Culturegramstm Republic of World Edition 2016 Fiji
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CultureGramsTM Republic of World Edition 2016 Fiji may have come from Asia. Various Pacific peoples later BACKGROUND migrated to the Fijian Islands, which they called Viti; Western explorers used the Tongan word Feejee to name the islands Land and Climate and the people. According to legend, sons of an early settler Fiji is located in the southwestern Pacific, north of New named Degei established the chiefly system (yavusa) that Zealand. More than 300 islands comprise Fiji, but only about ordered society for centuries to come. Until Christianity was 110 are inhabited. Fiji is just larger than Kuwait and about the introduced, Degei was worshiped as a god who took the form same size as the U.S. states of Hawaii or New Jersey. Three of a snake. main islands, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, and Taveuni, are home Although the Dutch had a brief encounter with Fijians in to the majority of the population. The larger Fijian islands are 1643, Captain James Cook of England spent more time with volcanic, mountainous, and surrounded by coral reefs. The them in 1774. Later, trade vessels came for sandalwood, southeastern sides of the islands are covered with dense which was used in ornamental carving and cabinetmaking. tropical forests. The northwestern sides consist of grassy The islands were known by many as the Cannibal Islands plains that receive less rain. because of the Fijians' reputation as fierce warriors and The climate is humid and tropical. The rainy season is cannibals. Fijians believed that eating the enemy let them from November to April, when violent cyclones and possess the enemy's power; it was not for lack of food. After hurricanes are possible. In December 2012, Cyclone Evan, a years of tribal warfare, Chief Ratu Cakobau converted to Category 4 storm, caused heavy damages to Fiji's Christianity in 1854, united rival tribes under the new infrastructure. In February 2016, Fiji was hit by Cyclone religion, ended cannibalism, and became king of Fiji in 1871. Winston, a Category 5 storm that was the strongest cyclone Colonial Period and Independence recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. The western side of Cakobau was aware of European competition for territory in Fiji's main island, Viti Levu, is also prone to flooding. the Pacific and, in 1874, offered to cede the islands to Great Earthquakes are common as well. Annual temperatures Britain (after the United States refused the same offer). change little and range from 72 to 86°F (22-30°C). Britain brought in laborers from India to work on sugarcane plantations. The descendants of these workers now comprise History more than a third of the population. First Inhabitants Exactly 96 years to the day after cession to Britain, Fiji The islands of Fiji were first settled at least 3,500 years ago gained its independence (10 October 1970). That year, it also by migrating sailors whose descendants became known as the joined the Commonwealth of Nations, an organization mostly Lapita. Though their actual origins are unknown and written composed of former British colonies. Ratu Sir Kamisese records do not exist, researchers think these early migrants Mara became the first prime minister, and his Alliance Party 1 TM CultureGrams Fiji (mostly indigenous Fijians) governed until 1987, when a In March 2014, Bainimarama was elected prime minister coalition led by the National Federation Party (mostly ethnic in the country’s first elections since 2006. International Indians) won a majority in parliamentary elections. observers deemed the elections free and fair. That same year, Elections and Military Coups Fiji rejoined the Commonwealth as a full member. Although Two weeks after the elections, however, General Sitiveni neighboring countries support Fiji’s step toward democracy, Rabuka led a military coup to restore control to native Fijians the country remains under condemnation for its poor (called iTaukei in Fijian). The coup was halted because human-rights record. Britain's governor-general (Queen Elizabeth's representative Recent Events and Trends in Fiji) assumed executive control and negotiated a settlement •Climate change concerns: At the United Nations Climate between the Indo-Fijians and iTaukei. Rabuka then staged a Change Conference in December 2015, Fiji was among a second coup, establishing a civilian government dominated by coalition of 140 countries, led by the Marshall Islands, that iTaukei. Fiji subsequently was voted out of the called for stricter measures to keep the global temperature Commonwealth by its member nations. Rabuka appointed from increasing more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. In September Mara to once again serve as the prime minister. In 1992 2013, leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, including Fiji, elections, Rabuka was elected prime minister. Mara became signed the Majuro Declaration to fight climate change. The president in 1994. threat of rising ocean tides due to climate change is a major A new