Ritual - Inculturation - The old and new spirituality of the Fijian people
This article examines the notion of inculturation especially where the Gospel of Christ resonates with the iTaukei culture. Christian Missionaries arrived on Fiji’s shores in 1830 but the actual works of the Wesleyan Missionaries in Lakeba started in 1835 (Bigitibau 2007:13). Apart from Evangelization, missionaries targeted cultural elements to influence the masses. They critiqued beliefs they considered were against Biblical teachings and encouraged the practice of elements that were compatible (Bigitibau 2007:13). The intergration is one reason Christianity is still popular today with the Fijian population. Cultural elements that were encouraged during church service included isevu or the First Fruit Harvest, vosa vakavanua ni somate or traditional eulogy, vosa ni veikidavaki or traditional welcome speech by the host, dolei ni vosa ni veikidavaki or verbal acknowledgement by visitors and luvanitai or a kava ceremony to welcome and show gratitude to the presider of the church service.
Fiji