Talk:Fijian people

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[edit] Images

I've added a couple of images, if only to enable this article to have pictures of contemporary indigenous Fijians, and not just a 19th century one. I put a picture of Qarase, because he's the only indigenous Fijian I've found who has a picture in his article. This is by no means an endorsement of the man's politics (which I happen to disagree with for the most part). The second picture is my own work. It's a photo I took in Fiji in 2003. If you don't like the images, feel free to remove them; I won't take offence. Better still, if you have better ones, feel free to replace mine with them. The idea is to have at least one image of a contemporary indigenous Fijian. Aridd (talk) 16:46, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Do understand the politics

The British moved Hindi language-speaking Hindus to Fiji. The Hindus have outbred them. The original majority Polynesian autochthons revolted and took back their native land. (unsigned comment by User:Ace Telephone)

Incorrect. Indo-Fijians briefly outnumbered indigenous Fijians, but have not done so since the late 1980s. Indigenous Fijians now constitute over 50% of the population, and Indo-Fijians less than 40%. You're also wrong on three other counts: First, Indigenous Fijians are Melanesians, not Polynesians. Second, Indo-Fijians are not all Hindus (a sizeable proportion of them are Muslims, for example). Third, the indigenous population did not "take back" its native land: the land was never taken from them. Inalienable indigenous ownership of the land was garanteed and protected by the British during the colonial period, and remains protected in law. Fiji's politics and inter-ethnic relations are indeed complex, but I regret to have to tell you that you've managed to insert four major errors in one and a half lines of text. With no disrespect intended, you need to read up on Fiji before commenting further. Aridd (talk) 16:16, 2 March 2008 (UTC)