What was Fiji before?
Fiji was a Crown colony until 1970, when it gained independence as the Dominion of Fiji. A republic was declared in 1987, following a series of coups d’état.
Who settled first in Fiji and where were they from?
Austronesian peoples are believed to have settled in the Fijian islands some 3,500 years ago, with Melanesians following around a thousand years later. Most authorities agree that they originated in Southeast Asia and came via Malay Archipelago.
What are Fijians mixed with?
Indigenous Fijians are predominantly of Melanesian extraction, with some Polynesian admixture.
Where did Fijian Indians come from?
Although they hailed from various regions in the Indian subcontinent, the vast majority of Indo-Fijians trace their origins to the Awadh and Bhojpur regions of the Hindi Belt in northern India. Indians in Fiji speak Fiji Hindi which is based on the Awadhi dialect with major influence from Bhojpuri.
Ethnic groups Indigenous Fijians make up more than half the population; about another two-fifths are people of Indian descent, most of whom are descendants of indentured labourers brought to work in the sugar industry.
Who are the natives of Fiji?
Fijians, officially known since 2010 as iTaukei, are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. Indigenous Fijians are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown.
Indo-Fijians or Indian-Fijians (also known as Fiji Indians) are Fijian citizens of Indian descent, including people who trace their ancestry to various regions of the Indian subcontinent.
Where are Fijians descended from?
western Melanesia
Are Fiji people Polynesian?
Fiji has a population of approximately 884,887, 56.8% of them indigenous Fijian (I taukei) with their Polynesian admixture and 37.5% of Indian descent. The remaining 5.7% is a comprised of Europeans, other Pacific islanders, Chinese and others.
Where did Fijians originally come from?
Indigenous Fijians are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown. Later they would move onward to other surrounding islands, including Rotuma, as well as blending with other (Polynesian) settlers on Tonga and Samoa.
Why did the British take over Fiji?
European attempts at government were doomed by the greed and factionalism of their members and by the interference of European governments and consuls. Imperial intervention thus became inevitable. On October 10, 1874, after negotiations had led to an offer of unconditional cession, Fiji became a British crown colony.
Why was Fiji Colonised by the British?
Fiji was important to the British Empire because the British wished to expand their empire during the 19th century and the island chain’s proximity to existing British colonies in Australia and New Zealand allowed for further sea control.
How long was Fiji under British rule?
96 years
What race are the natives of Fiji?
The population consists of two principal ethnic groups: the indigenous Melanesian population or those of mixed Melanesian-Polynesian origin (subsequently referred to as indigenous Fijians), who now constitute a majority of the population (475,739, 56.8 per cent), and the Indo-Fijian (commonly referred to as Indian) …
Why are Fijians not Polynesian?
Answer and Explanation: No, Fijians are not technically Polynesian, but Melanesian. Fiji is quite close to the Polynesian island of Tonga, meaning that Fijian culture has developed under the influence of Polynesian practices. However, Fijians are descended from Austronesian peoples and speak an Austronesian language.