Yaqona and Education in Fiji: a Clash of Cultures?
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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC LIBRARY DIGITAL THESES PROJECT Author Statement of Accessibility- Part 2- Permission for Internet Access Name of Candidate Degree Department/School :FeL sz .:-.LZ ;?ti+-%-& Institution/University :-- Thesis Title + dab*- &, Date of completion of requirements for award : -------@............................................................................ I authorise the University to make this thesis available on the Internet for access by USP authorised users. I authorise e niversity to make this thesis available on the Internet under the Internati di ital theses project Signed: Contact Address Permanent Address 22 7i~rnwS+ e-mail : .- e-mail: O~~~OSCP@;h3 .go* na Yaqona and Education in Fiji: A Clash of Cultures? A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. S.G. Aporosa (Student id: 03010357) 2006 ABSTRACT In the Fiji Islands, a developing nation in the South Pacific, education has been promted as one of several pathways to its development. However, low academic achievement appears to be undermining this strategic focus, and the Fijian Ministry of Education (MoE) have begun to question whether culture and values are factors in under-achievement and are interupting effective education delivery. This exploratory study, believed to be the first on this topic, isolates and investigates the culture of yaqona (commonly known as kava) and its relationship to education delivery. Academic comment concerning yaqona's influence on education delivery is limited, although informal debate and discussion is widespread, with some criticising the traditional practices associated with the use and consumption of the beverage as a significant contributing factor in Fijian educational under-achievement. Thirty-one Teachers, MoE staff, academics and education stakeholders were surveyed and interviewed using a structured questionnaire and semi-formal interviews. It was found that yaqona, a soporific intoxicating beverage, played a vital cultural and economic role in the educational arena and research participants confirmed that the over- consumption of yaqona, both during and after school hours, is having a negative impact upon education delivery. This research shows that the factors that contribute to over- consumption are the cultural significance of yaqona, ceremony and presentation, the State/Community education delivery partnership, limited extra-curricula activity, the ethos of vakaturaga, obligation, bole (a non-aggressive form of competitive consumption), kinship, and masculinity. Despite this, it is argued that the complete removal of yaqona from the school campus would be both impossible and detrimental, threatening limited financial resources and the State/Community partnership, which is vital to the systems of education delivery; together with diluting culture, identity, and notions of self-worth, and therefore perpetuating under-achievement. It is hoped that this thesis will stimulate discussion among education stakeholders in Fiji and the wider Pacific, and add to the literature on under-achievement. VAKAVINAVINAKA (ACKNOWLEDGEMENT) Na vakadidike qo e dikevi kina na kaukaua ni yaqona kei na kena itovo e vakabauti ni tara na veivakavulici e Viti. Na ulugata dredre qo, dau tarai keda vakalevu na kena veitalanoataki, e ciqomi ruarua kina na rai e tokona kei na kena e saqati tale ga kina na yaqona, ka sega ni kena inaki me vakalewai ira na qasenivuli se dua e dau gunu yaqona. Me nanumi tale ga ni kena vakatabakidua na vakadidike qo ena dua ga na vanua me kua ni lai dusi sara kina na tara se tabu ni yaqona ena ivakarau ni veivakavulici ni dua na taba ni vuli, isoqosoqo lotu se tabana vakamatanitu e Viti. E inaki ga ni vakadidike me vakadikeva e dua na ulutaga e sebera ni vakadidiketaki mada, me vakauqeta tale ga na veitalanoa vei ira era tiki, se ra kauwai ena veika vakavuli e Viti. Au kerea meu vosoti ni se sega ni raw a ni vakadewataki vakaviti na vakadidike qo. Au gadreva meu vakaraitaka na vakavinavinaka levu mai vu ni yaloqu vei ira kece na vakaitavi ena kena rawa na vakadidike qo. Na vuku ni veimaroroi kei na vakalekalekataki ni itukutuku ena sega ni vakatakilai kece na yacadra. Au gadreva meu vakavinavinaka vei Filipe Jitoko na ivukevuke ni vunilewa ni Tabacakacaka ni Vuli kei Joji Qaranivalu, ena tabana ni vakadidike ni tabacakacaka ni vuli, ena veivakadonui kei na veitokoni ena gauna ni vakadidike. Ke a sega na veitokoni ni tabacakacaka ni vuli ke a sega ni vakayacori na vakadidike qo. Na noqu vakavinavinaka cecekia vua na qasenivuliliu e liu ena Richmond Methodist High School o Serupepeli Udre ena veivakaitaukeitaki, veikauwaitaki, yalovinaka kei na veidusimaki, sega ni guilecavi kina na veigauna dau vakavulici au kina ena ivakarau duidui, na ituvatuva kei na itovo e okati ena bula vakaitaukei e Viti. Vua na qasenivuliliu o Setareki Merekula, na italatala Seru Tokalau, na matabose ni koronivuli kei na lewe ni koronivuli e RMHS, au