The word “Fijian” does not belong to the iTaukei. It is an English language word to describe people from Fiji, the place. Just as people from Australia are Australian, people from Canada are Canadian, people from America are American and so on.
So it is bereft of logic for iTaukei to claim the word “Fijian” as their own. And bereft of logic to suggest that the nation’s minorities – including kai valagi for whom English is their mother tongue – should go to the Great Council of Chiefs who aren’t kai valagi to seek approval to use a word from our own language to describe ourselves.
This matter has already been settled. Or at least should have been settled. The common identity – “Fijian” – is already in the 2013 Constitution. We are all Fijians, irrespective of ethnicity. It is stamped in our passports, unless newly-issued ones have been altered and it has escaped Grubsheet’s attention. So it simply isn’t acceptable to now wind back the clock and unilaterally withdraw the right of non-indigenous people to be described with a word that isn’t iTaukei and, axiomatically, doesn’t belong to the iTaukei.
Yes, I know, I know. The 2013 Constitution was foisted on the nation by Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. It wasn’t a document on which the nation was invited to vote. But as far as a great many non-iTaukei are concerned, the common and equal citizenry, the common identity (“Fijian”) and the secular state have become non-negotiable more than a decade on.
We are not a nation of “Fijians” for the iTaukei and “Fiji Islanders” for the rest. We are Fijian, just as an iTaukei who acquires Australian citizenship is an Australian. And it is extremely divisive – and, yes, offensive – to suggest that on the basis of a single vote-winning margin in the parliament in December 2022, that the new order has the right to wind back the clock.
This Fijian isn’t going to ask the chiefs for approval to use a word from my mother tongue to describe myself. In fact, I am not going to ask the chiefs for approval for anything, beyond cultural matters pertaining to their roles in the vanua. They may be custodians of indigenous Fijian identity. But they are not custodians of my identity. I am entitled by law to use the English word “Fijian” to describe myself because I was born in Fiji and am a citizen. And so has every other Fijian.
On the basis of their one-vote win two years ago, the Coalition government has restored the Great Council of Chiefs. But it is an iTaukei institution of people who derive their authority from the least democratic means of governance – hereditary privilege. It is the parliament, not the GCC, that is the supreme authority in the country – men and women elected by the people in a democratic vote. And it is the duty of every citizen to uphold that principle.
We know, because the Qaranivalu, the high chief of Naitasiri, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata, has said so, that he wants the GCC to have ascendancy over the parliament, for hereditary figures to have the power to overrule the decisions of our democratically-elected representatives.
This is a man who instigated the 2000 mutiny in the RFMF and has blood on his hands. He is not my chief. And I will never give the Qaranivalu any respect at all after his murderous conduct, let alone for his accident of birth. The same goes for the Tui Cakau, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu – a convicted coup-maker, racist, misogynist and alleged arsonist and child abuser.
If, God forbid, Ratu Naiqama becomes head of state because his chiefly subject, Sitiveni Rabuka, foists him on the nation, he will not be my president. I will not stand when he enters the room or give him any deference at all. Because through his own actions as a person, he is unworthy of my respect and the respect of any Fijian.
The iTaukei can choose to kowtow to individuals like the Qaranivalu and the Tui Cakau who have inherited their lofty positions yet behave like common criminals. But members of Fiji’s minorities don’t have to kowtow to them at all. And most of us won’t. In fact, the GCC needs to clean up its act to regain any mana at all in national life that, incidentally, was given without question to the great chiefs of the past because they were worthy of respect.
If Sitiveni Rabuka is foolish enough to proceed with his plan next Thursday to install his own chief, the Tui Cakau, as president of the republic, any notion of national unity will be shattered, given his miserable record. Fiji will be a nation divided. And between people of decency – the majority of Fijians – and those like Sitiveni Rabuka who have chosen the path of indecency and appear to have lost all sense of what is right and what is wrong.
If Rabuka gets his way, Fiji will have a head of state who is morally reprehensible, just as we already have a Minister for Women and Children who is morally reprehensible and a Minister for Education who is morally reprehensible. In the case of Lynda Tabuya and Aseri Radrodro, they are political choices by the People’s Alliance and SODELPA that the Fijian people will have the opportunity to pronounce judgment on at the next election.
Yet in the case of Naiqama Lalabalavu – if parliament is foolish enough to elect him president – we will have no opportunity to pronounce judgment on him at all. He will be in office beyond the 2026 election, his presence a constant reminder of the moral turpitude of the Rabuka era. Many Fijians will doubtless see no choice but to show deference to him as head of state, to shake his hand, garland and salute him. But it will be with a great deal of discomfort, even disgust.
Sitiveni Rabuka intends to send the Tui Cakau to the great capitals of the world as the embodiment of the state and the representative of the Fijian people. Yes, all Fijians. Ratu Naiqama will go to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles, with the secret briefing notes doubtless detailing his sordid past. And the King will have to grin and bear it because Sitiveni Rabuka will have given him no choice. Just as the King has to grin and bear every meeting with the Prime Minister, including the latest at CHOGM in Apia, knowing that without consulting the Fijian people, Rabuka overthrew his mother and abolished the monarchy in Fiji in 1987*.
The world will have no choice but to accept Rabuka’s choice as head of state. But they will know Ratu Naiqama’s history. And just as upright leaders have to shake the hands of tyrants like Vladimir Putin, Lalabalavu as president will permanently carry the stain of his appalling record and by association, so will the rest of us because he will be representing the Fijian people.
You can make up your own minds, Fiji, as will every citizen. But Ratu Naiqama will never be my president because he is unworthy of the position and of my respect. And I will never accept an unelected elite stripping me of the right to use the term “Fijian” – a word that is from my mother language, not theirs, and that they do not own in the first place to have the right to dispense.
NOTE: This article appeared in the Fiji Times during the week while I was on my break. But the announcement that Ratu Naiqama is the Prime Minister’s candidate for the presidency has given it fresh resonance.
* Isn’t it strange how the Prime Minister keeps saying that no-one had any say in the formulation of the 2013 Constitution yet he happily abrogated the monarchy without consulting anyone 37 years ago.
UPDATE SUNDAY AM:
” Why should anyone be condemned forever?” The Prime Minister’s astonishing response to the criticism of his plan to install his chief as head of state.
For God’s sake, you moron. Ratu Naiqama’s latest travesty isn’t historical. It happened this month when he made racist comments about the opposition MP, Aliki Bia, and the Melanesian community in Fiji.
It says a great deal about Sitiveni Rabuka’s diminishing faculties and lack of a moral compass that it takes his elder and intellectual better – the octogenarian former prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry – to point out the bleeding obvious.
Naiqama Lalabalavu is totally unsuitable to be head of state. And if this appointment goes ahead next Thursday, the Coalition’s political problems will go from bad to worse.
It beggars belief that Rabuka and his Coalition’s partners, including Biman Prasad, think that installing a convicted criminal at State House is appropriate. They are all moral pygmies who deserve to face the wrath of the electorate. And they will.
No approvals needed to use the word Fijian.
It’s already enshrined in the constitution and doesn’t need any approvals from a group of useless old men (some who are thugs, rapists and pedophiles) who have done nothing to enrich the lives of ALL the people of Fiji and are better off sitting under the mango tree drinking homebrew.
Every so called chief exists purely to serve his own personal interests.
I know of one back in the day who used to get his “pocket money” from NLTB (as it was known then) and head into Nausori town with it. This money was supposed to be shared amongst his villagers. Instead, he would spend it on booze, prostitutes and emerge 3 days later, penniless and often approached my grandfather for “kerekere” to last the rest of the month.
It’s sickening to see how low Fiji has fallen since this government came into power.
If one is born in Fiji and has a Fiji passport they are Fijian – black, white, brown, pink or blue or fuzzy or straight hair. Period. The iTaukei and the PM do not like things vulagi, but they embrace a vulagi word and a vulagi religion with a great deal of passion. I do not understand and I am sure they do not either.
Interestingly, there are many Indo-Fijians who do not like being called Fijian. These are the Indian idiots of Fiji.
But one cannot legislate against stupidity, that includes stupidity of the PM, the President, the Speaker, members of the GCC and the general public.
Who the fcuk gave the authority to the GCC to approve these things. Are they an elected body of Fiji? They are a creation of the vulagi British. So the whole thing is a farce and to legitimise the GCC as the voice of the iTaukei is a load of bullshit. There was no GCC before the British came. What the fcuk have they done or achieved since their establishment? Why are the iTaukei living in poverty? What happened to their delegation who went to China last year to study poverty alleviation?
It is amazing that the people of Fiji are content for crooks and criminals like Rabuka, the Qaranivalu, the Speaker and those of their ilk to rule over them. This includes the many oblivious and stupid Indo-Fijians, including the former PM.
Stupidity and idiocy are cultural hallmarks of all the peoples Fiji. I have no doubt that on a per capita basis, Fiji has the highest proportion of idiots in the world. No need for the survey. Just believe me.
And that is a fact.
