A Business Trip to Fiji!!

Welcome back! I have lots of exciting news and information to share with you fellow Fijian-travelers! Since I have been so enthustaic about planning this lush vacation my boss is interested in planning a conference in Fiji. I would of course either extend my stay or go back depending on when they pin-point the time frame to.

Which leaves me with lots of work to do. First I need to find out what our Business Associates will need to wear so they don't look and feel so out of place. We need to blend in as much as we can if we're wanting to start our business venture with the Fijian people.

Since it is a tropical environment, the clothing matches that, it is very cool and light. The dress code  is mostly smart and casual rather than being elaborate. Fijians are cool and casual dresser and generally prefer light dressing in any time of the day. For women the dress code is unique and versatile and one dress can be worn out in many different forms especially among the women folk and they are the trend setter of Fiji Clothing. Crazy right? They're still someone concered about fashion. Business Attire is slightly different I will explain that as well.

Traditional Fiji Clothing is known as “Sulu” and it’s very handy and is quite similar to pareau or sarong. One dress can be worn at least in ten different forms and are worn by both men and women. The material is very light and Fiji men wear these skirts to schools, events, and workplace and also prefer them on special occasions. Women mostly wear skirts and the elder ladies prefer floor length skirts. Short length skirts and dresses are the choice of the young ladies.

Taboos-
Since we know little about the Fiji Culture as Americans, I took the liberty to find out a few things we need to refrain from while we are there. Most of these apply to the villages, but its all helpful information

-Touching anyone on the head. The head area is a sacred storage of knowledge- it's even taboo to wear hats and sunglasses in the villages. Carrying bags is even considered taboo because of shoulder straps which approach the head area.

-Eating while walking in the village

-Standing while others are seated in a room. If you must stand to get up, or must move through one's personal space, you must crouch over and repeatedly say "tulo."

-In the village, women must wear skirts and have their shoulders covered. Mostly, women (and men) wear wrap around pieces of cloth (sulus). Men must also wear skirts when visiting another village.

-Shoes are not worn in any house, church, or community hall

-Women cannot shower after dark

-Legs should be crossed when sitting around the tanoa bowl. You must ask permission to stretch you legs and should never have your feet pointing at anyone.

-No pointing at anyone

-No running through the village

-No loitering in the doorway

Business tips

There are cultural differences between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians or Fiji-Indians (ie. Fiji citizens of Indian origin). Most business people are Indo-Fijians, although there is a growing presence of Indigenous Fijians in business.

Business dress is informal. Normal attire for men is trousers with an open-neck, short-sleeve shirt. For more formal business meetings, (eg. with a Government Minister) a tie might be worn, normally with a short sleeve shirt. Suits and jackets are seldom required.

Taboos fir Business:

• Standing with hands on hips is seen as an expression of anger or arrogance.
• Indigenous Fijians do not like to be touched on the head - it is a traditional taboo.
• Pointing to a person while talking to them is generally considered rude.

Most business people prefer to be called by their first name, rather then using Mr/Mrs (surname). It is a normal practice to use titles in formal correspondence. Certain indigenous Fijians have the title 'Ratu' (for men) or 'Adi' (pronounced ‘An-dee’, for women), meaning that they are of chiefly status. The title should always be used with their first name when addressing them.

Culturally, the Fijian people are very polite and respectful. You will find that they are hesitant to ask for clarifications or ask questions, thinking they could be seen as being rude or offensive. Therefore, it is important to develop a good rapport and discuss issues thoroughly to ensure that both parties interpret each other correctly. When discussing business with Fijian people note that ‘yes’ doesn't always mean, ‘I agree with you’ - it could mean ‘I understand you’.

Fiji Indians can be quite direct and want to know the ‘deal’ fairly quickly, ie. ‘What’s the price?’ They are traders by instinct and often base their evaluation on price. So if other aspects of your product are important, such as quality or service, then it pays to emphasise, and if possible, quantify them.

Part of the culture is Fiji time. Timeliness is not strictly observed, however, in recent years, this has become less apparent. Meetings and appointments may not start on time - delays of 10-15 minutes are quite normal. Guests invited to trade displays or seminars often arrive up to half an hour late.

It is not unusual to be offered a bowl of yagona or kava. Kava is often referred to as the national drink and is offered to visitors on special occasions. We suggest that you accept the first bowl offered so as not to cause offence and then politely decline should you not wish to drink anymore.

Alcohol is consumed in the business community and red wine seems to be becoming more common. Spirits are commonly consumed at business gatherings.

