Page 24 - Melanesia

here might be a number of individu- settlement in Fiji resulted in the almost
T als qualified as chiefly candidates, but
those who became chiefs had to stand out
from the group. Because of intermarriage,
incredibly complex relationships between
tribes throughout Fiji were created. Tribal
leaders hoping to gain political power
could thus draw support from different
clans throughout the islands through their
blood ties, and in the process just as easily
make enemies. No one chief was dominant
in Fiji. The political scene was in a constant of scraggly beachcombers and vagabonds
flux of changing allegiances brought about
by disputes over land, property or women,
by quarrels, or by the rulers’ petty jealous-
ies.
T he early explorers knew Fiji to be dan-
gerous, an unknown area inhabited by
unpredictable cannibals and strewn with
treacherous reefs--in short, a place one
avoided. This changed after the discovery of
sandalwood and the growth of the bˆche-
de-mer (sea cucumber) trade. European
selling firearms which were used in tribal
immediate involvement of foreign pow- conflicts.
ers. French, British and US war ships called
regularly, often on behalf of aggrieved I n 1871 the Cakobau government was
nationals. As the European population established at the old whaling port of
grew, settlers who lived under the protec- Levuka. Hopes were high on all sides that it
tion and at the whim of local chiefs lobbied would work. However, as a historian noted,
their respective governments in an effort to `the ministers could not satisfy the irrecon-
annex Fiji and establish a business-as-usual cilable demands of merchants, planters and
climate. Both the British and American Fijians’. The government became universally
consuls living there were deeply immersed unpopular’ and the situation deteriorated.
in Fijian affairs. After the 1860s the Euro- Talk of race war was heard, and in order to
pean settlement evolved from a handful prevent anarchy and bloodshed Cakobau
was forced to cede Fiji to Britain. The Brit-
to a more orthodox settler society arriving ish, realizing the responsibility they had
mostly from Australia and New Zealand. towards the settlers and the Fijians, and not
Fiji became attractive because of the belief wishing the country to fall into America’s
that the British were going to annex it, and hands, accepted. On 10 October 1874 the
economically as a cotton-growing center deed of cession was signed in Nasova, near
for European markets which were deprived Levuka. Fiji had become a crown colony.
of this commodity during the American Fiji was now a colony, but a colony deemed
Civil War. By 1870 the European popula- in need of economic growth. Large-scale
tion numbered more than 2000. Settlers plantations seemed the obvious answer to
purchased land, sometimes fraudulently, by the new rulers, but labor was scarce.