If, at the time of independence, multiracialism was considered the answer to integrating the different ethnic groups in Fiji, today after four coups that have led to a coup culture, the answer perhaps is Fiji nationalism. Not the Fijian nationalism of Butadroka which was nothing but blatant racism, but Fiji nationalism, pride in Fiji as a nation and feeling a deep sense of loyalty to the country.
Children of Fiji should be indoctrinated into having such nationalistic feelings. To achieve this, first and foremost, everyone must be made to learn to speak the Fijian language. The importance of language in integrating is well demonstrated in Fiji.
When the Methodist Missionaries made Bauan the standard Fijian (language in their schools and churches) the people of the different regions and islands became united as a group rather than having their primary loyalty to their different clans and confederacies. Similarly with the Indo-Fijians: when the colonial government made Hindi the language for Indian schools, it helped to integrate the whole community, overcoming their linguistic, cultural and religious differences.
The 1969 Education Commission, which saw building a nation as the main aim of education at the time of independence, had recommended teaching a basic Fijian language course to all the non-Fijian children.
This was to develop a distinct Fiji identity and to create a feeling of nationalism in the growing children so that they would identify themselves first and foremost with the nation rather than with the ethnic group to which they belonged. This was hoped to develop in them their primary loyalty to the nation before anything else.
The Alliance government offered the three language formula (Fijian and Hindi with English as the medium of instruction) instead, which would have been equally effective, if they had been successful in implementing it. Since they were not successful, the citizens of Fiji never developed a distinct identity as a Fiji citizen that would lead to strong patriotism about the country rising above any narrow communalism.
People have been demanding a common name for all Fiji citizens. But before a common name should come the common language. I am not suggesting Fijian should be made the official language or the medium of instruction in schools. That could prove disastrous as we would be cutting ourselves off from the rest of the world.
We are fortunate to have English, the foremost international language, as the official language and the language of schools. Because of our knowledge of English we are able to travel with ease not only in the Pacific but in most parts of the world.
When two Fiji Indians meet they usually speak in Fiji Hindi, not in English. Similarly when two Fiji citizens meet they should be able to talk in Fijian which should set them apart as belonging to Fiji. In India after independence Hindi was made the national language.
One of my earliest memories is of my mother and my aunt (my mother’s cousin) having a Hindi teacher come to our extended family home in Kerala, the southernmost state of India, to teach them Hindi. They felt that commitment to learn the ‘Rashtra Bhasha’ (language of the nation) and they took it seriously. I remember my mother could later speak the language though hardly anyone in the south spoke Hindi in those days.
There was some objection to making Hindi compulsory, especially in the southern states of India where it is not commonly spoken. But slowly it died down as the government went about implementing it not only in schools but also in offices. For example all central government employees were expected to know Hindi and the government employed teachers to go to all these offices and teach those who did not know Hindi. They were given time off from work to learn Hindi. It was all done at the government’s expense.
Fiji should follow a similar pattern to teach Fijian to adults. In India every child learns three languages – the language of the state in which the child lives (Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil etc.) Hindi and English. To solve the language problem for the children of central government employees whose parents often get transferred to a different state (with a different language) central schools are established by the government of India, which offer Sanskrit as the language.
Fiji is a much smaller country with a small population and there is no need for the state to worry about all the languages that are spoken in the country. The government could just concentrate on making everyone learn the Fijian language, which would foster Fiji nationalism and loyalty to the country.
The teaching of other languages could be left to the communal organizations if they want to do it at their own expense. The government’s priority should be building a strong nation with a strong Fiji identity.
Learning the Fijian language could be the start for building a strong and united nation with a unique national identity. The common name, Fijian, for all citizens could follow as the natural second step. Apart from schools the media has a major role to play in promoting nationalism and uniting the nation. So the establishment of a national daily newspaper should also be seen as a priority.