The exchange of gifts is not a widely accepted Fijian business practice. On occasions as a gesture of friendship, one may be presented with gift but it does not necessarily mean that you have to respond likewise.

Need a Translator? (I have a feeling we will) here is where we can hire one for an assignment
http://www.abcotranslations.com/interpreting-services/interpretation/fijian-interpretation.html

Holidays:
We should be aware of what Fijian People observe as holidays, to better prepair our meeting. These are a list of the holida

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Breakfast:
breakfast is usually bread and tea and occasionally deep fried pancakes

Lunch & Dinner
Meals are mainly Fijian food such as fish and various seafood, chicken, land crabs, dalo, cassava, rice, vegetables .. Vegetarian meals are available.
  Sundays, often a special meal, 'Lovo' is served. This is a traditional way of preparing food in an earth oven. Its delicious. Lovo literally means Lava and is an underground oven using heated rocks to bake the food.  It is as Fijian as it gets!

 Lovo inckudes:

Fish – Whole Red Snapper rubbed in spices and wrapped in banana leaves
Chicken – Marinated in coconut milk, ginger, spicy chilies and lime
Curried Pork Short Ribs
Root Vegetables baked in foil
Yaquona (Cava Root) beverage – In this case, Rum and Coconut Juice
Tropical fruit salsa

More Food Info:

A traditional Fijian meal includes a starch, relishes, and a beverage. The starch component, which is referred to as "real food," is usually taro, yams, sweet potatoes, or manioc but may consist of tree crops such as breadfruit, bananas, and nuts. Because of its ease of cultivation, manioc has become the most widely consumed root crop. Relishes include meat, fish and seafood, and leafy vegetables. Canned meat and fish are also very popular. Vegetables often are boiled in coconut milk, another dietary staple. Soup is made of fish or vegetables. Water is the most common beverage, but coconut water and fruit juices also are drunk. Tea and an infusion of lemon leaves are served hot.

People generally eat three meals a day, but there is much variability in meal times and snacking is common. Most food is boiled, but some is broiled, roasted, or fried. Cooked food is served on a tablecloth spread on the floor mat inside the house. The evening meal, which is usually the most formal, requires the presence of all the family members and may not begin without the male head of the household. Men are served first and receive the best foods and the largest portions. Meals are meant to be

Tips on Eating Etiquette

Arrive on time. Do not arrive 10 minutes late without phoning beforehand.
Do not begin eating until the hostess says 'bon appetit'. (dinner parties)
If you have not finished eating, cross your knife and fork on your plate with the fork over the knife.
Do not rest your elbows on the table, although your hands should be visible and not in your lap. A man may rest his wrists, and a woman her forearms, on the table edge.
Do not cut salad with a knife and fork. Fold the lettuce on to your fork.
Peel and slice fruit before eating it,


Customs:


Fire Walking:

Fijian firewalking is an ancient ritual, which according to legend was given by a god only to the Sawau tribe of the island of Beqa off the south coast of Viti Levu. The skill is still possessed by the Sawau (who live in four villages on the southern side of Beqa), but in special cases members of other tribes adopted by the Sawau can also perform this mystifying ceremony. Nowadays firewalking is performed occasionally for Fijians, but most often for the benefit of tourists at various resorts. The performances for the visitors are generally less steeped in custom than the one described here, but the demonstration of firewalking is just as genuine.

 

Meke

A meke is a traditional Fijian dance. It is typically performed during celebrations and festivals. Males and females each perform a separate dance never dancing together. The male dance is called the meke moto usually involving long spears. The dance is meant to symbolize the ancient warriors of the village. The female dance is called the seasea and involves the performers making rapid motions with their hands and arms.

The music for the dance is provided by bamboo tubes and the lali, a wooden drum. The performers illustrate the meaning of the meke through the lyrics of the songs. The songs and their lyrics are created by the daunivucu, a Fijian composer, specifically for each meke.

Here is a video so you can get an idea of what its like!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk_x9MxXGk4&feature=player_detailpage

Resources:

http://www.austrade.gov.au/Doing-business-in-Fiji/default.aspx

http://myhungrytum.com/2010/10/17/lovo-fiji-national-dish-day-227dish-61-celebrating-world-food-day/

http://www.abcotranslations.com/interpreting-services/interpretation/fijian-interpretation.html
http://listlanguage.com/fiji.html

 Culture of Fiji - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, dress, marriage, men, life, immigrants, population, religion, rituals http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/Fiji.html#ixzz16xy806M0