Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HISTORY
Feared for its cannibal tendencies and avoided by mariners for its treacherous reefs, Fiji
was one of the last island groups in the world to be encroached upon by the West. When
the
kaivalagi
, the men from far away, finally arrived in 1803 they found a deeply hier-
archical tribal culture characterized by allegiance to village chiefs, fierce warfare and
pagan religion. Europeans exploited the Fijians' natural resources, particularly sandal-
wood, coconuts and bêche de mer (sea cucumber), and brought with them firearms and
alcohol with which to pay off the local chiefs.
The arrival of firearms sparked several bloody wars between tribes, particularly the powerful
clans of Rewa and Bau on eastern Viti Levu. This turbulent state of affairs eased in 1874 after
Cakobau
, the self-proclaimed “King of Fiji” converted to Christianity and renounced can-
nibalism, events which would lead to Fiji becoming a
British colony
. The Fijians, however,
proved a reluctant workforce for the new authorities and so indentured labourers from India
were shipped in to work the land and make profitable this curious outpost of the empire. This
situation continued for almost a hundred years until the country secured its independence in
1970 and was faced with the challenging task of forming a harmonious national identity, a
struggle that continues today.
The first Fijians
With no written record, the movement and lifestyles of the first Fijian peoples have been re-
vealed only with the advent of accurate archeological research, particularly the discovery of
Lapita pottery
. Many Fijians, however, give credence to the legend of
Lutunasobasoba
as
the first settler of the islands.
Lapita migration
Scientific findings place
Bourewa
, north of Natadola Beach on the west coast of Viti Levu, as
the earliest site of human habitation in Fiji, dating back to 1220 BC. Distinctive
Lapita pot-
tery
found all around the Melanesian archipelago, suggests that the settlers originated from
Southeast Asia, most probably Taiwan or the Philippines. Thought to be lighter skinned than
modern Fijians, they inhabited Papua New Guinea, then the Solomon Islands before settling
on Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. This migration was followed by a more dynam-
ic flow of people, likely to be darker-skinned Melanesians who reached Fiji between 1000
and 500 BC. The Melanesians continued east to Tonga, the remote islands of Rarotonga and
Tahiti, before eventually reaching Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Hawaii, all part of present-
day Polynesia, around 800 AD.
Lutunasobasoba
The majority of Fijians recognize
Lutunasobasoba
as the first person to settle the islands
and as founder of the tribal system. However, the story of his discovery of Fiji only entered
