Problematizing the dominant: the emergence of alternative cultural voices in Fiji rugby

Exploring Sport and Intergroup Relations in Fiji: Guidance for Researchers Undertaking Short-Term Ethnography

“…A new stimulus came from my participation in the 2012 SPORT AND SHORT-TERM ETHNOGRAPHY 18 Sport, Race and Ethnicity Conference at the University of Ulster, Belfast. The chance viewing of a presentation by Kanemasu & Molnar ( 2013a) researchers on sport, identity and identity in Fijiprovided me with the impetus to explore sport and ethno-cultural divides in that island nation (see also: Kanemasu & Molnar, 2013b;Molnar & Kanemasu 2014). I then read widely to learn about a complex Fijian history shaped by British colonisation and ethnic divisions, the most significant of which involve Indigenous Fijians and Fijians of Indian ancestry (Fraenkel, 2015;Lal, 2012;Robertson, 2012).…”

“…I learned that ethno-cultural separatism is portrayed in business and government, as well as in the cultural domain, where an obvious example is the sports field, exemplified in the Indo-Fijian-controlled world of soccer and the iTaukei-dominated rugby union. These spheres were said to provide differingeven competingversions of Fijian identity, with the cultural and political power of the iTaukei establishing ascendancy over the less numerous, albeit economically more prosperous, Indo-Fijian population (Kanemasu & Molnar, 2013b;Prasad, 2013).…”

Creating Consumer-Citizens: Competition, Tradition and the Moral Order of the Mobile Telecommunications Industry in Fiji

“…The images of inclusion in the television commercial also signalled the value placed on Fijian culture. As with rugby participation in Fiji generally (Kanemasu and Molnar 2013), all the players in the videos were iTaukei. While present in the video, Indo-Fijians played a role in watching and participating from the sidelines (Besnier 2014).…”

Fiji, rugby and the geopolitics of soft power. Shaping national and international identity

“…Football is the principle sport of male Indo‐Fijians (but is also played by indigenous Fijians). The embodiment of nationalism through rugby thus excludes Indo‐Fijians, although many follow the sport and embrace the national project of asserting the nation's global presence through rugby (Kanemasu & Molnar ; Guinness & Besnier ) despite their limited direct participation.…”

“…Sevens provided an acceptable, visible version of nationalism and a boost to national identity. That nonetheless implied that Indo‐Fijians must embrace rugby, and many have done, even though rugby has not embraced them (Kanemasu & Molnar ; Guinness & Besnier ). There is necessarily some danger in linking emotion, sport and nationalism too closely – lest there be failure – yet ethnically separate and distinct people can share common bonds through sport.…”