I recently got the opportunity to attend the inaugural Indigenous Knowledge conference in Fiji, that was hosted by the Fiji National University (FNU), in partnership with Pacific Communities (SPC) and the World Bank. The week-long conference was jam packed with talanoa, knowledge and wisdom sharing, and insights into what it means to have Vuku ni Vanua or Wisdom of the Land, which was the theme for the gathering.
The conference brought together academics, practitioners, and a cadre of young chiefs (sausau vou kei Viti) into a space for veitalanoa (collaborative discussions). Special shoutout to the Regional Institute of Leadership Development (RILED) at the Pasifika Communities University (formerly Pacific Theological College) for sponsoring the trip for my wife and I!
I thought it prudent to highlight some of the learnings that I got from the conference and the talanoa sessions after. Again these are insights that I gained and it may not be the same for anyone that was there, but it is my truth.
Na Vuku ni Vanua
Throughout the week we got to listen to academic researchers, cultural practitioners, and knowledge gatherers & sharers unanimously agree to one thing—our ancestors had a rolodex of knowledge and wisdom through their immersion in the vanua and their keen observation on ecological and social indicators.
We heard ecologists, psychologists, historians, theologians, and every other type of “-ist” and “-ian” you could imagine, talk about how indigenous and traditional knowledge provided a contextualized perception of the world that was holistic. When I say holistic I mean that our ancestors took social, ecological, mental, physiological, and psychological considerations into account when building their knowledge base.
Now imagine if we could tap into that knowledge system as we strive for proactive solutions to climate change? We are at the forefront of this climate issue, which also puts us in the perfect position to be pioneers in products and services directed toward a global society under climate-induced pressure.
Spaces Needed
The glaring reality after the conference was that it wasn’t enough. We need to have more spaces where we can talk about our indigeneity without feeling a sense of shame.
Prof. Nabobo-Baba, the Vice Chancellor for FNU, quoted a mentor of hers—Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi of Samoa—who said we shouted of Western concepts and religions but when it came to our own indigeneity and indigenous religions, we whispered. What a profound insight!
Are we so ashamed of our indigeneity that we whisper about it behind closed doors, afraid that we will be chastised by colonizers or labeled racists? That should never be the case!
A Space for All
As the conference came to an end, I wished that we could have open dialogue between all social groups in Fiji about the way forward. Spaces need to be created where we can veitalanoa as one Fijian people about our greatest fears and yearnings. There needs to be spaces where we can lay everything on the table and share our culture in appropriate ways and learn of the cultures of other social groups.
I honestly believe that we cannot move forward as a nation if we continue to work in silos, fearing what the other group may do. The defacto social environment can be akin to the Prisoner’s Dilemma game theory , where social groups are working in a state of anxiety and making choices between cooperation and self-interests, without dialogue.
How else can we move forward? If we’re continuously trying to decide what the other side may do, and if we begin with a default toward mistrust, what else is there but self-interest?
Bridging the Gap between Research & Action
During a talanoa around the tanoa (IYKYK) with one of the chiefs, after a long day of presentations and panels, he stated that he felt that things could have been easier if the presenters also provided suggestions or ideas of how their research could be implemented in their communities.
While the argument could be made that this particular chief may have wanted to be spoon-fed, I believe it highlighted what we all know—there is a gap between research and application. Can it be bridged in a week? No it cannot. Can there be collaborative work done between researchers and community leaders? Yes, I believe so.
The Three-legged Stool
Ratu Sukuna’s metaphor of the three-legged stool has been used to discuss two different notions of harmony that I believe are both required.
The first notion, which has somehow become the better known of the two, is specific to the Indigenous Fijian community—that in order for the indigenous to thrive, there was a need for the lotu (churches), vanua (traditional structures), and the matanitu (government) to be collaborative. Through talanoa, I’ve gotten the impression that there is a power imbalance that has existed for some time. The traditional systems has not worked for a while now, which has led the government and church to have a stronger presence in indigenous settings. Those that strongly subscribe to this concept of the three-legged stool would probably lay the blame on Bainimarama and his government because of their progressive policies which discarded the Great Council of Chiefs / Bose Levu Vakaturaga (GCC / BLV), the representative body of traditional leadership. I would have to disagree with this. Rusiate Nayacakalou’s Leadership in Fiji already noted examples of the decline in traditional leadership prior to 1970 (Nayacakalou passed away in 1972). His almost prophetic book also stating the need for traditional leadership to adapt to modernity or risk losing their grasp on a population that were exposed to contemporary forms of kinships and conflicts. I believe there is a need to restore the power equilibrium or chaos will continue. I hope to elaborate more on that in another article.
The other notion of the three-legged stool spoke on the need for harmony between the three major races during the time of Ratu Sukuna, the Indigenous Fijian, the Indian, and the European—according to Dr. Scarr, Ratu Sukuna’s biographer. While I disagree with focusing solely on the three racial groups, I believe that the intention for social harmony is quite relevant today. Social discord and racial rhetoric indicate injustices and fears from days past and we need to find a way to move forward.
The indigenous knowledge conference was a great start toward that goal. We still need more talanoa, but more importantly, we need more action!
Next Steps
During a talanoa session with someone about the conference, he shared a sober thought that I want to share now. The success of the conference isn’t realized in the number of attendees but in what will happen after it is done. I want to end by posing a few questions that build on this perspective. I hope that we can answer truthfully and ponder upon it.
- How can we use the knowledge, stories, and experiences shared to improve our society?
- How can we bring together young traditional leaders, researchers, academics, and practitioners to brainstorm innovative approaches?
- What can be done to translate research into practice?
- How can we contribute to our society in meaningful ways?
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Alfred Tora 
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