A common name for Fiji persons

from w
Fiji Village and other news sites talk once again about a common name for people who are citizens of Fiji. There's been an on-going discussion for many years on whether all persons in Fiji should be called 'Fijians' yet that word also has a particular connotation as referring to the indigenous people of Fiji. Well, what's the answer? The subject has come up again with that proposed 'charter'.

In my humble opinion, I reckon there's nothing wrong with Fiji National as the term of description. To use the term 'Fijian' may cause resentment if applied to everybody. On the other hand the classification of people is a real bugbear because we ought to see past one kind of classification.

I have a female friend, middle-aged, short of stature, nice-looking, with bad athritus, intelligent, friendly. Okay, she says everytime one of her friends introduces her to someone new they say, 'Come and meet my Portuguese friend!' She said to me she is sick and tired of this kind of classification.

It would be good in Fiji if articles in the press try to get ten paragraphs without naming a person's ethnic identity. Is that possible?

Fiji Needs A Common Name
Publish date/time: 05/08/2008 [07:36]

Fiji needs to have a name that will unite everyone and today we will make a final decision.

Lorine Tevi Chairperson of one of the NCBBF's Taskforce said that after consideration the taskforce came up with the recommendation to have a common name for all. Speaking to Fijivillage, Tevi said all Fiji citizens would be known as "Fijians" with special reference to the indigenous Fijians. However Tevi stresses that the common name will in no way see any race relations worsening in the country.