Rabi sets example in balancing tradition and family life

Rabi Island has taken a bold step in promoting family engagement and quality time, placing it above kava drinking and socialising.

In many villages and settlements across Fiji, excessive kava consumption has been linked to reduced family time, often affecting community progress and personal well-being.

Tabiang Methodist Church and community leader, Tekata Toaisi, highlighted that on Rabi, kava consumption is limited to special functions and traditional ceremonies, ensuring that family life remains a strong priority.

“While both men and women do consume kava on Rabi, it is always in moderate amounts,” Mr Toaisi said.

Rabi Island comprises four villages: Tabwewa, Uma, Tabiang, and Buakonikai. Mr Toaisi noted that the island has a law prohibiting churchgoers from consuming kava within church boundaries.

“No member can consume kava within the church grounds, even if functions are being held on church premises. Consumption is strictly restricted,” he explained.

He emphasised that while kava is a part of Fijian tradition and culture, it should remain special for festivities and events rather than becoming a habitual practice.

Parental supervision and active involvement in children’s lives are seen as vital to positive child-rearing, he added.

The community’s way of life, where family and communal roles are central to daily living, continues to be preserved, with hopes that kava will not become a distraction.

Commenting on the kava ban imposed on women by the vanua o Qoibau in Macuata Province, Mr Toaisi said that if the vanua believed that women’s kava consumption affected their child-rearing responsibilities, then the decision was justified.

“The vanua knows best how to ensure the welfare of its people,” he said. “In Rabi, we often discourage women from drinking kava so they can focus on family development and welfare.”

However, women are permitted to consume moderate amounts of kava during special functions and events.