I could have chosen a better topic to accompany the change in name of my blog but I felt this was worthy enough. Sometimes it feels as though I'm looking for a tool that fits the job.......hmm
It is a talked about issue nowadays for the Itaukei communities how we are coping with our traditional obligations as opposed to our domestic or family responsibilities. Nowadays the main factor is how hard one is able to cope with the costs of attending to these obligations and upholding our traditions. This has lead to the attempted reseaches by various institution to bring to light the issues surrounding these complications of the Itaukei way of life. The question is, are traditions based or governed by a set of rules that determines its acceptance in a society or is it made to depict the nature of that society and its surroundings or is it a divine structure that we adhere to with strict attention to its details. Sometimes I ponder and realise this is just our doing.
During a talanoa session we had a discussion on how difficult it is to find a Tabua(whales tooth). To those who don't know, it is an item of great reverance in the Itaukei culture and holds its status in the hierachy of Fijian traditions. The gravity of the gathering or traditional obligation would determine its presence and sometimes how one perceives it to be. So we talked about how at different Itaukei customs the presentation of tabua would also allow the other side to return the gesture. In doing so every one goes back with something unlike in other customs as in mine the Tabua once presented does not anticipate such gesture. Though a marked difference it is still the Itaukei tradition and one would notice the difference in traditions even within Fiji.
After that small talanoa session I thought long and hard of why do we have that difference. Well heres my attempt in trying to shed some light on this subject. The presentation of the Tabua back to the presenting party is a show of respect and acknowledgement of their presentation. On the other hand there's the possibility that certain traditions are sometimes associated with their geographic location. It would be reasonable to note if Fijians from inland, the mountanous regions, would derive such tradition to avoid the scarcity of Tabua and ensure it's presence, hence the question Tabua could only have found their way up there if there was trade in exchange for big timbers that were used to build big bures and war canoes with the coastal tribes or those who have lived out in the islands with their links intact to the mainland and links which was as clear as day in those times for the frequency of their travel and visit.
Lets end there for today...
It is a talked about issue nowadays for the Itaukei communities how we are coping with our traditional obligations as opposed to our domestic or family responsibilities. Nowadays the main factor is how hard one is able to cope with the costs of attending to these obligations and upholding our traditions. This has lead to the attempted reseaches by various institution to bring to light the issues surrounding these complications of the Itaukei way of life. The question is, are traditions based or governed by a set of rules that determines its acceptance in a society or is it made to depict the nature of that society and its surroundings or is it a divine structure that we adhere to with strict attention to its details. Sometimes I ponder and realise this is just our doing.
During a talanoa session we had a discussion on how difficult it is to find a Tabua(whales tooth). To those who don't know, it is an item of great reverance in the Itaukei culture and holds its status in the hierachy of Fijian traditions. The gravity of the gathering or traditional obligation would determine its presence and sometimes how one perceives it to be. So we talked about how at different Itaukei customs the presentation of tabua would also allow the other side to return the gesture. In doing so every one goes back with something unlike in other customs as in mine the Tabua once presented does not anticipate such gesture. Though a marked difference it is still the Itaukei tradition and one would notice the difference in traditions even within Fiji.
After that small talanoa session I thought long and hard of why do we have that difference. Well heres my attempt in trying to shed some light on this subject. The presentation of the Tabua back to the presenting party is a show of respect and acknowledgement of their presentation. On the other hand there's the possibility that certain traditions are sometimes associated with their geographic location. It would be reasonable to note if Fijians from inland, the mountanous regions, would derive such tradition to avoid the scarcity of Tabua and ensure it's presence, hence the question Tabua could only have found their way up there if there was trade in exchange for big timbers that were used to build big bures and war canoes with the coastal tribes or those who have lived out in the islands with their links intact to the mainland and links which was as clear as day in those times for the frequency of their travel and visit.
Lets end there for today...
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