Our Cultural Expressions: Indigenous Sounds of Fiji
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Since its foundation in 1904 as a national museum, the Fiji Museum has safeguarded and promoted various cultures and heritage of Pacific islands. The Fiji population consists mostly of iTaukei (native Fijians), Fijians of Indian descent, and Rotumans. The Fiji Museum has collected and shared tangible and intangible cultural heritage of such various ethnic groups through various methods to widely promote Fiji’s cultural heritage. In 2017, ICHCAP carried out the Digitization Project of ICH-related Analogue Materials in cooperation with the Fiji Museum, which resulted in the digitization of five hundred hours of analogue materials. Based on this, ICHCAP has published an audiovisual collection, titled “Our Cultural Expressions: Indigenous Sounds of Fiji”, which contains selected digitized materials that well represent Fiji’s traditions. The Fiji Museum not just contributed to the digitization of analogue materials, but also supported the production of the collection to help more people discover the precious materials. The Fijian collection consists of nine CDs and one DVD. The collection lists eighty tracks of chants, children’s songs, dance music, hymns, and folk songs of everyday life of Fijians that were recorded in the 1970s. The collection also features a video on mat weaving that was recorded in 1997. The video introduces mat weaving, which is considered an important element in the culture and life of Fijians, and its social and cultural significance. The collection is expected to be widely utilized in ICH-related research and also in education and transmission of the knowledge at schools. The digitization project is meaningful in that it has restored analogue materials in Fiji, which were at risk of severe damage, to enhance academic values and raise public awareness of the materials. ICHCAP will continue its efforts to identify valuable materials in the Asia-Pacific region and provide a better access to ICH information through related projects.
Audios
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No. Title Performer Country Manage No Running Time 1 Vakalutuivoce kei navakavunigasau (Chants) Fiji AA00000050 Vucu ni yara kau(Heavy Log Dragging Chant) Men and Women of Nabiti village Fiji AI00000461 0:01:08
Veitiqa(Dart Throwing) Men of Nabiti village Fiji AI00000462 0:02:33
Rabe Moli - nodra qito na marama(Shaddock Kicking) Women of Nabiti village Fiji AI00000467 0:01:08
Vakarau me soko na laca buka(The Flaming Sails Are Ready to Set Sail) Unknown Fiji AI00000442 0:02:16
Siganimate rau vaqarai au(I Was Sought after Easter) Two men from Matailobau village Fiji AI00000451 0:01:47
A cagi a cara, ma sa na koto mai(A Blistering Wind Settles over Yonder) Mesake Visaca & Kitione Kulinidogo Fiji AI00000479 0:01:03
Na kaikai cabe mai wai(The Water Beetle Surfaces) Two men from Nabaitavo village Fiji AI00000456 0:01:20
Loloceni se ualolo(A Chant about Waves and Surfs) Mesake Visaca & Kitione Kulinidogo Fiji AI00000435 0:01:43
Au curu ituba sa vuvu na Wainibuka(Upon my Exit the Wainibuka River Became Muddy) The men of Lutu village Fiji AI00000433 0:03:12
Moce, moce i Nadrau(Asleep, Asleep at Nadrau) Mesake Visaca & Kitione Kulinidogo Fiji AI00000424 0:03:09