The Republic of Fiji is largely dependent on the Australian tax payer for their budgetary relief. Australian government has effectively re- colonised Fiji and taken over its political and foreign policy making. Rabuka has also agreed to send young Fijian youth to war as cannon fodders against a regional war against China by 2027. China does not want harm poor improvished Islands of the Pacific, but crooked racist Rabuka is filling his pockets with US and Australian dollars. History will judge him very harshly, as the racist colonel who murdered Fijian democracy in 1987.
Where is the evidence for this? I am no fan of what is going on but this is absurdly far-fetched. Cannon fodder for a war with China by 2027? Who says?
This is the rapid and continuous descent into the pits led by a clueless and immoral PM. If Naiqama is elected as president, the final nail in the coffin will be in place. Given the number of current shenanigans who are supporting Rabuka choice for president, Fiji is doomed to anarchy. It’s only a matter of time before it all explodes. These chiefs have absolutely no clue what true leadership is. All they are good at is demanding to be served and pampered by their dumb followers. Good work Rabuka, will be glad to see your end in 2026 if not sooner. This is stupidity to the highest degree!
It must be this ‘woke’ thing that’s going around. You know…”he”, “she”, “them”, “they”, etc. Bloody hell, man!
Well said GD….pulling no punches as usual and with fire in the belly! Yes far too much respect and undue honour accorded to these notorious “chiefly” people. Not tarnishing the good ones but it appears the good Chiefs are like rare diamonds.
There needs to be a social debate on what a chief is and their role in Fiji . Yes in Fiji this will cause the earth to tilt on its axis. Is a chief a god. A mahatma. An avatar. A super human?? A statesman or woman – one who when in authority and position of power and influence puts the interest of the nation before self. Or are chiefs gods to be worshiped and served by commoners in a form of perpetual serfdom.
Time for chiefs in national life is long gone. They should just loyally serve their villages and leave the running of country and government to the voters. Sa rauta na via via bosso tiko ka sega ni kila dua na ka. This kind of talk is being generated because Rabuka and his idiots in government have given the green light for the chiefs to intrude into a sphere that they have absolutely no business to be involved with. Waste time and wasted space!
Interestingly, the word Cakau, which means ‘reef’, is symbolized by the word ‘Jerusalem’ in Ezechiel 5:5 (the city is fortifiedz and so is Fiji). Ezechiel describes Fiji as the border of Israel, the worst place in the world.
Nostradamus describes Fiji as a place opposite Europe in the great ocean where a race of barbarous and proud people with dark skin live. Nostradamus mentions constantly that they are into witchcraft and sorcery.
He also said that it would become a British colony, and that it is the garden of Eden…
One man alone will take the country down, and he is from Québec, Canada.
He is named in Century X:10. The whole text is of course crypted, just like the prophecy of Ezechiel is…
Everybody is from Fiji. Everybody is Fijian.
With Ratu Naiqama as head of state, odds on Rabuka’s next step will be to abrogate the 2013 constitution and establish the GCC as the upper house of review – all say, no work and hand out mentality. It will be something like the 1990 set up again and an affirmation of the objectives of the 1987 coups.
It’s now clear the NFP, and others, were duped on false pretenses to reopen the doors of power to him and his ethno-nationalist supporters at the last election. Like other closet demagogues, once the electorate gives them a foot in the door, it’s there to stay. Thus it will be for Trump whom Rabuka admires. The agenda of these guys is not for democracy, but to use democracy as a means to an end. They will smile at any old fool with rose colored spectacles who happens to come along.
Frank and Aiyaz look like saints by comparison. The lesson for them though and others who aspire to leadership is that while a mandate through the ballot box is the greatest honour to be respected and delivered on; once in power, ruling by intimidation and favouritism is counterproductive. People must be heard, a free media is essential and respectfully Parliament is supreme.
Good luck Fiji with Naiqama and Rabuka in charge. They will coup the 2013 constitution and make an even bigger mess than they are now in.
Disney’s MOANA is such a joyous inspiring film about traditional island values – the old ways, the traditions, the mana of chiefs, faithful obedience and service to the greater good. This could be learnt from the Fiji of 50 years ago, but certainly not from Fiji today, the Pacific banana republic topped by narcissist idiots with an impoverished public too frightened and unorganised to rebel and cleanse the system from corruption.
They can take their one win vote and bugger off. Uneducated, uncivilised, unethical, incompetent people. They are the laughing stock of everything indigenous.
They have made a complete mockery of the country at all levels.
Has anyone seen and heard the Speaker in Parliament giving his personal opinions on just about everything. He sounds like a dumbarse, because that is what he is.
