Fijian mythology takes place in a country located on the continent of Oceania towards the Pacific Ocean and is made up of 333 islands renowned for their beautiful beaches, which, together with their coral reefs and tropical jungles, offer a wonderful view for those who wish to visit them. This area has no land borders but is adjacent to Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands.
Brief overview of the origins of Fiji
It is believed that the first settlers arrived in this paradise from Southeast Asia long before European explorers arrived in the 18th century. However, they did not settle permanently until the 19th century.
As a result, the islands came under British control in 1874 and were later granted independence in 1970, although Queen Elizabeth II continued to reign over the country.
It should be noted that in 1987 there was a coup d’état, which led to the proclamation of the Republic, which remains in place today with a constitution drafted to ensure equal rights and duties for the different ethnic groups living in the country.
Deities of Fijian Mythology
Some of the recognized authorities in this anthology are:
1) Bulu
He represents the spirit world in Fijian mythology, that is, the underworld, and is known to the inhabitants as Bulu. Important deities found in different regions originate from him.
2) Ratumaibulu
Recognized as the shark god of Fiji, he is responsible for protecting the fishermen of the area.
His characteristic feature is his ability to change shape from a man to a whale-like shark, which can measure 15 to 18 meters in length.
On the other hand, he is also represented as a human with a shark torso who is very strong and stands out for having a shark tattoo. He rescues people who are stranded on the reefs and takes them to the beach.
Origin of this deity
There is a story of how this protective being came to be with the fishermen and that the “vu” of Kadavu Island, a goddess with the appearance of a giant octopus, grew tired of watching how Dakuwaka arrogantly treated the people he was supposed to help, to the point that he sometimes ate them without mercy.
In order to teach him a lesson, she challenged him to a battle in which she managed to catch him by clinging to a rock with four of her tentacles and immobilizing him with the others. Exhausted, he surrendered and promised the sea goddess that from now on he would take care of the people of the islands and improve his attitude.
Since then, he has been responsible for protecting marine animals, divers, islanders, and fishermen, who give him offerings on a plate with kav
Myths and legends of Fijian mythology
Below are the most notable myths and legends of Fijian mythology:
1. The Creation of Fiji and the Serpent God
The story goes that it was Degeí, the supreme serpent god, who was responsible for creating the first humans and the Fiji islands, and his job was to judge the souls of the dead to decide their future in the afterlife.
He lived in a cave in the Nakavadra Mountains of Viti Levu.
According to this legend, in the beginning, there was only water and darkness, and there was only one island where the gods lived. It floated in an indecipherable place that was dry at the edge of the world and could only be seen when the sun rose.
At that time, only Degeí was there, accompanied by the falcon Turukawa, who could not speak and did nothing but fly around the earth.
The birth of humans came when the falcon gathered several leaves and herbs and built a nest where two eggs appeared. The god took the eggs to his home, where he warmed them with his body until the first humans were born, whom he raised as his children.
He built a home for each of them, where he fed them and taught them the secrets of nature, planting banana trees, dalos, and yams so that when they grew up they could feed themselves, although they could not eat the dalo or the yams because they did not know fire, and these cannot be eaten raw, so he taught them that they were the food of the gods.
When they became adults, it was inevitable that they would meet, and when they did, they asked Degeí to teach them how to use fire to survive. They then left the god to live together, and in time they had their first child.
Degeí was not upset because he knew that his children and their children worshipped him as their god.
2. The Magic Box: The Beginnings of Fiji
The story is based on the legend that a navy ship was carrying a special cargo from the treasures of King Solomon’s Temple in Judah. Among the items was a special box called Katonimana. The goal was to find the location of a mythological island created by the gods with vast seas and rich land.
In this story, it is said that there were two ships, but one became separated and was lost in the Indian Ocean.
It is not clear which of the two ships reached the Fiji island group, but it encountered a group of reefs and had to change course until it found a way to reach land, which is now known as Momi.
However, due to bad weather and the tide, part of the royal cargo was lost, including the Box of Blessings. The high command Lutunasobasoba gave the order not to recover it, although Degeí tried unsuccessfully.
In order to continue on their route, Lutunasobasoba named the three islands closest to the site Mata-Manoa, the other island Mana, and Likuliku.
They finally reached land at what is now known as Vuda Point, a beach near Nadi Airport on the large island of Viti Levu, where they settled.
It should be noted that Lutunasobasoba ordered that no one search for the magic box that was in the Mamanucas because it would be cursed by the gods. He also pointed out that this triad of islands would in the future become a prosperous place for the people of Fiji.
However, years later, Degeí decided to travel to the Mamanucas to search for the magic box. Upon arriving in the area, he proceeded to find it until he was able to rescue the large black diamond that was outside the box on his own.
According to legend, when he took it, he was cursed and turned into a snake with the diamond embedded in his forehead for eternity. Throughout his life, he would have to crawl on his stomach and live trapped in an ocean cave in Sawa-i-lau in the Yasawas.
