from me. But in Fijian culture hiding food is a "tabu," something totally "illegal" by cultural norms. It's like one of the worst insults to a Fijian, that they are keeping food from someone.
Other things -- While in the village, women are supposed too cover their knees. When you are in your own house, if there are no guests around, then we can wear shorts, but going around the village, one must wear a sulu, skirt or dress. One time I just forgot this for some reason, and walked down to another house. I realized that this was inappropriate when everyone started staring at me (even more than normal). But before long, someone gave me a sulu to wrap around.
One time I started eating before Tata said grace before a meal. One time I started laughing when someone was giving me a bowl of grog (kava), because they were formally presenting it to me, but I thought that they were doing it jokingly, (but it was a pretty informal situation). Also, when drinking kava, when you take the first bowl, it should be full, but once I asked the server to give me a small bowl for the first one. In the beginning I passed things by people without saying "tilou," something you say when passing things, or when you are above someone else's head (like if they're lying down, and you walk by).
There definitely have been other things, but people know that I am here to learn these things, so that if I don't know them all, then it's ok. There are some people that just love teaching me about all these things, and try to explain all these things to me. However, even if they do explain what these things mean, it takes more time and experience to contextualize them, and figure out why they make sense in the culture.

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For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: afternoon
Questioners: Rhobie Langwig, Jhulian Newell-Litttle, Katie Hais, Craig Clarke
Date: November 12, 1999
You mention in your conversation with Veresa that he followed the idea that "the Bible says that women are there to help men." Do you feel that this viewpoint is shared by all men in Fiji? Also, do you know of any other circumstances in which the Bible is followed so strictly?
Emily Sparks replies: The conversation with Veresa -- I think that the bible was just his excuse for why women should serve men. From my experience, I think that all men in Fiji think that women are there to help men. Men have a higher public status then women, and this of course affects how people think of their roles in the public, as well as private life. So, actually, I don't think that the bible is the real answer of why he said this.
It's strange, with a remark like the one Veresa made, I would expect myself to react in a way where I would not even want to look at him, thinking that he's such a male chauvinist. But Verersa is one of my closest friends here, and I actually think that he's a really caring individual. I guess that I have to put that issue aside, because all men (and women) here think that way, so this issue doesn't really come into play when judging people on if they are nice, and "good people." (Unless the case is extreme). I know that it sounds really strange, (even to me it does), that I would accept this, and still like people like this, or like people that I know beat their wives, but it's all part of cultural relevance.

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Original Questions from Morning Section

For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: morning
Questioners: Christina Butler, Amy Csiszer, Susan Joyal, Amber Muller, William Verrill
Date: October 9, 1999
Do people in Fiji use clothing as a primary means to distinguish themselves by ethnic group? Is it used to distinguish between social classes as well?
Emily Sparks replies: There are two man ethnic groups in Fiji -- Fijians and Indians, and they definitely dress differently. Indians came to Fiji by means of the British to help as indentured farmers to grow sugarcane. Originally the British government told them that they could return to India, but most of them ended up staying because if they returned they would probably labeled into the "untouchable class," if they were not already in that class. (This is what one person told me). So even though Indians came to Fiji several generations ago (I would say at least four), their social and economic lives have not mixed. Indians tend to own the majority of shops, taxis, and small businesses, while Fijians are mostly farmers (this is speaking generally, only within the rural area where I live). Socially as well, Indians and Fijians do not mix very much. For the most part Indians and Fijians are friendly towards one another, and both know each other's languages. I have only heard of two people that say "they don't like" Fijians or Indians (one from each ethnic group) Their social worlds for the most part remain separate -- and Indians have held on to their traditional ways.
Clothing is one way where the difference and separateness between the two ethnic groups is apparent. Hindi women wear saris, as well as salar kameez (pants and dress ) and Muslim women wear salwar kameez as well, along with veils. Fijian women wear dresses, which usually come down to their mid-calves with a sulu underneath (like a skirt) that comes down past their ankles. These are what people wear in the public sphere, I can only say what Fijians where in the private sphere, and this is usually a sulu or dress and short sleeve shirt. For men the styles are similar, only because men in both ethnicities wear more western clothing than the women. So of course both wear pants and button down shirts. However, even in these, the Fijian men are more likely to wear a "Bula" shirt -- one with a Fijian floral print. However, it is not unusual to see an Indian man in town wearing a male's version of a salwar kameez. Fijian men also wear sulus -- either the formal suit kind -- a wrap around skirt of suit material that comes down to their mid calf, or a casual sulu in the village -- two yards of cloth wrapped and tucked, the same as the women.
With in Fijian society, there is not a great differences between classes of people -- everyone is basically the same. Some have less money, and less belongings than others, within the village, as well as within families which encompass a few villages, asking, borrowing, loaning, and giving is very hard to refuse. Thus, most people are the same class. Their clothing, therefore, is almost all the same. It seems like Indians have a greater difference in class, from their clothing. Some have clothing made from gorgeous, embroidered material, and wear lots of make-up, while some wear simpler clothes, no shoes, etc.
That was an interesting question -- can you think of any other means by which to distinguish the ethnic groups?

