A note on language and race in Fiji
After spending two wonderful months with the people of Fiji, it is tempting to write a long treatise about how the struggle between indigenous Fijians and the Indo-Fijians is wildly misrepresented in the international press. For those unfamiliar with Fijian history or current events, almost half of the population of the islands is ethnically Indian, descendents of indentured labourers brought over by the British in the late 1800s and early 1900s.In lieu of voluntarily penning a term paper on the subject, I will point out three particularly egregious suppositions in the media reports:
1. That all Indo-Fijians are wealthy businessmen.
Yes, the wealth is concentrated in the Indo-Fijian community, but in just a few people. The majority of Indo-Fijians struggle to get by (and lack the social safety net present in traditional Fijian culture).
2. That the government coups (1987 and 2000) were all about the indigenous Fijians protesting the election of an Indo-Fijian dominated government.
This very common assumption is quite backward. The elected government was a labour government, opposed by the wealthy, and had support among both Fijian and Indo-Fijian people. The chiefs -- the indigenous Fijians with power and influence -- were upset because it was clear that many indigenous Fijians voted for the government rather than the indigenous Fijian political party supported by the chiefs. Many Fijians actually argue that the only feasible financial support for the coups was the wealthier Indo-Fijian business community.
3. That the country is divided cleanly along racial lines.
The country is divided, but by politics more than racism. On the streets, there is little animosity between the peoples.
The situation in Fiji is far from ideal. Personally, I think the language is symptomatic of the problem. Throughout my writings on Fiji, I have used the common term Indo-Fijian. Sadly, it is an example of a term which by any conventional measure would be deemed offensive being recognized as acceptable purely due to convenience and constant usage. By referring to these often third or even fourth generation Fijians as Indo-Fijians, we are condemning them to second-class citizenry. Would it be deemed reasonable to label me a Russian-Canadian, because my grandparents emigrated from Russia in the early 1900s?
Unfortunately, it is hard to imagine Indo-Fijians breaching this linguistic barrier. The language, and the nationality, problem is deeply rooted in indigenous Fijian culture and traditions. Land in Fiji is inherited from your ancestors. Remarkably, given colonization and the influx of foreign dollars, around 85% of the land in Fiji is still controlled by the villages. As an indigenous Fijian, your home is your family's village. You may have been born in Suva, a modern city, but you are still "from" the original village (and may even return one day). According to that logic, a Fijian whose ancestors came from India will always be considered an Indo-Fijian.