iTaukei youths are too occupied with things that don’t matter and are becoming lazy, which affects their productivity and knowledge of cultural practices that are vital to their identity.
While speaking to fijivillage News, businesswoman from Komo, Kabara in Lau, Leba Sulia recalled the times her mother advised her on the importance of not following the wrong crowd, as it could affect her future.
She is calling on iTaukei youths to always take heed of what their parents teach them, because it will benefit them in the future.
Sulia says that during the presentation of the Veiqia Project Exhibition by Cultural Adviser Joana Monolagi and Sainsbury Research Fellow, Professor Karen Jacobs from the University of East Anglia in England, says she was astonished to learn about the ceremonies practiced by iTaukei in the early 1800s, including the traditional wearing of the liku, being explained by a professor from England.
She adds that youths need to learn these traditions, which are now only practiced in a few parts of Fiji.
Sulia says she plans to include this knowledge in her business by weaving the liku and showcasing the stories they hold to the iTaukei community.
Sulia continues that iTaukei communities are privileged to have knowledge of traditional practices that can benefit individuals financially, and that youths need to learn from parents who still know these practices.
She says these privileges come from the natural resources around us such as vau, voivoi, and coconut leaves — which can be turned into beautiful products to support their livelihoods.
Sulia encourages young people to spend their time on things that truly matter.
The Na Cagi Ni Veisau Exhibition will be open to the public at the Fiji Museum in Suva from today to February 8th, 2026.
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