What is traditional Fijian art?

Fijian Art A popular art form in Fiji is the creation of the Fijian masi, also known as tapa cloth. Masi patterns commonly include repeated geometric motifs, created either by freehand or with stencils. Traditionally, these stencils were made from banana leaves or other large-leaved plants.

What are 2 types of traditional art making in Fiji?

Mat-weaving is taught to nearly every village girl, and the making of masi (tapa) cloth is widespread. Likewise, the meke (traditional dance) continues to be handed down from generation to generation and is often performed, with new mekes being created for special occasions, just as has always been done.

What is Fiji’s culture?

The culture of Fiji is a tapestry of native Fijian, Indian, European, Chinese, and other nationalities. Fijian culture has evolved with the introduction of Indian, Chinese and European culture, and various cultures from the Pacific neighbors of Fiji; in particular the Tongan and Rotuman cultures.

What is Fijian Masi?

Masi, also known as barkcloth, is a textile made by women in Fiji using bark fibers. An important and traditional art form, Fijian masi is famous for its beautiful craftwork and designs. First the inner bark is removed from the paper mulberry tree. The bark strips are soaked in water for a few days until they are soft.

What are some artifacts in Fiji?

These include local handicrafts, carvings of Tanoa, serving bowls, ancient Fijian artifact replicas such as cannibal forks, war clubs and masks. The contemporary collection comprises of wall hangings with Fiji map and seashell decorations, paintings on Tapa cloth, wind chimes made of local shells and more.

What is the heritage of Fiji?

The inhabitants of modern Fiji are of indigenous Fijian background, as well as of Indian, Chinese and European ancestry. These varied influences shape the nation into a unique admixture of cultures – sometimes a salad bowl, sometimes a melting pot.

What is Fiji’s principal craft?

Daily life and social customs. Fiji’s mixed ethnicity contributes to a rich cultural heritage. Those ceremonies provide a focus for the practicing of traditional crafts, such as the manufacture of masi, or tapa cloth, made from the bark of the paper mulberry; mat weaving; wood carving; and canoe making.

What is unique about Fiji?

More than 330 islands make up Fiji, and many species of animals and plants on the islands are endemic to Fiji, found nowhere else in the world. The largest island is Viti Levu and is 4,042 square miles. The island’s interior has dramatic landscapes of tropical forests, waterfalls and mountainous terrain.

What do Fijians believe?

Almost all indigenous Fijians are Christian, mostly Methodist. Most Indians are Hindu, though a significant minority are Muslim. About one-tenth of the population is Roman Catholic, and there is a small Assemblies of God community. Fiji: Religious affiliation Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Who makes Fijian masi?

Vanua of Bouma
The masi is made by the women of the Vanua of Bouma. (The Vanua is a group of landowners from 5 different villages within the region of Bouma.) Traditionally, masi was worn for ceremonial purposes by the Chiefs of the different villages.

What does tapa cloth represent?

Textiles were often specially prepared and decorated for people of rank. Tapa was ceremonially displayed on special occasions, such as birthdays and weddings. In sacred contexts, tapa was used to wrap images of deities. Even today, at times of death, bark cloth may be integral part of funeral and burial rites.

What are Fijian values?

Fijian family values have to be aligned with that reality and in a way that still upholds and reinforces both. A family that practises veirogorogoci, veidokadokai, veilomani and veivakaliuci is able to comply with the law by being respectful, supportive, loving and accepting of authority.

Is Fiji’s traditional art making making a comeback?

While other countries such as Tahiti and Hawaii are experiencing a revival in traditional arts, Fiji has no such contemporary movement – the reason being, for the most part, that Fijians retain a great deal of their cultural heritage. That’s not to say, that traditional art, such as mat weaving and masi making are as prolific as in former times.

What happened to Fiji’s woodcarving art?

Woodcarving is a declining art in Fiji, no doubt another victim of the modern era. The woodcarver’s role was a highly specialized one, important because of the cultural value of the items he produced. The war club, for example, was a vital part of Fijian culture.

How do you make a Fijian pottery?

The sides are shaped by beating the clay with a paddle or pebble. Considering the implements used, the Fijians achieve remarkable symmetry. After the object is shaped and finished with moistened fingers or a smooth stone, it is dried for several days and fired for an hour in a fire made from brush, reeds or coconut fronds.

What is the difference between pottery and basket making in Fiji?

Whereas pottery is a skill shared by very few villages, basket and especially mat-plaiting is a universally practiced art – every village girl has learned how to weave a mat or ibe by the time she is 10 years old. Palm fronds or the long fibrous pandanus leaves are vital construction materials in Fijian culture.