4 Leveraging Vanua: Metaphysics, Nature …
61
neutral (Latour 2004; Leipod et al. 2019; Pascoe et al. 2019). National approaches
to climate policy are captured within a few dominant framing discourses that largely
exclude the worldviews of traditional societies and indigenous communities. In the
last 25 years, for instance, environmental policies related to climate change have
been typically articulated under the flag of ‘development’ and economic rationalist
discourses (Pascoe et al. 2019). Such discourses on climate change policy have
a tendency to either ignore or supress local realities (Brightman and Lewis 2017).
Climate change policy in Fiji is no exception (see for example Republic of Fiji 2018).
In the Pacific Islands, including Fiji, Luetz and Nunn (2020) and Nunn et al. (2016)
have argued that climate change initiatives have failed due, in large part, to the lack
of consideration of characteristics of contemporary Fijian society including cultural
attributes related to spirituality and faith. Aligned to this denial of spirituality, climate
change adaptation initiatives and strategies are largely technocratic, science-driven,
and command-and-control approaches that efface local knowledges and worldviews
(Luetz and Nunn 2020; Oakes 2019).
In our chapter, we are particularly concerned with exploring indigenous Fijian
metaphysics that are deeply implicated within spirituality, faith and cosmologies
of Nature that may have been downplayed in climate adaptation policy formation.
Without sufficient acknowledgement of the complexity of iTaukei metaphysical ideas
that permeate the archipelago’s culture and thinking, any adaptive strategy may
be ineffective—to use a iTaukei metaphysical expression, it would lack ‘mana’,
that is lacking proper ordering, relationship, relatedness, connectedness and thereby
remain inconsistent with the understandings of the community (see Tomlinson 2009;
Tomlinson and Bigitibau 2016; Tuwere 2002).
2 Without being embedded and derived
from this metaphysical system and its interconnectedness with Nature (and spirit and
community) as encapsulated in the notion of vanua, we contend that such policies will
remain external impositions with little traction or relevance. As stated by Leveridge
(2009, p. 25), following Nabobo-Baba’s anthropological studies in Fiji:
The philosophies and beliefs of a community define the nature of their knowledge and their
way of knowing. They also shape environmental perception, [a]ffecting how people interact
and learn to survive within their environment.
Taking this claim at face value, what we suggest is an alternative way of communicating adaptive climate change strategies commensurable with local metaphysical
systems across Fiji. This could make climate policy and science understandable and
actionable by the community in which it is to apply. Yet, given the size of scope of
metaphysics and cosmologies, our chapter can only outline these issues, identifying
areas where more research should be undertaken—including the need for a much
wider study that includes the cosmologies and metaphysics of the other important
faith-systems in Fiji, including Hinduism and Islam.
This chapter is divided into three parts. Firstly, we outline contours in the
iTaukei metaphysical systems within Fiji and their conceptions of Nature as well
2 There are many various definitions of mana that we have adapted from. See Na iVolavosa Vakaviti
(Fijian Dictionary). Suva: Institute of Fijian Language and Culture. Also see Tomlinson (2009).
61
neutral (Latour 2004; Leipod et al. 2019; Pascoe et al. 2019). National approaches
to climate policy are captured within a few dominant framing discourses that largely
exclude the worldviews of traditional societies and indigenous communities. In the
last 25 years, for instance, environmental policies related to climate change have
been typically articulated under the flag of ‘development’ and economic rationalist
discourses (Pascoe et al. 2019). Such discourses on climate change policy have
a tendency to either ignore or supress local realities (Brightman and Lewis 2017).
Climate change policy in Fiji is no exception (see for example Republic of Fiji 2018).
In the Pacific Islands, including Fiji, Luetz and Nunn (2020) and Nunn et al. (2016)
have argued that climate change initiatives have failed due, in large part, to the lack
of consideration of characteristics of contemporary Fijian society including cultural
attributes related to spirituality and faith. Aligned to this denial of spirituality, climate
change adaptation initiatives and strategies are largely technocratic, science-driven,
and command-and-control approaches that efface local knowledges and worldviews
(Luetz and Nunn 2020; Oakes 2019).
In our chapter, we are particularly concerned with exploring indigenous Fijian
metaphysics that are deeply implicated within spirituality, faith and cosmologies
of Nature that may have been downplayed in climate adaptation policy formation.
Without sufficient acknowledgement of the complexity of iTaukei metaphysical ideas
that permeate the archipelago’s culture and thinking, any adaptive strategy may
be ineffective—to use a iTaukei metaphysical expression, it would lack ‘mana’,
that is lacking proper ordering, relationship, relatedness, connectedness and thereby
remain inconsistent with the understandings of the community (see Tomlinson 2009;
Tomlinson and Bigitibau 2016; Tuwere 2002).
2 Without being embedded and derived
from this metaphysical system and its interconnectedness with Nature (and spirit and
community) as encapsulated in the notion of vanua, we contend that such policies will
remain external impositions with little traction or relevance. As stated by Leveridge
(2009, p. 25), following Nabobo-Baba’s anthropological studies in Fiji:
The philosophies and beliefs of a community define the nature of their knowledge and their
way of knowing. They also shape environmental perception, [a]ffecting how people interact
and learn to survive within their environment.
Taking this claim at face value, what we suggest is an alternative way of communicating adaptive climate change strategies commensurable with local metaphysical
systems across Fiji. This could make climate policy and science understandable and
actionable by the community in which it is to apply. Yet, given the size of scope of
metaphysics and cosmologies, our chapter can only outline these issues, identifying
areas where more research should be undertaken—including the need for a much
wider study that includes the cosmologies and metaphysics of the other important
faith-systems in Fiji, including Hinduism and Islam.
This chapter is divided into three parts. Firstly, we outline contours in the
iTaukei metaphysical systems within Fiji and their conceptions of Nature as well
2 There are many various definitions of mana that we have adapted from. See Na iVolavosa Vakaviti
(Fijian Dictionary). Suva: Institute of Fijian Language and Culture. Also see Tomlinson (2009).