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For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: morning
Questioners: Christina Butler, Amy Csiszer, Susan Joyal, Amber Muller, William Verrill
Date: October 9, 1999
W hat is the adolsecent phase like in Fijian society? Does the culture make it easier or more difficult than in the U.S.?
Emily Sparks replies: This is a really interesting question, and I hadn't thought about it until you asked it, but it was perfect, since this week we are supposed to be asking about the life-cycle. I asked one of my brothers, he's 24 or 25, he's very insightful, and his English isn't all that great, but he was a big help. I got him talking about the adolescent phase by asking him what roles adolescents play.
He said that if they are still in school they are expected to help with chores around the house, and concentrate on their school work. There is a lot of pressure to do well in school, because parents remind them of the school fees they are paying. He said that if they do well in school, then they will be able to get a good job to take care of their parents. In terms of other pressures, they include the same kinds of pressures that we American kids go through -- except maybe the pressure to have the "right" clothes. Veresa (my brother) talked about the pressures of dating, and drinking. It was interesting to get his opinion, because he went to a boarding school in Suva (the capital), and says that things are a bit different in the village.
When people are in school, there is not as much pressure to drink alcohol, because their main focus is school. However, for those that do not go on to secondary school, and are in the village, they start drinking usually when they are 15 or 16. However, for him, since he was in school, he started around age 21 or 22. In terms of pressure to date, or have a boyfriend or girlfriend, he said that there was some pressure. In school, since so many people didn't know each other (as opposed to the village), the standard way to approach someone was through a love letter. Apryle (another student) got a letter or two like this. They seem to be all of the same format. The heading includes date, time, mood, and place. They are really cheesy -- things like, "how I long to stare into your golden eyes...I am paralized by your pressence and beauty.." However, in the village, since everyone knows each other, this is not as common.
This is all I got from this quick interview. I still think that there's a lot more to find out in terms of what it feels like to be an adolescent. I tried to bring up the idea that during these years American teenagers don't always feel good about themselves, but he didn't really respond to that comment. Can you think of any questions that would help me think of how I could find this out?

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For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: morning
Questioners: Christina Butler, Amy Csiszer, Susan Joyal, Amber Muller, William Verrill
Date: October 9, 1999
When interacting with the students, are the people of Fiji more interested in integrating the students into their own culture, or in finding out what the students' own culture is like to satisfy their personal interests?
Emily Sparks replies: This is another good question. I have found Fijians to be people so proud of their culture. Most realize that all their customs are completely different from those of Americans, and they try to explain things. Of course, there are many that give the simple explanation, "because that is our custom," when I want to find out "why?" Of course they are interested in American ways and how Americans live, but this has not really gotten in the way of me asking questions. Sometimes, when they are asking questions of me, it's actually a good way for me to turn things around, and start asking about their culture!
Thanks for your questions, especially the adolescent life-cycle one, it really got me going on the life-cycle work for this week, and now I've set up an interview to talk to Veresa even more about more general life-cycle topics. If you have any ideas about how to get him to talk about how one feels during different phases, as opposed to just what people do during different phases, I'd love to hear -- please send your opinions back! What do you guys think of the web page? I'm going to be putting pictures up of me and my family next week, anything you want me to get a picture of? Hope to hear from you soon.

