Traditions vs medical problems
Taitusi Sokiveta, Phoenix, AZ
One of the biggest problems, especially in Fijian villages is that traditions are taken so seriously like the 10 Commandments or the law.
The belief system in villages is tradition came from God. Instead it’s a manmade doctrine that lingers on from the days of cannibalism now mixed in with today’s religion, makes it according to villagers decision between heaven and hell.
That’s how serious it’s taken. Now this becomes a very serious problem, especially if you have medical conditions in villages.
The albinos or in iTaukei, rea, their white skin can create cancer because it’s a medical problem from birth to adulthood and that’s why they wear sunglasses long-sleeved shirts with long pants and hats.
The problem here is tradition doesn’t allow women to wear pants in villages and nobody is allowed to wear hats.
So tradition is overriding medical condition in villages and putting peoples life at risk because of a belief system that’s deeply engraved into peoples’ minds and soul that it has become the 11th commandment of the 10 commandments.
Nothing is going to change this until hell freezes over according to tradition, custom and culture engraved into villagers’ souls.
I had similar situations in 2016. I have bad knees so I wear prosthetic knee pads to enable me to walk and protect me against excruciating pains.
The problem here is I can’t sit on the floor. In America it’s no big deal you can sit anyway you like as long as your comfortable.
In some village it was OK but I had to explain first to the villagers that I have a medical condition and wasn’t trying to be the paramount chief of Fiji and Rotuma.
In other villagers some houses were OK, but some were not OK with me sitting on a chair and so I avoided those houses like a plague.
The problem here is there has to be a law that protects people with medical condition in villages and to be written on paper by a judge and medical doctor. And they should be under full protection by the Police Department not the village chief or turaga-ni-koro because they worship tradition, custom and culture as if it came from God Himself.
People living with disabiliies and medical conditions should be a number one priority in case of medical emergency and should be above religion, traditions, culture and customs in all Fijian villages.
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj