Fiji Culture

Fiji’s culture is a mixture of indigenous, Indian, Chinese and European traditions. The population of Fiji is mostly made up of native Fijians and Indo-Fijians (38.1%), descendants of Indian contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the nineteenth century. The percentage of the population of Indian descent has declined significantly over the last two decades due to migration.

Relationships between ethnic Fijians and Indo-Fijians at a political level have often been strained, and the tension between the two communities has dominated politics in the islands for the past generation, though the level of tension varies between different regions of the country.

Displays of “traditional” Fijian culture, music, and dancing make an important contribution to tourism; model villages and handicraft markets are popular with tourists. A traditional song-and-dance performance, the meke, is rooted in storytelling traditions. In its strictest form, the meke involves chanting by shamans, whose bodies take on spirits of the netherworld, accompanied by dancing, rhythmic clapping, and the beating of slit drums.

The indigenous culture is very much active and living, and is a part of everyday life for the majority of the population. However, it has evolved with the introduction of vibrant and old cultures like the Indian and Chinese ones, as well as a large influence from Europe, and from various Pacific neighbors of Fiji, mainly the Tongan and Rotuman. The culture of Fiji has created a unique communal and national identity.

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