FIJIAN SPORTS

Fijians are sports loving people. Even in the olden days, traditional games are a part of growing up. These games are also used as part of the rites of passage, in this case for young boys, moving on to manhood.

Traditional: Veitiqa (javelin), Vaqiqi Moli (rolling of oranges)

Fijians had many games for people of all ages. Some games were played between clans (Mataqali), villages (koro), tribes (Yavusa) or even provinces (yasana). Some games are for teams while some are for individual. The resources for games are made from natural materials such as wood, nuts and strings using walai or coconut fibres. Fijians spend their time decorating their game instrument, for instance by using coconut oil to give shine to the seed, or shaping something round perfectly. In many Fijian villages, they have a rara (village green) for games. Some traditional games were:

a. VEITIQA - This is equivalent to Javelin. They use long reeds (gasau) with a seed attached at the end called "ulutoa". This game was played on an even ground with players aiming to have the longest distance of throw. Huge feastings and merry-making often concludes the game.

b. LUTUVAKATAGANE - This game consisted of throwing a special type of oranges (moli kurukuru) at your opponents. Those with quick hands often win, as the game involves throwing at your opponents. Once the orange hits you, you lose.

c. VEIDRE WALAI - This game is equivalent to Tug of War using wild vines (walai). Team will have to pull on either side. The team that falls over is the ones that lose.

d. VEIBO LIGA - This game is equivalent to arm wrestling, a common pass time in old Fiji mainly played by young boys and men in the village.

e. VEIBO - This is equivalent to wrestling, as is played today. In America, they earn their millions playing wrestling professionally, but long ago in Fiji, wrestling is a game of entertainment among children and young men.

Fijian men are well-known sportsmen, particularly in the world of rugby. The Flying Fijians as they are commonly called have made Fiji well known to the rest of the world. Rugby was believed to have been first played in Fiji in the 1880s by European and Fijian soldiers of the Native Constabulary at Ba. By the early 1900s, reports of games began to appear in the Press and although most players were expatriates, a club competition began in 1904. Many local clubs are affiliated to the main body of the Fiji Rugby Union. The two codes of rugby; fifteens and the sevens code are played in Fiji. Fiji was recently crowned the winner of the International Rugby Board Sevens Circuit. Women as well have taken interest in this game, and often represent Fiji on the women's rugby competition series. Fiji have fielded women's team to play overseas.

Modern: Rugby, Netball, Cricket, Soccer, Lawn Tennis and Bowling

Netball is the popular game played by women and young girls. Many play from a very early age, as school competitions begin from primary school level right up to secondary, even to tertiary. Many current Fijian representatives of netball started their interest in this sport ever since childhood. One of Fiji's well known players; Vilimaina Davu is now playing for the Silver Ferns of New Zealand. She is highly respected among her peers, and is rated as the best defender in the world.

Soccer is a game played mainly by Indo-Fijians. The Fiji Football Association is the official body. In the current Fiji line up, many indigenous Fijians are part of the National Team. This game is well funded by corporate businesses. The Battle of the Giants (BOG) is the pinnacle sports tournament in Fiji. The current Namosi Chief, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua was a Fiji representative of soccer