Definitions

Literally “wiping of soot or dirt”; a ceremonial feast held by a host to thank those involved in a task or obligation.

Atonement.

Traditional warrior; also refers to a social unit responsible for defending a chief.

Traditional Fijian priest.

Great Council of Chiefs.

District council.

Council of Chiefs.

Village council.

Indigenous timber tree (Agathis vitiensis), part of the kauri family; produces resin known as makadre.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta).

Lay preacher (commonly used in Methodist context).

Literally “house platform”; refers to the original village site.

To reciprocate a tabua (whale’s tooth) with another, thereby declining the original request.

Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum).

Formal greeting spoken when entering a village or home.

Fijian asparagus (Saccharum edule).

Plant used for poisoning fish (Derris trifoliata).

Free or independent; also refers to settlements outside the village system.

Traditional fisherfolk clan serving a chief.

Traditional approach to the Vanua for their participation.

A clan’s traditional origin or identity tied to land and ancestry.

Protective plants placed around gardens to ward off evil spirits or theft.

Common village land used for grazing or harvesting.

A group formed to carry out a specific task.

Reputation or honor of the land/community.

Daughter or son-in-law.

Something or someone that brings pride to a family or group.

Something beautiful or admirable.

Presentation of first fruits to the chief and church.

Traditional entry ceremony involving presentation of yaqona (kava).

Indigenous Fijians; original landowners.

If the guest arrives by motor vehicle rather than by sailing vessel, the first ceremony is the presentation of a Tabua to welcome the guest.

Principles or worldview guiding behavior and practices.

Conduct befitting chiefs or people of high status.

Freshwater shellfish (Batissa violacea).

People from inland regions.

Ancestral spirit or deified founding figure of a clan.

The art of dyeing or imprinting bark cloth (masi).

Traditional labor obligation to a chief (e.g., building, roadwork).

Chiefly levy or service rendered to a chief.

Hollowed wooden gong.

Literally “strong hands”; refers to someone capable of providing for others.

Storage hut for yams.

Church (now commonly refers to Christianity).

Earth oven used for traditional cooking.

Shifting cultivation method where land is left fallow before reuse.

Feast or food offering.

Supernatural power or spiritual authority.

Bark cloth made from mulberry tree.

Face or front; also a representative of a group.

Government or large socio-political unit.

Spokesman or herald.

Sub-clan or land-owning social unit.

Traditional punishment or discipline for wrongdoing.

Literally means 'swimming out to' and consists of a presentation and acceptance of a Tabua.

Indigenous Fijian worldview shaped by culture, land, and tradition.

Supernatural authority or power; also refers to a high chief.

A presentation of yaqona made to the honoured guest.

Collective community work; cooperation for shared benefit.

Sacred prohibition; forbidden due to spiritual, cultural, or social reasons.

A polished whale’s tooth, the ultimate symbol of wealth in Fijian society.

To continue without interruption.

A solemn acclamation greeting reserved for honored guests.

Wooden bowl carved from the trunk of the vesi, a hardwood with chiefly associations.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta).

Administrative district consisting of several villages.

Village headman.

Head of a clan.

A speech to acknowledge the guest of honour’s address.

Research; systematic investigation.

A presentation of mats by womenfolk, often together with a Tabua.

To treasure or protect something of great value.

The final presentation of a Tabua by the hosts to their guests as an expression of thanks.

Ideal chiefly conduct; respect, humility, and proper behavior.

In the traditional way; according to cultural customs.

Presentation of Tabua to the Vanua as a token of appreciation for their participation.

Land, people, culture, and spiritual identity combined into one concept.

Person with maternal ties to a chiefly family, often with special privileges.

The guest of honor addresses the assembly.

Knowledge or wisdom.

Indigenous knowledge system.

A presentation of cooked food to accompany the Yaqona Vakaturaga.

Kava; traditional drink made from Piper methysticum.

The heart of the ceremonies of welcome, centered around the tanoa and presentation of yaqona.

Province; administrative division of several districts.

To go in great numbers.

Foundation or original house site; symbolic base of belief systems.

Clan; largest kinship group descended from a common ancestor.