Opportunely

Fijian Way Of Life

New Book Comes Opportunely

rHERE is valuable material in Mr. G. K. Roth’s book, “Fijian Way Of Life,’’ which has just ieen published by Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

Apart from the wealth of infor nation made available to the student of Pacific affairs, the :hapters on the “The Principal Customary Ceremonies” and “The r ijian Administration” are of par icular interest. Authentic and re iable data on these subjects litherto has been meagre. Mr. Roth iarns our gratitude for the way in yhich he has presented these sub ects.

This reviewer (who was born in r iji and lived there until middle ige) relished, as no doubt others lull, the subtle manner in which he author handled the “Yanggona oast (Vakavitho) and he recalls nth delight the occasions when he iad personal experience of the cus om; whilst the information which 4r. Roth gives about the origin nd significance of the “Tambua” is aluable indeed.

The chapter on “Fijian Admin itration” supplies an excellent pic jre of the position of the indigen us race in Fiji to-day, as far as its wn local government is concerned,

and traces the steps which the ad ministration in its wisdom has taken from 1874 to the present day. To • uninformed reader, the picture might appear almost Utopian, but for the well known fact that the r ijian has been outstripped numerically by the other races who have migrated to the Colony. The main trading and industrial bus

nesses copra and banana produc tion being the possible exception are in the hands of the immigrant races; and in the light of present day affairs, the question is posed of whether the Fijian can afford the luxury of having a separate civic administration.

To the student of political affairs in Fiji, the book emphasises the lag

In the development of the Fijian in this sphere, vis-a-vis the other races. This reviewer is of the opinion that a continuance of the present policy is not enough; and, to quote the last sentence in the book, “successful evolution in Fijian Affairs would thus appear to rest nowadays, as in the past, on the close connection of the Fijian and his land, and on his economic use of it.” But, as the PIM pointed out in its principal article in Feb ruary, this only partly solves the problem.

THE present Fijian Administra tion’s structure, as described by Mr. Roth, shows that it is very well equipped, indeed; and this re viewer holds that, with a change in policy, it could merge with and absorb all local government machinery in the Colony, to embody all races in its next stage of logical development. By adopting such a policy, the Fijian could become equipped to take his proper place alongside the other races, and undertake his new responsibilities when the Colony reaches self-gov erning status. Kept apart, as he is to-day, the Fijian is being severely handicapped in his political de velopment.

Just as surely as ecological con siderations made the choice of bush materials obligatory for houses in the early days, so for the same reason the “mbure,” or grass hut, will disappear from the Fijian

scene, in favour of something more durable; and as in Hawaii —which in many respects can be taken to parallel the position in Fiji—the grass hut will become a novelty or showpiece for the tourist. With the money economy developing, the Fijian will surely follow a pattern

similar to the Hawaiian, although the transition will not be so rapid; whether this is a good or bad thing is a debatable point. Some students of Pacific affairs hold that the Fijian, at any rate, has had, up to now, more time to enjoy what is left of his early culture; but

few deny that he has to be given more political responsibilities to enable him to take his proper place in the affairs of the Colony.

AS it seems inevitable that Fiji will have to assume in time a more democratic form of gov ernment, both local and central, one tvonders idle, speciulative and tiorrible as the thought may appear to some readers!—whether the Fijians might not have been better eff materially and politically (with ;he industrial development dictating ;he immigration policy which was •ightly or wrongly followed) if Fhakombau’s final effort at govern nent had succeeded, and been idopted by Governor Sir Hercules Robinson (vide pages 134-135) in stead of the policy of indirect rule vhich the latter instituted, and vhich was afterwards consolidated >y Sir Arthur Gordon and suc ;essive governors.

On this controversial note the re dewer concludes by recommending he book to everyone interested in r ijian and Pacific affairs. It is easy ;o read, of moderate proportions, veil-written and illustrated, and, or a book of this kind, reasonably jriced.—TAVlTE.

EDITORIAL NOTE : In fairness o Mr. Roth it should be pointed •ut that, as a civil servant, he vould not be able to bring any de »atable policies into his book. He s, however, more than competent o implement the kind of policy ad ocated by the reviewer. Apart from lis experience in Fijian Affairs, and .s a senior Administrative Officer, Jr. Roth, curiously enough, was one f the first, if not the first, “official”

Chairman of the Suva Town Board, luring the interregnum before the iresent civic administration came nto being.

At a training course in boxing or Samoan policemen in Apia, luring a sparring bout, the trainer, 'oti Schmidt, floored one of the •ainees, a Samoan policeman named 'aipou. The latter struck his head n the wooden floor and died in tantly.