Na Vosa Vaka Viti

Let’s Speak Fijian!

Nothing breaks down cultural barriers and kindles friendships like learning some of the local “lingo”. Wrap your lips around the following tricks to correct Fijian pronunciation:

The letter “b” is pronounced “mb”
“q” is “ngg” (like finger) – So the Fijian name Beqa is pronounced Mbengga
“c” is “th” (‘then’)
“a” is a long sound (like “master”) – so the Fijian place name Laucala is spoken Lauthala
“i” is long (like ‘reef’)
“e” is short (like ‘step”)
“u” is short (like ‘dune) – so the big island of Fiji, Viti Levu is pronounced Veetee Lehvu
“d” is nd – so the placename Nadi is pronounce Nandi

Say “bula” Whenever meeting or greeting in Fiji or when someone sneezes (like “bless you!’)
“Yadra” (Yandra) Good morning!
“Moce” (moceh) Goodbye/Goodnight
“Vinaka” (vinakah) – thank you
“Kana vinaka” – Delicious food!
“Tulou” (toolow) – Excuse me; used when crossing in front of, or behind a seated person and when reaching above a person’s head.
“Vakamalua” (vakah mah loo-wah) – Slowly
“Dua tale” – (Doer Tahleh) – One more!

• Mataqali –(Martar-garli) - an agnatically related social unit – usually a lineage of the larger clan
• Yagona –( Yah-GOH-nah-) – root of a pepper plant – Piper Methysticum
• Tanoa 0 (TAR-noah) – kava bowl made of wood
• Turaga-ni-koro – (TOO-rung-her-nee-KOHRAW) – Village Head
• Sulu (SOO-loo) – wrap-around waist cloth
• Bilo –(BEE-loh) – cup (made from coconut shell or tea-cup)
• Lovo – underground oven
• Qaloqalovi – (Garlo-Garlo-VEE) – Traditional ceremony of Welcome
• Tanoa – (TAR-noah) – large wooden bowl cared from the trunk of the vesi tree
• Vesi (Ve-SEE) – hardwood from the tree vesi (intsia bijuga)
• Vau (VAR-woo) – bark of vau plant processed and shredded into find strands and used as strainer or yaqona or coconut milk
• Matanivanua – (Matah-nee-vah-NOO-WAH) – Aide or spokesman of the chief
• Lali (LAH-lee) – wooden drum in different sizes: biggest one is 2-3 feet in diameter is used as church-service bell – small ones as accompaniment for action songs
• Cobo (THAW-Bhoh) – clapping of hands with the deep sound by cupping the hands.
• Sau – (SAR-ou) – coconut fibre of about 2 feet long ornamented with three cowrie white shells at the end attached to the front of the tanoa or yaqona bowl.
• Bilo – (BEE-law) – special shaped cup made from half of coconut shell and well sandpapered, black in color and used for drinking kava or yaqona.
• Maca – (Mar-THAR) – empty
• Vakaturaga – (VARKar-TOO-rung-her) It refers primarily to actions and personal characteristics which befit the presence of a person of high status, such as a chief or his representatives and counterparts. Chiefly-like-manner or protocol
• Rabe- literary means to kick but in this context it is specifically and formally the word that goes with the person who drinks the kava or yaqona immediately after his Chief. The person who drinks the kava (or RABE) after the Chief or Head of State is called the Matanivanua
• Tabua – (Tam-BOO-wah) – Whale’s tooth
• Bua-ta –(Boor-TAR) – highly polished wood from the bua tree (frangipani tree)
• Turivakitabua – (TOOREE-Varkey-TAMBOO-wah) – Traditional announcement to herald the Chief’s presence
• Kamunaga – (CAR-moo-NUNG-ngha) formal name for tabua (whale’s tooth)
• Masi – (Mar-SEE) paper mulberry tree (broussonetia papyrifera) traditional cloth