How many indigenous people are in Fiji?

Indigenous Fijians are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown….Fijians.

Did Fiji have African slaves?

In addition to the blackbirded labour from other Pacific islands, thousands of people indigenous to the Fijian archipelago were also sold into slavery on the plantations.

When did Indians settle in Fiji?

Indians were first introduced to Fiji in the 1880s, and between 1879 and 1916 over 60,000 indentured labourers came from various parts of India to work in the cane plantations. Many other Pacific islanders came at the same time, but most returned.

What are some problems in Fiji?

Fiji faces environmental challenges related to the degradation of land resources, increased risk of flooding and inundation to coastal settlements as an impact of climate change, unsustainable exploitation of marine resources, and the environmental impact of urbanization which undermines people’s quality of life.

Who are the indigenous people of Fiji?

Fijians, or iTaukei, are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. Indigenous Fijians are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown.

What is the ethnic composition of Fijians?

Indigenous Fijians are predominantly of Melanesian extraction, with some Polynesian admixture. Australia has the largest Fijian expatriate population, according to the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, while Fijians were also the fifth largest Pacific ethnic group living in New Zealand; a decrease of 8 percent between 1996 and 2001.

What is the social structure of Fiji?

Fijian indigenous society is very communal, with great importance attached to the family unit, the village, and the vanua (land). A hierarchy of chiefs presides over villages, clans, and tribes. Chiefly positions are hereditary; a deceased chief is invariably followed by a kinsman or kinswoman, though not necessarily his own son or daughter.

Is Tovata the most senior Confederacy in Fiji?

This Confederacy in modern Fiji is considered to be the most senior. The other two are Burebasaga (covering the rest of Viti Levu), and Tovata, covering Vanua Levu, Lau archipelago and Rotuma. Despite its isolation and relatively small size, Tovata has been politically dominant since Fiji gained its independence in 1970.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCXIR8677Tc