Owen 1

Casey Owen
World Culture Period 11
Mrs. Baldauf
4/6/2015
Life in Fiji: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The culture and lifestyle of Fiji revolve around the idea of adapting and making the best
of anything thats thrown at it. Governments rise and fall, language barriers become obscured,
and the art and culture of Fiji have origins tracing back to the first settlers. Its this type of
resilience that makes Fiji so strong and its what may help guide it to becoming a leading force in
the world.
The government of Fiji in the past was everchanging. Dictators came and went,
parliaments rose and fell, and until recently, Fiji was in a constant state of uncertainty. It was in
2007 that Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, better known as Frank Bainimarama, led a coup d'etat that
overthrew the former government. From 2007 to 2014, Frank Bainimarama practically ruled Fiji
with an iron fist, but in the process stabilized much of what was wrong within Fijian government.
This seemingly flawless coup was not without its criticisms however. During Franks time as a
somewhat belligerent dictator, several reports and stories of internal threats were made. At one
point in a vote to abolish the death penalty, the self-appointed president was confronted by
opposing MPs. They argued that they keep the death penalty as a deterrent to future military
coups. Even with all its ups and down, the Fijian government always manages to find its footing
and stand strong in the face of adversity. Whether it be belligerent dictators or abusive presidents,
Fiji is still left standing at the end of it.

Owen 1
To understand the Fijian culture, you must first understand the history behind Fiji itself.
The first residents of Fiji were the Austronesians and the Melanesians, settling sometime before
the Bronze Age ended. It wasnt until some 3000 years later that Europeans would first step foot
on the island. After this, Fiji became an independent kingdom for some time until they were
finally made colony by Britain in 1874. A lot of culture from many different visitors left an
imprint of the Fijian identity. As a result, Fijis art, music, and architecture are largely influenced
by Europeans, the British, and of course, the first Austronesian and Melanesian settlers.
The language of Fiji is known for its energetic and diverse roots. The three most
commonly spoken languages are English, Fijian, and Fijian Hindi. While the first and second
official language isnt unexpected, Fijian Hindu seems to stick out. While both English and
Fijian have common words and phrases specific to Fiji, the Fijian Hindi language is truly unique.
Children raised in homes that speak primarily Fijian Hindu are exposed to a plethora of other
dialects and vocabularies from the surrounding cultures. Urdu, Arabic, and Tamil are just a few
of the languages that have found its way into the unique Fijian Hindi dialect. Many of the Hindi
forms of words in this language also came from many other branches of Indian language.
Fiji displays a lot of qualities that other countries find admirable. Not many countries
could handle some of the radical changes that Fiji has undergone in the past few years. Several
coup detats, a natural disaster, and a change in how the country is run never stopped Fiji. As the
country improves its economy and recuperates from its latest political event, Fiji may someday
become a leading force in renewable energies and ethical political operations.