Uphold culture, Ratu Isoa Urges iTaukei And Village Leaders
“The programme was good because it taught us some of the challenges, we the iTaukei face, especially with how times and way we do things have changed,” Ratu Aca said.
Monday 07 August 2023 | 02:29
Members of the Nasaqalau Farmers Club at Welagi, Taveuni with their yaqona pounding machine. Photo: Fiji Government
Don’t adopt practices and cultures of western societies that influence your ability to maintain cultural traditions and practices, even to speak the iTaukei language fluently.
This was the advice shared by tribal leader Ratu Aca Molitabua of Lomai Village, Naitasiri, last week.
He was one of the 24 participants who graduated from the 2023 Vuli ni Sausauvou programme hosted by the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs on Friday.
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“The programme was good because it taught us some of the challenges, we the iTaukei face, especially with how times and way we do things have changed,” Ratu Aca said.
“These are challenging times for us traditional leaders and future leaders of our province. The programme includes lessons on tradition, culture, roles, responsibilities and our natural resources.”
Participants learned the importance of decision making and how to make them when it concerns people they serve.
They suggested that these programmes should be introduced in every village to help those in leadership positions.
“We should not allow westernisation to influence our behavior and how we do things.
“We must protect our language because we are allowing English to be spoken at our homes our language is starting to be forgotten.”
Ratu Aca is encouraging iTaukei elders to impart to the young generation the importance of holding onto their Fijian identity.
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