via vakaraitaka na noqu vakavinavinaka levu vei ira ena nodra yalosavu kei na veiciqomi. Ke a sega na nodra veivuke, veitokoni kei na yalovinaka ke a sega ni rawa na vakadidike qo. E veivakauqeti na kauwai ena nodra susu ka tuberi cake na gone, ka 'u dau kurabui ena veigauna ena veika e rawa, vakabibi ni rawa ena dela Vakavinavinaka ni dredre era rawa ni sow kina e levu. Au vakavinavinaka vakalevu tale ga vei Tui Rauni: Tomasi Vasu, na noqu vuvale kei na itokani mai Natokalau, Korovou kei Busa oni vakatara meu vulica na veika dina e Vakaviti. Dodonu me rau vakavinavinakataki o Tevita Bainimoli kei Savenaca Veibataki ni rau vakavulici au ena iwalewale matailalai ni kena tei, cavu, lose kei na kena gunuvi na yaqona. Na vakavinavinaka cecekia vei rau na noqu qasenivuli, o Dr. Donovan Storey kei Dr. Manu Barcham ena Massey University ena veitokoni, cau vakavakasama kei na veivakauqeti. Dodonu meu vakavinavinaka tale ga vei Dr. Maciu Tomlinson ena Monash University, e Malevani, na gone ta mai Tavuki, ena veitokoni, vakasala momona kei na veitalanoa veivakauqeti. E rau vakavinavinakataki tale ga o Kali kei Tarisi Vunidilo ena veidusimaki kei na veivuke, vakabibi ena itauyavu ni vakadidike. Au vakavinavinaka tale ga vei Sekove Bigitibau mai na Tabacakacaka itaukei, itokani vakavuli ena univesiti e Waikato ena veigauna ni gunu yaqona dau veitalanoataki kina na vakadidike qo kei na ulutaga e semai kina, vakakina na nona veivuke ena kena vakadewataki. Au vakavinavinaka vakalevu vei Dr. Martin Upsdell ena kila ni kena wiliki ka vakamacalataki na iwalewale ni vakadikevi ni yaqona ena yago; vei Vuniwai Josaia Turagava (Namalata) nona veivuke ena itukutuku vakavuniwai, vakakina o Vuniwai Ian Goodwin ena veivakauqeti kei na veitokoni. Sa vakavinavinakataki tale ga na isoqosoqo ni itaukei e Hamilton ena nodra veikauwaitaki kei na yalosavu, rawa kina meu veitalanoataka ka kila e levu na vakasama ni vakadidike qo e Niusiladi. Meu tinia, na noqu vakavinavinaka levu vua na watiqu ka noqu itokani vinaka duadua o Jan. E sega ni cegu na nona veivakauqeti, dau vakawilika ka vakaraitaka na nona rai ena veika au vola, vakayagataka nona iyau kei na ilavo ena gauna kece e qaravi tiko kina na vakadidike qo, kei na noqu vuli. E dina ni lewe levu sara era cau mai ena kena vakaoti na vakadidike qo, ke sega ni volai vakadodonu na vei cau oqori, meu beitaki ga o au. Vakavinavinaka iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to express my wholehearted appreciation to all of the people who have made this research possible. However, due to the need for confidentiality and brevity, not all of these people can be identified by name. I wish to thank Mr. Filipe Jitoko, the Deputy Secretary for Education, Fijian Ministry of Education (MoE), and Mr. Joji Qaranivalu, Research Division, MoE, not only for their approval to conduct this research, but also their ongoing support and assistance throughout its duration. Without the support of the MoE, this research would not have commenced. I am deeply indebted to Master Serupepeli Udre, the former Principal of Richmond Methodist High School (RMHS), Kadavu, for his hospitality, friendship, patience and mentoring, together with the many hours he spent in teaching me some of the multi-layered systems, structures and protocols involved in being Fijian. To Principal Setareki Merekula, Talatala Seru Tokalau, the School Board, and all of the community at RMHS, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to them for continuously opening their lives and welcoming me like a brother. Without their help, support and openness, this research would not have been possible. Their passion to cultivate and grow young lives is an inspiration, and they have continuously surprised me with how much they have been able to achieve, often in very trying circumstances, when many would have given up. I extend special thanks to Tui Rauni: Tomasi Vasu, and my family and friends at Natokalau, Korovou and Busa Villages, who have allowed me to participate and learn in the 'real' Fiji. Special thanks must go to Tevita Bainimoli and Savenaca Veibataki for teaching me the finer points of cultivating, harvesting, mixing, and drinking yaqona. Thanks and immense gratitude goes to my supervisors, Dr. Donovan Storey and Dr. Manu Barcham at Massey University, for their support, input and encouragement. I owe special thanks to Dr. Maciu Tomlinson of Monash University, Melbourne, adopted son of Tavuki, for his support, thoughtful advice, and challenging conversations. Thanks are also Acknowledgement due to Kali Vunidilo and Tarisi Sorovi Vunidilo for their guidance and assistance, especially during the early stages of the research. I owe a debt of gratitude to Sekove Bigitibau, from the Fijian Affairs Board and fellow Masters student studying at Waikato University, for the hours we spent drinking yaqona together discussing this research and related topics, and for his assistance with translation. I am especially thankful to Dr. Martin Upsdell for his expertise in interpreting and presenting the statistical material, Dr.