Fiji Local Customs

 
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  •   Local Customs
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  •   Local Customs
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  •   Local Customs
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  •   Local Customs
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  • Fiji - museum in Suva : a local hat, très chique !
      Fiji - museum in Suva : a local hat,...
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Isa Lei

by grets

Fiji's song of farewellIsa, Isa, you are my only treasureMust you leave me, so lonely and foresakenAs the roses will miss the sun at downingEvery moment my heart for you is yearningIsa Lei, the purple shadows fallSad the morrow will dawn upon my sorrowOh! Forget not, when you are far awayPrecious moments beside Nanuya BayIsa, Isa, my heart was filled with pleasureFrom the moment I heard your tender greetingMid the sunshine, we spent hours togetherNow so swiftly those happy hours are fleetingO'er the ocean your island home is callingHappy country where roses bloom in splendorOh! If I could but journey there beside youThen forever my heart would sing in rapture

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Yaqona Ceremony

by grets

We have slept through the night and day now dawnsThe sun is high in the heavensGo uproot the yaqona and bring it...Prepare the root and proclaim it!The acclamation rose skywards,Reaching distant lands!Kava (or yaqona), Fiji's national drink, has an important place in all Fijian ceremonies and is used widely as a token of goodwill and respect amongst the South Pacific people.The beverage is prepared by straining poweder made from pounded dried roots of the kava - a plant in the pepper family - and adding water. From the tanoa - the wooden bowl - protrudes a thick rope of coconut fibre which is decorated with cowrie shells. This is pointed towards the guests of honour (in this case = us). During the ceremony nobody must cross that line. When the kava is ready, the guest of honour (David was chosen to represent us) is presented with the first bowl. It should be drained in a single draught,...

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English is the official language

by AcornMan

For English speakers a trip to Fiji is simplified by the fact that English is the official language there. Although Fijian and Hindustani are also spoken there, visitors will have no problem getting around speaking English wherever they go.

Watch your head

by MissMaryMac

Fijians don't like to have their head touched. they have a big joke about the last guy to touch a Fijian's head was eaten. It was over a 100 years ago though, so its not so bad. If you enter a village you should not have anything on your head, so you should remove your hat, or anything else you might have on your head, to show respect to the villagers.

Bula (Hello)

by paradisedreamer

The Fijian people are very friendly and laid back. When you arrive you soon learn about Fiji time. It may take a while but you will eventually get what you want - a great way to live!! There is no rush so relax!!

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Kava Ceremony

by Dodo22

There is probably going to be a time when you partake in a Kava ceremony (otherwise known as Yaqona). You should sit cross legged facing the chief or village representative. When presented with the bowl, which is made out of half a coconut shell, you should clap once, take the bowl, say "bula", drink the kava all in one go (trying not to pull a face at the taste) and once you give the bowl back, clap 3 times.

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Shopping - the Fijian way.

by worldkiwi

No visit to one of Fiji's main urban areas is complete without a visit to a market. The early morning is the best time to go. On every trip to Fiji, I have been with family and we always stock up on our fruit and veges by shopping in the markets. Good markets are at Nadi (pictured) and Lautoka. Suva's market is slightly different by being larger and housed in a large, dark building.

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Meke Dance

by galy

Meke is a performance of Fijian dance. They are dressed entirely in national costume of flower leis, grass skirts and tapa cloth. The men often perform warrior dances that tell a story while the women sing songs illustrated by movements and gestures. You can find a Meke ceremony in most resorts, it's made for tourists, but it's so nice and colorful, you shouldn't miss it.

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Kava Ceremony

by galy

You might be invited to participate in one of the most common ceremonial and social customs in the islands, the Kava Ceremony. Drinking of Kava, is quite common on social occasions. It is regarded in Fiji as "the National Drink". In the past, only chiefs drank it.Kava is made from the bare root of a pepper tree, pounded into a fine powder and then mixed with fresh water. It is used to aid in relaxation. The taste is pretty bad, and if it's not very strong, you'll feel your lips and mouth num

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Dont be offended

by bjmd22

My friend Suli who I stayed with in Kadavu said they had a little culture clash incident one time. He says that when a Fijian meets someone, normally one of the first 3 questions will be "How old are you" It is just what they like to ask, He said they had some ladies get upset one time, so just be prepared.

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Local traditions and culture in Fiji

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Local Customs: Cities in Fiji
  1. Nadi Local Customs
  2. Suva Local Customs
  3. Mana Island Local Customs
  4. Viti Levu Local Customs
  5. Viseisei Local Customs
  6. Wayasewa Island Local Customs
  7. Levuka Local Customs
  8. Nanuya Lailai Local Customs
  9. Namuamua Local Customs

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Western Division Local Customs  Central Division Local Customs  Northern Division Local Customs 

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Something snapped in us a few days ago in our family of 5 and now everyone can't stop talking about Fiji. We're from Seattle and... 

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A: Correction. My wife is an Economics professor for a college here in the Pacific Northwest and is exploring teaching opportunities in universities like University of Fiji... 

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