The Fijians: A Study of the Decay of Custom

A keen observer who spent a decade living among Fiji’s islands, the author weaves personal experience with official reports to sketch how a tightly bound system of custom is beginning to loosen. Drawing on his roles as magistrate, land‑court commissioner and department head, he records everyday ceremonies, marriage arrangements, mythic tales and the communal rules that once governed every aspect of life.

The narrative moves from vivid descriptions of traditional rites—such as the “Path of the Shades” and the communal fishing of the Mbalolo—to a thoughtful analysis of the pressures that modern law and foreign contact impose on these practices. By comparing the resilient old order with the emerging changes, the work invites listeners to consider how societies balance inherited norms with the demands of a wider, competitive world, all while preserving the voices of native assistants who helped shape the account.