Email index | Emily Sparks

Original Questions from Afternoon Section

For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: afternoon
Questioners: Rhobie Langwig, Jhulian Newell-Litttle, Katie Hais, Craig Clarke
Date: October 19, 1999
Have religious or cultural beliefs affected personal interpretations while interacting with the natives of Fiji?
Emily Sparks replies: For the most part, since I been here I have tried to look at things from a perspective of cultural relativism. I think that this has been pretty easy to do, since the way people do things basically makes sense to me. However, different religious and cultural beliefs have been difficult to accept, since these are the things that get at the core of one's values. For example, one night I was having a conversation with my host brother and we were talking about the difference between men's work and women's work. We got to talking about the women's crises center in our area, (for battered women -- this is rather common here) and about what women are expected to do. I asked Veresa (my brother, age 24) what he thought a women's role should be, and he said that it should be secondary, since this is what is says in the bible. Here is an excerpt from my fieldnotes from that day:

His comment struck me so deeply, and it certainly was a part of culture shock. It seems that those things that affect us the most when we are in a different culture are the issues that strike against our core beliefs and cultural world view. This was one of those moments. Of course Veresa continued talking, and had no idea that by saying this he was striking at the root of a value which I have such strong opinions about. To me, the loss of speech and the absolute defeat and shock I felt was something that he had no idea he was afflicting. Once I regained my speech from the initial shock of his comment, I asked him, "If he were a woman, would he feel the same way?" He said that he would follow the bible, and that what the bible says is the way to live. However, he's never gone to church while I've been here, and has never expressed anything else about church, God, or the fact that he leads a religious life (from what I see he does not).

It's hard with stuff like this. Of course if I was at home I would have to argue with someone who spoke this way. But, I just had to dismiss it off as cultural relevance, and try to understand his point of view.

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For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: afternoon
Questioners: Rhobie Langwig, Jhulian Newell-Litttle, Katie Hais, Craig Clarke
Date: October 19, 1999
The fact tthat there are two different ethnic groups on Fiji, the Fijians, and the Indians, was mentioned, but it was not clear to me if one of the groups is discriminated against more than the other, and which group is considered the "upper class" and which is considered the "lower class?"
Emily Sparks replies: The Indians are more involved in owning businesses and driving taxis, in the area that I live in. Because all the land in Fiji is owned by Fijian family or clan land (called mataqali land), Indians either lease the land, or the government buys them out for over 20,000F. With this money many Indians start up a businesses. However, the idea of class here is much different than in America. Most Fijians, where I live (not in the city) are roughly all in the same class. Some have jobs, and make real money, (100 U. S. dollars per two weeks would be a good job), some have sugarcane farms, but most families do subsistence farming. However, the village has a way of leveling everyone's income, for those that make more give more, and those that make less give less to the village's needs. Fijians pride themselves on being able to ask for anything, and giving away anything among their family members and within the village, and say that the Indians are much more interested in making money and keeping it for themselves.

Email index | Emily Sparks
For Student: Emily Sparks
Section: afternoon
Questioners: Rhobie Langwig, Jhulian Newell-Litttle, Katie Hais, Craig Clarke
Date: October 19, 1999
W In the U.S., adolescents eagerly embrace pop culture. Currently pop culture can be considered music groups such as the Backstreet boys, etc. or toys and games such as beanie babies and pokeman. Is there anything in the Fiji culture similiar to these music groups or popular toys? If so, do the adolescents there recieve it in the same manner as those in America?
Emily Sparks replies: This is an interesting question. In bedrooms around my village, pictures of the Backstreet boys, the Friends cast, Scott Wolf, and especially Princess Diana are posted everywhere. Fijian adolescents are definitely interested in these "overseas starts." Their TV shows and hit songs are watched and sung by many. I don't know if you guys know the group "the Vengaboys," but they are really popular, and their name is even spray painted on our water barrel at my house. So teenagers definitely embrace the international music and TV scene. I don't think that they receive it the same way as Americans, because there is no obsession over this kind of pop culture. However, in terms of toys for little kids, there is are no toys like beanie babies or pokeman. It seems like they just don't have that kind of stuff here. Kids play use these round seed-type things to play something like marbles, or they play soccer or rugby. The children also play a large part in helping out their families with chores.