By Report 3,VILIAME TAWANAKORO

Copyright islandsbusiness

CENTURIES-old traditions are at risk of disappearing as Fiji’s indigenous communities struggle with the legacy of colonialism and the influence of Western education that prioritise different values and perspectives over indigenous knowledge.

Cultural specialists and advocates warn that unless ITaukei actively work to revive their indigenous knowledge, embracing native languages and traditional practices, future generations may inherit a cultural void.

Speaking during the Media Briefing in Suva on the Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge Conference, Cultural Specialist Simione Sevudredre said the challenge here in Fiji is that we have barely reached 200 years from post-colonial to post-colonial.

“We’ve forgotten much of our traditional knowledge, not finger-pointing, because through our colonial experience, colonisation, and the education system, respectfully, remained silent on our indigenous knowledge.

“We learned other knowledges, other histories over time. Our cups, metaphorical cups, our minds are full.

“We excel at everything else except our own, our indigenous knowledge, because over time, when it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind,” he said.

Sevudredre said this week’s conference is a timely intervention for the region and the state to reclaim and re-mainstream our indigenous knowledge into mainstream society and the school system, using both languages and tangible and intangible elements.

“On the ground, we tend to look at our indigenous languages with disdain.

“Indigenous knowledge is in our language; when we choose to remain silent in our language or consider it unworthy or not worthwhile, then this is a challenge.”

“We, as indigenous people, face our greatest challenge in ourselves, often valuing or believing that the grass is always greener on the other side, with other knowledges and ways of doing things, while forgetting that ours is already ancient, very, very ancient.,” he said.

He added, “Just like other indigenous communities around the world, we need to reclaim that. Therefore, for these international and regional intervention conferences to be meaningful, I believe we ourselves as people must also reclaim them.”

“Be proud of them. Otherwise, all these interventions are like building a house with no floor.”

The conference is hosted in Nadi and began yesterday, concluding on the 25th of this month. This is a joint initiative of Fiji National University (FNU), the Pacific Community (SPC), the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, and the World Bank.

The conference brought together cultural practitioners, knowledge holders, policymakers, academics, and development partners from across Fiji, the Pacific and beyond.