The Fiji Islands
...ently governed by the FLP-FAP coalition, and is led by Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, A native of Fiji. Four of the ministers are women, and the National Council of Women set up a joint campaign. The current present of Fiji is Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who has been active in Fiji’s political scene since the 1960s. The Fijian government is divided into sixteen ministries. There are four political divisions for administrative purposes: Western, Eastern, Northern, and Central. In the local governments, there are city, town and municipal councils, unlike the four divisions in the main government. In Fiji, parliament has a constitution that was passed in 1997. It says that parliament must consist of a president, a senate, and a House of Representatives. The president serves a total of five years in office, and is given executive authority. This job is given to only an indigenous Fijian, and must be approved of by the Great Council of Chiefs and the House of Representatives before he can take this position. The Senate is made of 32 members, all are of which permitted by the president and the Great Council of Chiefs. Also neighboring communities help decide who should be in the Senate. Their role is to revise bills and to resolve issues. The House of Representatives consists of 71 members.23 are reserved for indigenous Fijians, 9 for natives, 1 for a Rotuman, 3 for other races, and 25 are open seats. Prime ministers were required to be indigenous Fijians, but that rule was revoked. There are three courts in the judiciary: High court, court of appeal, and a supreme court. Political parties in Fiji still remain largely separated along racial lines. Just some are: FNUF, GVP, FLP, Christian Democratic Party, SVT, and NFP. Fijian food is a blend of indigenous Fijian, Polynesian, Chinese, and Western influences-all in one meal. Traditional food for Fijians could be called tavioka (cassava) or dalo (taro), boiled, or baked fish, and seafood in lolo (coconut cream). Kokoda is a popular dish; raw fish marinated in coconut cream and lime juice. Seasonal and tropical fruits are the guava, the mango, and the pineapple. Native dishes tend to be heavily spiced, and meat curry with rice, lentil soup, and roti (a type of flat bread) is a typical meal. Chinese cuisine is very popular in the Fiji islands, and served frequently. If you ever eat at a Fiji-Indian home, there is strict etiquette even if they eat with their hands. They sit on hand woven mats, and will serve as much as they can, if they can afford it or not. It is best to ask your host for advice on eating, because they’re very picky about the protocol in Fijian homes. Although Fijian food is delicious, they have some foods that you should not eat. Fijians still eat turtle, and the meat can be found in markets. You should politely refuse if someone offers you some of this. Also, avoid eating large predatory reef fish, for they can possibly carry the ciguatera toxin. All of Fiji’s many dialects descend from their native language There are about 300 varieties of Fijian, but they all belong to two major groupings. Across the center of Viti Levu runs a north-south line with some kinks, divides the regions into east and west. These different groups call themselves Eastern Fijians, and Western Fijians. But there is one form of language based on one of the eastern varieties that all Fijians understand. This language is called “vosa vakabau”. It’s used mostly in conversation and on the radio, TV, and news. Pronunciation is slightly different, but it’s relatively the same. Fiji’s conduct usually is very strict. They tolerate travelers, but you are expected to follow the customs and show reverence for them. If you don’t understand something, it’s best to ask before doing. Children should be silent indoors, and as usual, have to be deferential towards elders. Shoes must be taken off and laid at the front door when entering a house, and one must stoop when entering to show respect for the homeowners. No Fijians should wear hats, except for the chief. A Fijian’s head is considered the most sacred part of the body. It is very rude to touch a person’s head, even patting a child’s. If you ever touched a chief’s head, then you were put to death (of course, there is no such punishment now). Should you be invited over to a stay with a Fijian family, make yourself comfortable and ready for a heart warming and engaging experience. Fijian families will do as much as they can to make their guest feel comfortable. They are also masters at entertaining, and should keep you interested all through your visit. Education in Fiji is very high quality, with a good system. Fijians have a high literacy level of 87%, and their education is not compulsory. The local committees and religious groups run most schools. Once again, like the political groups, these schools tend to be one race only, even though there is no policy for racial segregation. Most children attend both elementary and secondary schools. Elementary school is six years in span, and for the first for years, the instruction is the student’s mother tongue. Fijian children are taught in the Bauan dialect, their dominant dialect in Fiji. Secondary school is six years also, and there are two major exams that Fijians must take: the Fiji Junior Certificate in the fourth year, and the Fiji School Leaving Certificate in the sixth year. There is also an optional seventh year, and it is possible to take the Fiji Seventh Form Exam. This is the equivalent of the foundation year in university. Higher education is available at University of the South Pacific. 12 South Pacific countries own this university, and another can be found in Western Samoa, where there also is a School of Agriculture. The Suva campus offers courses in the humanities, sciences and economics. This university has more than 2,500 students, who mostly are form South Pacific nations, except for Papua New Guinea, and the French and America...