Gagaja
Gagaja ( ŋaŋatʃa ) is a title in the Rotuman language of Fiji meaning "Chief" or "Lord". The title can refer to a formal chief position in one of the seven districts ( gagaj 'es itu'u ) or a village chief ( fa' es ho'aga ), but it can also refer to other leading figures such as the Chairman of the Rotuma Island Council ( Gagaj Jeaman ta ), if this requires respect and deference due to ability and position. In contrast to many other cultures in the Pacific cultural area , the official chief posts in Fiji are not chosen on the basis of firstborn rights , but through a selection from a certain group of eligible men of a so-called kạinaga (family or clan group) to which the chief title belongs.
Chiefs in Rotuma
In Rotuma today, “gagaja” denotes the most important traditional title of chief in contrast to the “mata” (≈ district chiefs). Gagaja exist for two levels:
Gagaj 'es itu'u
"Gagaj 'es itu'u" are district chiefs who each represent one of the seven districts of the Rotuma Island Council , the most important decision-making body on the island of Rotuma. In addition, they have managerial tasks in daily life and lead, for example, in larger projects that they carry out based on community decisions made by the village community. The district chiefs are subject to a hierarchy and receive their share in the traditional kava ceremonies and feasts in a specific order. Rank is determined by their role in the last war. Since there has been no war in Rotuma since the Rotuman Religious Wars , this order has not been changed since 1878. The order is therefore:
This ranking represents the line-up of the Wesleyan Methodist Alliance between Noa'tau, Oinafa, Itu'ti'u and Malhaha, who won the final conflict, in contrast to Pepjei and Juju (who are collectively referred to as "Fag'uta") ), as well as Itu'muta, who fought on the side of the defeated Catholic Alliance . Due to the political instability after this war, Rotuma became part of the British Empire in 1881 on the intervention of the English Wesleyan missionaries .
Many chief privileges are passed on together with the titles, the so-called "'as togi". These are within the competence of the “mosega” of the districts. The mosega (lit. 'bed') are groups of three to four clans (kạinaga) that go back to the ancestors of the title. After the death of a chief, the new chief is elected from among the members of the mosega. Ideally the title should rotate among the kạinaga of the mosega, in reality the process today is often politically determined.
The second highest title in each district is the " fạufisi ", who takes on administrative duties and represents the gagaj 'es itu'u during absences.
Fa 'es ho'aga
The "ho'aga" (village) is an administrative unit that brings together several households as working groups. The work is supervised by the fa 'es ho'aga (' man with the village 'in Rotuman ). The fa 'es ho'aga belong to the mosega of the village and the office usually also includes certain ' as togi .
religion
In Christianity , Gagaja is often used to mean 'Lord', as in 'Lord God' ( Gagaj Aitu ).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Inia: New Rotuman Dictionary: 82nd
literature
- C. Maxwell Churchward: Rotuman Grammar and Dictionary. Australasian Medical Publishing Co., Sydney 1940.
- A. Fatiaki et al: Rotuma: Hanua Pumue. IPS, Fiji Islands 1977.
- A. Howard, Jan Rensel: Island Legacy: A History of the Rotuman People. Trafford Publishing, Hawaii 2007.
- Elisapeti Inia: Kato'aga: Rotuman Ceremonies. IPS, Fiji Islands 2002.
- Mesulama Titifanua: Tales of a Lonely Island: Rotuman Legends. Trans. V. Clerk Maxwell Churchward 1995, ISBN 982-02-0111-X . (books.google.de)
- Elizabeth Kafonika Makarita Inia: A New Rotuman Dictionary: An English-Rotuman Wordlist. University of the South Pacific. Institute of Pacific Studies, 1998, ISBN 982-02-0128-4 , p. 206. (books.google.de)
- Alan Howard, Jan Rensel: Rotuman Proverbs. Elizabeth Kafonika Makarita Inia (ed.), University of the South Pacific. Institute of Pacific Studies, 1998, ISBN 982-02-0131-4 , pp. 43, 111, 216, 268.