Fijians were notable for their methods of transactions known as Veisa. These transactions involved the exchanging of goods, which was widely known as barter system. This system also plays a key role in forging relationships between villages and regions. Due to varying degrees of geographical origin of many islands and places in Fiji, some places are richer in certain resources than others. They utilized this as a basis of such exchange, which makes this system a rather sustainable one. They also keep their attention on the Fijian traditional calendar so they know when to harvest certain marine or terrestrial wildlife and natural resources. Fijians also are great conservationists. As they use the traditional calendar, they know when to tabu (taboo) an area either at sea or on land. This allows the natural resources to regenerate and population became balances again. On this they base their trade.

Some examples of such bartering is found in places below:



Makadre (Kauri Gum) Trading:

This gum's resin is applied on pottery vessels that give it that shiny look. The women of Rewa make pottery, as they are well known for trade with people from the Serua and Namosi Province, whom they are known to have large dakua or kauri trees. Dakua trees have gums that are called makadre.



Salt Trading

The province of Nadroga is well known of its supply of salt to many inland Provinces of Namosi, Naitasiri and Ra. Today, you can view where salt are acquired from (contact the Nadroga Provincial Office in Sigatoka). At the Fiji Museum, you can view salt baskets that were used in the olden days. Salt blocks remain in these woven baskets, and in a traditional Fijian kitchen, the salt basket often hand close to the Fijian kuro ni viti (Fijian clay pot), so salt is accessible while cooking.

Pottery Trading:


Pottery was widespread through the Fiji Group. On the island of Malake, Ra Province, the last potter died in 1937, and no one has ever continued the tradition until today. Malake was a trading post to the Ra and Ba Provinces, and also to the Lomaiviti Islands. The pots were exchanged for masi (tapa or paper mulberry cloth), mats (ibe) and yams (uvi). On the island of Kadavu, the women of the district of Yawe were known to be the makers of special cooking clay pots called the Bulou ni Yawe. This origin of such creative art and skills were known, based on oral history to have originate form the village of Mau, Namosi Province. This special relationship still exists until today. One example of such kuro can be seen at the Fiji Museum Prehistory Gallery. Given the geographical location of Kadavu, the Bulou ni Yawe was able to be traded to other Tikinas on Kadavu and also to Vatulele, Beqa, Yanuca and the Lau Group.

Canoe Trading:

Courtesy of Turnbull Library

Fiji was a central production center for sea voyaging crafts, particularly to the Kingdom of Tonga. Until today, the people of Kabara Island, Lay province are well known to still have the remaining canoe builders who have ancestral ties to Tonga and Samoa. Vesi, which is an incredible durable ironwood provides the best resource for such vessels. Apart from producing such large crafts for ocean voyaging purposes for local consumption, mainly to the strong chiefdoms of the time such as Cakaudrove, Macuata and that of Tui Nayau, Tongans come to Fiji on a yearly basis, using the SE Trade Winds with goods such as shell inlaid clubs, whales teeth or tabua, cowrie shells, Tonga ngatu, and in rather special unique cases, Tongan women as exchange items. On the island of Kadavu, the Sanima district were known in making Camakau or Outrigger Canoes and supplying these to other districts around Kadavu. These are great exchange items with the pottery of Yawe.

Masi Trading: