Where in Africa is Fiji?
July 4 2009
Ever wondered what people outside of your country thought about you or your country? If you grew up and lived most of your life in Fiji like me, you would have been excused to think that everyone outside the hub of the Pacific knew exactly where we are- if not, at least they would know that we are somewhere in the Pacific Ocean right? Wrong!
Imagine my shock when I went to a world pageant a couple of months ago to be asked this question: “Where exactly in Africa is Fiji?” I was not sure whether to take it as a joke or not, knowing quite well that indigenous Fijians have are often claimed to come from somewhere in Africa – but it bothered me to discover that many outside our region don’t even know that we exist, let alone where we are located.
At the pageant, another common occurrence was me being called Miss Fuji and not Miss Fiji. It extremely pricked my pride to know that a mountain is more famous than my country. All these years I was proud to think that big names like golfer Vijay Singh and sevens maestro Waisale Serevi had publicized our island country well enough that I would never be in a position to explain the difference between a mountain in Japan and an island country with a population of over 800 000 in the Pacific.
Being part of an international event such as this has taught me a lot. While I felt part of a competitive pageant, it made me wonder and think outside of the realm of beauty pageants. How does the world perceive Pacific Island countries like ours? Are we an equal player in the world or are we just little countries dotted all over the Pacific Ocean that don’t matter?
I realized that despite positive aspects of the so called phenomenon of globalisation, it’s true what they say about bigger countries becoming more popular because they have more money or resources while the smaller countries like us get lost somewhere between hot topics like the US recession and conflicts in the Middle East.
Mind you these are issues of grave concern for all but that doesn’t mean Pacific Island nations don’t matter. Even issues like fighting climate change become hard to lobby because it’s the little countries that are first affected. Which means our pacific brothers and sisters in countries like Tuvalu and Kiribati will continue to sink while we all wait for another world conference to bring up the topic again for discussion and action.
During the trip in South Africa, the few that knew about Fiji (apart from our neighbours Australia and New Zealand, of course) generally thought that we are an expensive tourist destination with people still living in thatched houses by the beach.
It’s a relief knowing that the news of the four coups in Fiji has not reached all corners of the world – however, our history of cannibalism may have had some ears because someone dared to ask me if it is true that there are cannibals in Fiji. While, I am ready to defend my forefathers and their lifestyles or eating habits – I would much rather discuss how unique Fiji is and how the world has a lot to learn from us.
If you take the recent floods for example, where many people lost their homes and livelihood – our love for humanity prevailed – people put their differences aside to help each other out with food supplies and clothes despite having little for themselves.
I recently saw a photograph which exemplifies just how multi-racial countries like ours can work together. The picture showed an Indo- Fijian lady being helped onto a boat by a Chinese man while a Fijian steered the boat in a flooded town.
If the world took us and instances like these as an example I feel we would all definitely have a better future. However, the first step would be to tell the world that Fiji exists and make a mark – and maybe one day we will go back to what we proudly claimed in the eighties –“Fiji the way, the world should be!”
Here’s hoping that my experience is a rare case and that outside the world of pageants and beauty contests people do know that there is a rich and diverse region with strong leaders and people who may come from small islands but make significant contribution in today’s world.
Imagine my shock when I went to a world pageant a couple of months ago to be asked this question: “Where exactly in Africa is Fiji?” I was not sure whether to take it as a joke or not, knowing quite well that indigenous Fijians have are often claimed to come from somewhere in Africa – but it bothered me to discover that many outside our region don’t even know that we exist, let alone where we are located.
At the pageant, another common occurrence was me being called Miss Fuji and not Miss Fiji. It extremely pricked my pride to know that a mountain is more famous than my country. All these years I was proud to think that big names like golfer Vijay Singh and sevens maestro Waisale Serevi had publicized our island country well enough that I would never be in a position to explain the difference between a mountain in Japan and an island country with a population of over 800 000 in the Pacific.
Being part of an international event such as this has taught me a lot. While I felt part of a competitive pageant, it made me wonder and think outside of the realm of beauty pageants. How does the world perceive Pacific Island countries like ours? Are we an equal player in the world or are we just little countries dotted all over the Pacific Ocean that don’t matter?
I realized that despite positive aspects of the so called phenomenon of globalisation, it’s true what they say about bigger countries becoming more popular because they have more money or resources while the smaller countries like us get lost somewhere between hot topics like the US recession and conflicts in the Middle East.
Mind you these are issues of grave concern for all but that doesn’t mean Pacific Island nations don’t matter. Even issues like fighting climate change become hard to lobby because it’s the little countries that are first affected. Which means our pacific brothers and sisters in countries like Tuvalu and Kiribati will continue to sink while we all wait for another world conference to bring up the topic again for discussion and action.
During the trip in South Africa, the few that knew about Fiji (apart from our neighbours Australia and New Zealand, of course) generally thought that we are an expensive tourist destination with people still living in thatched houses by the beach.
It’s a relief knowing that the news of the four coups in Fiji has not reached all corners of the world – however, our history of cannibalism may have had some ears because someone dared to ask me if it is true that there are cannibals in Fiji. While, I am ready to defend my forefathers and their lifestyles or eating habits – I would much rather discuss how unique Fiji is and how the world has a lot to learn from us.
If you take the recent floods for example, where many people lost their homes and livelihood – our love for humanity prevailed – people put their differences aside to help each other out with food supplies and clothes despite having little for themselves.
I recently saw a photograph which exemplifies just how multi-racial countries like ours can work together. The picture showed an Indo- Fijian lady being helped onto a boat by a Chinese man while a Fijian steered the boat in a flooded town.
If the world took us and instances like these as an example I feel we would all definitely have a better future. However, the first step would be to tell the world that Fiji exists and make a mark – and maybe one day we will go back to what we proudly claimed in the eighties –“Fiji the way, the world should be!”
Here’s hoping that my experience is a rare case and that outside the world of pageants and beauty contests people do know that there is a rich and diverse region with strong leaders and people who may come from small islands but make significant contribution in today’s world.
Ever wondered what people outside of your country thought about you or your country? If you grew up and lived most of your life in Fiji like me, you would have been excused to think that everyone outside the hub of the Pacific knew exactly where we are- if not, at least they would know that we are...
Ever wondered what people outside of your country thought about you or your country? If you grew up and lived most of your life in Fiji like me, you would have been excused to think that everyone outside the hub of the Pacific knew exactly where we are- if not, at least they would know that we are somewhere in the Pacific Ocean right? Wrong!
Imagine my shock when I went to a world pageant a couple of months ago to be asked this question: “Where exactly in Africa is Fiji?” I was not sure whether to take it as a joke or not, knowing quite well that indigenous Fijians have are often claimed to come from somewhere in Africa – but it bothered me to discover that many outside our region don’t even know that we exist, let alone where we are located.
At the pageant, another common occurrence was me being called Miss Fuji and not Miss Fiji. It extremely pricked my pride to know that a mountain is more famous than my country. All these years I was proud to think that big names like golfer Vijay Singh and sevens maestro Waisale Serevi had publicized our island country well enough that I would never be in a position to explain the difference between a mountain in Japan and an island country with a population of over 800 000 in the Pacific.
Being part of an international event such as this has taught me a lot. While I felt part of a competitive pageant, it made me wonder and think outside of the realm of beauty pageants. How does the world perceive Pacific Island countries like ours? Are we an equal player in the world or are we just little countries dotted all over the Pacific Ocean that don’t matter?
I realized that despite positive aspects of the so called phenomenon of globalisation, it’s true what they say about bigger countries becoming more popular because they have more money or resources while the smaller countries like us get lost somewhere between hot topics like the US recession and conflicts in the Middle East.
Mind you these are issues of grave concern for all but that doesn’t mean Pacific Island nations don’t matter. Even issues like fighting climate change become hard to lobby because it’s the little countries that are first affected. Which means our pacific brothers and sisters in countries like Tuvalu and Kiribati will continue to sink while we all wait for another world conference to bring up the topic again for discussion and action.
During the trip in South Africa, the few that knew about Fiji (apart from our neighbours Australia and New Zealand, of course) generally thought that we are an expensive tourist destination with people still living in thatched houses by the beach.
It’s a relief knowing that the news of the four coups in Fiji has not reached all corners of the world – however, our history of cannibalism may have had some ears because someone dared to ask me if it is true that there are cannibals in Fiji. While, I am ready to defend my forefathers and their lifestyles or eating habits – I would much rather discuss how unique Fiji is and how the world has a lot to learn from us.
If you take the recent floods for example, where many people lost their homes and livelihood – our love for humanity prevailed – people put their differences aside to help each other out with food supplies and clothes despite having little for themselves.
I recently saw a photograph which exemplifies just how multi-racial countries like ours can work together. The picture showed an Indo- Fijian lady being helped onto a boat by a Chinese man while a Fijian steered the boat in a flooded town.
If the world took us and instances like these as an example I feel we would all definitely have a better future. However, the first step would be to tell the world that Fiji exists and make a mark – and maybe one day we will go back to what we proudly claimed in the eighties –“Fiji the way, the world should be!”
Here’s hoping that my experience is a rare case and that outside the world of pageants and beauty contests people do know that there is a rich and diverse region with strong leaders and people who may come from small islands but make significant contribution in today’s world.
Imagine my shock when I went to a world pageant a couple of months ago to be asked this question: “Where exactly in Africa is Fiji?” I was not sure whether to take it as a joke or not, knowing quite well that indigenous Fijians have are often claimed to come from somewhere in Africa – but it bothered me to discover that many outside our region don’t even know that we exist, let alone where we are located.
At the pageant, another common occurrence was me being called Miss Fuji and not Miss Fiji. It extremely pricked my pride to know that a mountain is more famous than my country. All these years I was proud to think that big names like golfer Vijay Singh and sevens maestro Waisale Serevi had publicized our island country well enough that I would never be in a position to explain the difference between a mountain in Japan and an island country with a population of over 800 000 in the Pacific.
Being part of an international event such as this has taught me a lot. While I felt part of a competitive pageant, it made me wonder and think outside of the realm of beauty pageants. How does the world perceive Pacific Island countries like ours? Are we an equal player in the world or are we just little countries dotted all over the Pacific Ocean that don’t matter?
I realized that despite positive aspects of the so called phenomenon of globalisation, it’s true what they say about bigger countries becoming more popular because they have more money or resources while the smaller countries like us get lost somewhere between hot topics like the US recession and conflicts in the Middle East.
Mind you these are issues of grave concern for all but that doesn’t mean Pacific Island nations don’t matter. Even issues like fighting climate change become hard to lobby because it’s the little countries that are first affected. Which means our pacific brothers and sisters in countries like Tuvalu and Kiribati will continue to sink while we all wait for another world conference to bring up the topic again for discussion and action.
During the trip in South Africa, the few that knew about Fiji (apart from our neighbours Australia and New Zealand, of course) generally thought that we are an expensive tourist destination with people still living in thatched houses by the beach.
It’s a relief knowing that the news of the four coups in Fiji has not reached all corners of the world – however, our history of cannibalism may have had some ears because someone dared to ask me if it is true that there are cannibals in Fiji. While, I am ready to defend my forefathers and their lifestyles or eating habits – I would much rather discuss how unique Fiji is and how the world has a lot to learn from us.
If you take the recent floods for example, where many people lost their homes and livelihood – our love for humanity prevailed – people put their differences aside to help each other out with food supplies and clothes despite having little for themselves.
I recently saw a photograph which exemplifies just how multi-racial countries like ours can work together. The picture showed an Indo- Fijian lady being helped onto a boat by a Chinese man while a Fijian steered the boat in a flooded town.
If the world took us and instances like these as an example I feel we would all definitely have a better future. However, the first step would be to tell the world that Fiji exists and make a mark – and maybe one day we will go back to what we proudly claimed in the eighties –“Fiji the way, the world should be!”
Here’s hoping that my experience is a rare case and that outside the world of pageants and beauty contests people do know that there is a rich and diverse region with strong leaders and people who may come from small islands but make significant contribution in today’s world.
Leave a Comment