a step back

so what am i doing in fiji of all places?

i'm here for two months doing a qualitative study of the christian indo-fijian community for my senior thesis. indo-fijian? you ask. fiji's population is divided between indigenous fijians (57%) and indo-fijians (37%), who are mostly descendents of indian indentured servants that the british brought over to work on the sugar plantations. there has been quite a bit of friction between the two ethnic groups, especially since the first military coup in 1987. (an indian-supported party gained power for the first time, and the nationalists promptly kicked them out.) religious divisions add to the ethnic tension, as fijians are almost all christian (96%) and indo-fijians are mostly hindu (80%). the fijian methodist church, by far the largest and most influencial denomination, is fiercely nationalistic and has repeatedly urged the government to declare fiji a "christian nation" (and even impose sabbath laws) as part of its efforts to reclaim ethnic fijian hegemony.

i'm curious about the minority christian indo-fijian population (~6% of indo-fijians) because they are sandwiched in a tricky place between the two main groups, and i want to understand how they define their own identity and how they navigate the ethno-religious conflict. my research involves mainly in-depth interviews and also visits to churches, temples, etc. interesting stuff!

so now you know what i am doing. contrary to popular belief, i am not just lying on the beach all day! as a matter of fact, there are no decent beaches near suva where i am living. the gorgeous white beaches that fiji is famous for are all on the tiny western islands, far away from me!