ANZ presents
- Fiji's culture forms a rich mosaic
 The first settlers of the islands that
are now Fiji (86
delegates, 2 VIPs) are
believed to be the Lapita people, some time in the second millennium
B.C. Remnants of their distinctive type of fine pottery have
been found in practically all the islands of the Pacific east
of New Guinea, including Rotuma, Tonga and Samoa and
as far to the north as Hawaii and the east to Easter Island and
the south to New Zealand.
Unlike the islands
of Polynesia, however, which showed a continuous steadily evolving
culture from initial occupation, Fiji appears to have undergone
at least two periods of rapid cultural change in pre-historical
times. This may have been due to the arrival of fresh waves of
immigrants, presumably from the west.
 According to Fijian legend, the great
chief Lutunasobasoba led his people across the seas to the new
land of Fiji . Most authorities agree that in Fiji the Melanesians
and the Polynesians mixed to create a highly developed society
long before the arrival of the Europeans.
The Dutch and
the British both came to Fiji in the 17th and 18th centuries.
In 1874, an offer of cession by the Fijian chiefs was accepted,
and Fiji was proclaimed a possession and dependency of the British
Crown.
The large ethnic
Indian population came about in the 1880s when large-scale cultivation
of sugarcane began. Over the next 40 years, more than 60,000
indentured laborers from India were brought to the island to
work the plantations. By 1920, all indentured servitude had ended,
however, racial conflict between Indians and the indigenous Fijians
has been central to the small island's history.
Fiji became an
independent republic on Oct. 10, 1970. The political situation
has been fraught with coups and unrest since the late 1980s.
Despite the political upheavals, Fiji's culture is a rich mosaic
of indigenous, Indian, Chinese and European traditions. The Culture
of Fiji is shown in its traditions and hierarchy, its language
and has created a unique communal and national identity.
The traditional
attire was loin cloths for men and grass skirts for women. Skirts
were short for single women, and long for married women, with
girls wearing virgin locks before marriage. Most had the lower
parts of their bodies decorated with tattoos. Chiefs dressed
more elaborately.
 Modern Fiji's national dress is the sulu,
which resembles a skirt. It is commonly worn by both men and
women. Even the military uniforms have incorporated the Sulu
as part of their ceremonial dress.
Women usually
wear a multi-layered Tapa cloth on formal occasions. A blouse
made of cotton, silk, or satin, of often worn on top. On special
occasions, women often wear a tapa sheath across the chest, rather
than a blouse. On other occasions, women may be dressed in a
chamba, also known as a sulu I ra, a sulu with a specially crafted
top.
An indigenous
art form where native dress is highlighted and sure to be represented
at the Festival, is the Meke. Music is woven into the fabric
of Fiji and the Meke embraces traditional song and dance to tell
of legends, love stories, history and spirits of the islands.
It can vary from a blood-curdling spear dance to a gentle and
graceful fan dance. It is usually a narrative of an important
event such as a war, a chiefly installation, or even a scandal.
Some mekes are generations old, and form an important part of
Fiji's oral history. In olden times, the meke was considered
to be an oracle from the gods, and the Dau ni vucu, or composer,
would often go into a trance before a performance. 
[Compiled
from information from the following websites: <wikipedia.org>,
<bulafiji.com>, <tourismfiji.com> and <janesoceania.com>
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