His role is not to give his dumbarse comments and opinions on anything. He is an unelected shithead who came into parliament through the backdoor, just because he is the dumdarse PM’s dumbarse chief. Why do the members of parliamnet sit there and listen to his rubbish and not speak out? Are they all protecting their jobs and their pays whilst this shithead is given the opportunity to freely put forward his unresearched, unnecessary and third rate opinions?
He was resoundingly rejected by his own people at the last election in 2022. He came into parliament by the skin of his teeth at the election in 2018.
Why hasn’t anyone spoken about his performance as Speaker? Or his background when he became Speaker?
Who recalls when GCC used to have their monthly conferences at Suva Civic Centre, they turned up in huge numbers, God knows where they came from
Stayed at GPH, drank alcohol, partied, hanged around Sukuna Park, white shirt Sulus Flip Flops ended up in Bali Hai and Public Employees Union Hall. Drunk and staggering, after conference ended, they all vanished, wherever they came from…good old Great Council of Thieves
Rabuka, the worst Prime Minister in Fiji’s history, is selectively using the Constitutional requirement for becoming President so he can nominate his own chief.
For one thing it is a huge conflict of interest if Rabuka were to stand up and nominate Ratu Naiqama.
Best parliamentary practise would require he declare his interest and absence himself from the vote. All other Vanua levu MPs should also vacate the Chamber because they too are conflicted.
Will someone in Parliament be principled enough to stand up and raise a point of order when Rabuka tries to submit Naiqama’s nomination?
The other issue is the dictionary meaning of the word “integrity” specified in the Constitution.
Integrity means the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
How can a man who led a take-over of military barracks during a political uprising be considered moral?
How can a man who defiled and impregnated a 15-year old disabled child be considered moral?
At least the Tui Macuata had the good sense to recuse himself from the race. He can return to retire comfortably in his village and serve his Province.
If Ratu Naiqama had any good sense he would do likewise.
The presidency should come back to Kubuna, or Rabuka can do everybody a favour and just nominate himself eventhough he himself doesn’t meet the high moral standards needed.
This comment only responds to part of the complex issue discussed. And it’s good that we keep discussions alive. When an iTaukei person acquires Australian citizenship he does not lose his iTaukei identity. The new passport is for the administration purposes of the new land and is requisite under its laws, through its government.The iTaukei undoutedly is able to compartmentalize this as legal necessity and process but firm in one’s recognition that one has no autochthonous connection to the new land despite his/her tenure of stay. S/he is still proudly connected to the vanua back in Fiji which explains the loyal disposal of time and resources to vanua business back in Fiji. He or she is adept to these two operating systems as juxtapositioned. This however, has nothing to preclude his/her moral recognition of an Aboriginal person and indigenous owners of Australia, and a different but an added layer over and above his/her attainment of Australian documents. Herein lies the contra-distinction. Once born into a fijian iTaukei family, the mores of its traditional laws and customs does not allow one to relinquish iTaukei status by choice.. There is an unwritten rule that he land/vanua owns you. [Its very hard to explain this for non iTaukeis to understand] Fijian therefore is an english word no doubt, and can have different subjective emphasis. It is important to understand its context and what it means to a iTaukei person. For iTaukei, one would think of its wider definition applies, but also its specific scope being an adjective- meaning it is an English word and a translation to represent everything embodying iTaukei matrix. This explanation however, does not explain the wayward personal actions of those that are part of fijian chiefly traditional leadership of today and immediate past. Our crop of chiefs ought to be more attuned and be universally responsible. That said, lets not us forget that the GCC when it mattered, has negotiated an international treaty through the Instrument of Cession, in the process settled a transnational debt by way of diplomacy, and open up the use of its lands through a unique leasing regime providing a peaceful foundation for the economic progress of Fiji. These are epic milestones. In the process they have also sacrificed alot, for example -accepting to deal their only resources capped at “up to “6 percent of unimproved capital value.
It is not compulsory or dictated by Australian govt that once one is eligible for citizenship that it be taken up. Same as in NZ. It is not a legal necessity as stated in Abu Jamins post. Anyone can verify this.
On reflection it is not inaccurate to say that almost all i-taukei would aspire for Australian citizenship rights, same as for NZ. For the privileges of such. For the opportunities as well as for the freebies and welfare available to the Pasifika.
On the other hand I can’t see Kiwis and Aussies rushing to get Fiji citizenship and rights to reside in i-taukei viti land. Maybe the difference is because of how the settlers in Australia and NZ – the vulagis and non indigenous, have built those countries into the highly desirable lands that they are!