constitution ratified in 1990 favored iTaukei over concern to the low-lying island countries. Indo-Fijians, making it impossible for Indo-Fijians to control •Cyclone Winston: In February 2016, Fiji declared a state of the government. President Mara subsequently created a natural disaster after being hit by Cyclone Winston. The commission to review the constitution, which was officially storm was rated a Category 5 cyclone and registered winds of amended and signed into law in July 1997. The amended up to 143 miles per hour and gusts as high as 202 miles per constitution opened the way for multiracial elections in 1999 hour. Cyclone Winston is the strongest cyclone ever recorded and promised equality and basic human rights. Fiji rejoined in the Southern Hemisphere. The storm damaged housing and the Commonwealth soon after the constitutional changes were infrastructure and left many without power or access to implemented. drinking water. Cyclone Winston left over 50,000 Fijians A landslide victory in May 1999 gave the Fiji Labour homeless. Party (FLP, an ethnic Indian party) a majority in Parliament, •Olympic gold medal: In the Summer 2016 Olympic and Mahendra Chaudhry served as Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Games, the Fijian men's rugby sevens team won the gold prime minister. However, in May 2000, rebels seeking control medal in the rugby final—the first Olympic medal in Fiji's of the government for Fiji's indigenous majority stormed history. The win was met with huge celebrations in Fiji, Parliament, taking Chaudhry and members of his multiethnic where people went out into the streets to dance, sing, and coalition hostage. Ten days later, the military took control of participate in processions. Rugby is the most widely played the country and declared martial law. After nearly two months sport in Fiji. of negotiations between the government and rebel leader George Speight, the hostages were released, Chaudhry was deposed, and an interim government was established. THE PEOPLE Laisenia Qarase of the Fijian United Party (an iTaukei party known by the Fijian acronym SDL) headed the interim Population government until parliamentary elections were held in August The majority of Fiji’s population lives on its two main 2001. The SDL won by a slim margin over Chaudhry's FLP, islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. The largest urban areas allowing Qarase to remain prime minister. are Suva (the capital), Lautoka, and Nadi. The number of Bainimarama Rule urban residents is growing as an increasing number of In December 2006, Fiji experienced its fourth coup in 20 families search for better opportunities in cities. Urbanization years when Fiji's military leader, Commodore Frank is causing changes in lifestyle, family structure, and work Bainimarama, deposed Qarase. Despite international patterns as city dwellers spend less time working the land and condemnation, Bainimarama installed himself as the head of transition to living with nuclear families rather than extended the interim government. The regime weakened organized families. labor, silenced opposition leaders, and was plagued with Indigenous Fijians (iTaukei, 57 percent) and Indo-Fijians corruption. Fiji was suspended by the Commonwealth in late (38 percent) together form 95 percent of the total population. 2009 for not agreeing to hold elections in 2010. Though the iTaukeiand Indo-Fijian populations were once In January 2012, Bainimarama announced the lifting of roughly equal, an estimated 250,000 Indo-Fijians have left the emergency laws that had been in place since 2009. A new country since the first coup in 1987, in part due to constitution came into force in September 2013. The discrimination. The Indo-Fijians who remain live mostly on constitution aimed to decrease race-based politics in Fiji and Viti Levu. The Rotuman, a Melanesian ethnic group, make up to maintain a strong military role in governing. It was 1 percent of the population. The remaining 4 percent of the criticized by international human-rights organizations for its total population consists of other Pacific Islanders, Chinese, strong limitations on freedoms of association, assembly, and and Europeans. expression, as well as for the legal immunity it offered to perpetrators of past human-rights abuses. Language 2 TM CultureGrams Fiji English and Fijian are the official languages. Hindi is widely also disadvantaged when it comes to education, employment, spoken. Fijian can be written in two ways, one of which is and housing. For example, they are eligible for fewer more phonetic than the other. For instance, the letter b is government scholarships. pronounced with an m sound before it, as in the case of the town Ba. Its name can be written Ba or Mba, but it is Personal Appearance pronounced "mbah." Also, a q is usually pronounced "ngg." The people of Fiji wear light, casual clothing throughout the That is, yaqona is pronounced "yanggona." In this text, most year, but public attire is fairly conservative (no bathing suits), Fijian words are written in the more standard, less phonetic especially for women.