Essay On Fiji Culture

Have you ever been asked where your top travel destination is? If you were to ask me that I would say either Fiji or Tahiti. I have always been fascinated with the blue oceans, sandy beaches, and relaxed culture. All cultures are affected by multiple concepts, the Fijian culture is greatly impacted by dance and music, by the specifics of the Meke, and by the movement of the Meke.
In Fiji, the impact of dance and music is tremendous on the people. “A community whose very culture is grounded in communal values seems to be an ideal ground for the development of expertise in part-singing [and dancing] (Russell).” From living in a small town my whole life, I can image how this small islands culture and community is. The community of individuals are those who you look toward for guidance and help with anything. To have singing and dancing such a big aspect is just like having a community party. In Fiji, they have the …show more content…
The performers are not taught in any school to be professionals, the adult villagers rehearse and perform the Meke while others watch (Russell). This is very interesting to me, watching videos about the Meke you would think they had years of training with a professional. Instead they are taught by the generations before them as they grew up. This art form of singing or dancing can be found all over Fiji. “To be a performer in Meke is to assume an important role in the community (Russell).” To relate how important, it is to be a performer you can relate them to a teacher in the USA. When you think of a teacher the first words you think of are knowledgeable, caring, and enthusiastic in their field. These three aspects make up a great teacher. They also are good descriptors for a meke performer. They must be knowledgeable enough to know the dance and can do it on the spot at any opportunity. They are also caring, because they love having the children watch and listen and this gives them good role models. Enthusiastic is