Sa Meke Tiko Na Vanua

Sa Meke Tiko Na Vanua. (The Vanua (Land) is Now Dancing) A Doxological Approach A Paper presented by Rev. Dr. I. S. Tuwere at the”Talanoa-Oceanic Conference” held at the United Theological College/Charles Sturt University, Sydney Australia, October, 2008. Abstract This paper seeks to explore the nature and function of the Fijian Meke or dance. It must be noted that this Meke or dance has nothing in common with the dance of the White races. It is a language in itself that speaks about different subjects that are related to the Vanua. There are Meke on war, the woods, storms, calms, rains, heavens, god, devils travels by land or sea, men and women and more. The approach used will be doxological that seeks to describe Fijian Meke as songs of God’s creation, here understood as Vanua. It is an exploratory paper that hopefully will have implications for Christian worship in general. Meke or dance essentially is movement in different ways and rhythm. Through this language of Meke, this paper will move on to explore the idea that God the Creator is ‘Movement’ par excellence. Introduction I am deeply grateful and honored to be part of this get together this week. This I believe is not just another occasion, but an event – a special event that takes place at the right time. A time when so many things have happened and are happening in this part of the world. Happenings that touch practically every sphere of our common life together at the political, cultural, socio- economic and religious levels. So may movement of people and change of events. And I feel both privileged, honored and equally humbled to share your company and to hear your thoughts on your chosen areas of concern and interest. I also hope that what I am now going to share with you will make some small contribution to this conference on talanoa. I pay tribute to the organizers, Dr. Jione Havea and members of the planning team for all the work being done to make this event a reality. The title of this paper – Sa Meke Tiko Na Vanua (The Vanua (Land) is Now Dancing) needs some explanation. In the early eighties when I was doing some research in Fiji on Vanua, I had a long and lively conversation with Livai Vuki, Daunivucu; chief dance-master of Wailevu my home district, on Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second main island. Livai led a group of Wailevu dancers to perform on the island of Taveuni on an important occasion. He was so much engaged and passionate in what he was telling me. In the course of his talanoa, Livai paused, looked at me and said in our Wailevu dialect: “Ba maka ni kai mehe iho i hena o Livai. Ba mehe iho a Vanua.” (It was no long I, Livai who was there dancing. The Vanua was dancing instead).1This 1 See Vanua: Towards a Fijian Theology of Place. Suva: Institute of Pacific Studies, USP, and Auckland: St. Johns Theological College, 2002, p.56. 1 | P a g e SA MEKE TIKO NA VANUA – D r . T u w e r e statement resonates with what the great Hawaiian dancer Iolani when asked what was her feeling when she was dancing. She replied: “I don’t know, I’m not there”.2 These two accounts indicate two things: first, something happens in the life of the dancer when dancing that can only be described as a transformation. Second all meke or dances, song and chants are integral parts of the Vanua. They are iyau ni Vanua (Property of the land). Through these meke, a Vanua exhibits itself; what it constitutes and what it stands for. I have discussed the meaning of Vanua both literal and symbolic in some of my writings.3 Vanua literally means “land.” It includes earthly turf, flora and fauna of a given place, rivers and mountains, fishing ground (vanua ni qoliqoli) and more. The term can also be used to refer to one’s country, district or village. Four ways by which Vanua can be described symbolically. First, as a means of livelihood. It indicates motherhood; origin, source. Like a good mother, always there in good and bad times. The late Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna describes Vanua as “something of divine ordination, something that was created to control him/her through life, something he/she must explicitly serve: but something also that would help him/her in his/her difficulties, care for him/her in his/her troubles and protect him/her in danger.” Secondly, Vanua makes sense of ‘time and event.’ We all know about ‘vanua time.’ Time and therefore history become important because of the place to which it is connected. And an event becomes significant and memorable because of the ‘place’ where this event happens. In much the same way, a place will be long remembered because of the ‘event’ that took place there some years ago. Thirdly, it is the place where Fijian traditions and memories of the ancestors are stored. Memories are important. Loss of memory can be quite damaging. It leads to instability and no sense of direction. In the bible, memory is the mother of hope. And fourthly, Vanua is an important symbol of Fijian identity. Identity is not static but dynamic. It moves and for this reason, it has to be defined and articulated time and again in all new situations. It can only discovered through constant interconnectedness with other people and the world around us. In this paper I am now proposing a fifth meaning and that is the Vanua is a Meke; a dance. The literal and symbolic meanings of Vanua cannot and must not be separated here. Now, I want to move on and say something about the nature and function of the meke. But before I do so, I want to show you a traditional Fijian Fan Dance – na meke iri called Raude. The Nature and Function of Fijian Meke Let me begin by saying that this paper is essentially an exploratory paper. I have never done any solid research in this area before. It will be discovered that I owe a lot to a paper on Fijian Dances and Games written and presented by one Rev. E Rougier4 in 1915 to the Fijian Society. 2 See Futa Helu in Critical Essays: Cultural Perspectives from the South Seas. Canberra: ANU, 1999. p..262 3 See Vanua… p. 33ff. 4 Written in French and translated by Mr. Colman C. Wall, read before the Fijian Society on June 14, 1915. 2 | P a g e SA MEKE TIKO NA VANUA – D r . T u w e r e I also owe much to Eliki Seru,5 an authority on Fijian tradition and customs. Fijian dance has nothing in common with the dance of the White races. The generic name given to all Fijian dance is meke – na Meke vaka-Viti (Fijian Dance). After spending twenty years residence in Fiji, Rougier made the point that there are no superstitious ideas associated with meke.6 Fijian dances are mainly for amusement and exercise. This falls in line with what Futa Helu says about the function of Tongan dances that is “to consummate a feeling of unrestrained exultation and effulgence”.7 All meke are in different branches, forms and style that is impossible to divide them up in a neat sort of way. Some share a common style. Others are admirable for their imagery and language. A meke can simply be in the form of vucu or chanting. The expression: Era vucu toka na qase (old men are chanting a meke) indicates this. This may be observed when older men may be building a house for someone in the village, or returning from their gardens in the afternoon or in the evening when sharing a tanoa or bowl of yaqona (kava), while women may be weaving mats. Past events as well as hopes and dreams for the future are kept in these meke and sere or songs. Meke can generally be divided into three sections. First, those performed by men alone. Second, those performed by women, and thirdly those preformed by both sexes together. All meke are prepared and performed for a purpose. Neither the meke mada or club dance nor indeed any meke is ever performed without some reason. Reasons for which all meke are performed include the following: They are made through the order of the chiefs – na meke lavaki (ordered). This happens when there is an impending occasion locally or nationally where a given Vanua has to take part. The chief orders his daunivucu to put together a meke. For a feast and fair (na meke ni solevu). For the enthroning or installation of a chief (meke ni veibuli) For the return of a chief after being away for some time for a vanua engagement. The occasion to celebrate his return is known as vakasenuqanuqa. At each important event in the life of a Fijian comes the ever recurring meke. No solemn drinking of yaqona could take place without a meke. This is especially true from as early as one can remember up to the early decades of the twentieth century. They performed it at birth, at marriage, during sickness and even at death - “nona meke na mate” (the dance of death). It can be summed up that Fijian meke is celebration of the ‘movement of life’ from beginning to end. 5 A i Tovo Vakavanua vaka-Viti ena kena i Vakamacala Rawarawa. Suva: Tabacakacaka ni Vuli 1973. 6 op. cit.

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