Fijian Traditions and Ceremonies - Relationship Terms Within Fijian Society

Relationship Terms Within Fijian Society

A first question generally in Fiji is “Where are you from?” so people may ascertain what relationship they hold with you and how will they interact with you. There are various relationship terms in Fiji. These include:

"Tauvu". Tau (friend); Vu (Spirit); having the same Vu, root or founder. Basil Thomson (1908:113) suggests “that groups in Fiji who are tauvu or kalou-vata ie worshippers of the same god, have a common origin”.

Tauvu are allowed reciprocal rights of taking each other’s goods and coarse joking with each other, though this is not used inland in Viti-Levu. The following are some Tauvu groupings:

  1. Lomaloma and Moturiki also to Yadrana village on Lakeba Island and also to Moala Island
  2. Lomaiviti and Cakaudrove
  3. Cakaudrove and Bua
  4. Lakeba and Noco
  5. Lau and Rewa
  6. Cakaudrove and Tailevu
  7. Ra/Nadroga/Kadavu/Ba
  8. Macuata/Naitasiri
  9. Serua/Kadavu
  10. Nadroga/Kadavu
  11. Nadi/Kadavu
  12. Ono-I-Lau/Bau Island
  13. Ono,Kadavu/Ono-I-Lau
  14. Ono-I-Lau/Oneata

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