Importance Of Fijian Mats

Queen elizabeth witnessed.

Importance of fijian mats.

Mats are often exchanged as gifts in formal ceremonies such as at funerals and conferences. Indigenous fijian culture is made up of a great variety of traditional language art music food clothing and folklore. Fiji sent participants to the 1996 summer olympic games in atlanta and had very good performances from the athletes who competed in judo and swimming. They are much in demand as wedding presents and for baptisms funerals and presentations to chiefs.

Google classroom facebook twitter. Mask buk torres strait mabuiag island. This is the currently selected item. Like masi fijian mats served and continue to serve an important purpose in fijian society as a type of ritual exchange and tribute.

They are considered an important element in the wealth of the fijian family and are traditionally given at weddings funerals or during the visits of high chiefs. Family values in fiji. The long process of preparation includes scraping and boiling the leaves and drying them in the sun. There are different mats used for different occasions and some are made as gifts for formal occasions such as weddings.

Their workmanship extends to bags baskets purses fans letter and penholders jewellery boxes and other items from korai. More widely available than masi. Most fijian homes use woven pandanus leaf mats for floor coverings dining mats and as finer sleeping mats. It is woven by hand from pandanus leaves.

They are produced in different shapes sizes and colours as regular floor mats small prayer mats dining mats wall hangings. These mats have become traditional gifts for important functions. Fijian woman making mats from w peceli brought back two fine mats for me one made from voivoi the other from kuta. One of the most commonly used items in fijian traditional culture is the grass mat.

You can experience traditional fijian culture at its best by visiting the quaint villages on these islands. Cricket is also popular in fiji but more so with the indo fijian population there. Almost every home in fiji whether in a village or town has at least several mats for use as rugs or for sleeping on. Presentation of fijian mats and tapa cloths to queen elizabeth ii.

Most village girls learn the craft traditionally it was the hereditary role of the women of certain tribes. This culture also gives high importance to the family unit. Rugby is an important spectator and participant sport for fijians. Presentation of fijian mats and tapa cloths to queen elizabeth ii.

Presentation of fijian mats and tapa cloths to queen elizabeth ii. Soccer is very popular as well. I have about twenty mats now so we share them with relatives and friends.