Paddling Our Sea of Islands: Fiji Outrigger Canoe Racing (Va'a) as Living Culture

Abstract

This chapter presents the first sociological study of outrigger canoe racing, or va'a, in Fiji, a sport deeply embedded in Pacific seafaring heritage. It begins with a brief history of va'a in Fiji, which emerged in the 1980s as part of a postcolonial ‘revival’ of indigenous cultural practices. The chapter subsequently examines the paddling community's notable inclusivity (in terms of gender, ethnicity, age and body shape), persisting exclusivity (in terms of class and geographical location) and dynamic engagement with the sport's cultural anchoring. A key contention of this chapter is that va'a, in its ongoing social construction, has become simultaneously a competitive sport with modern equipment and structures, a hip and cool recreational activity and a cohesive community with shared commitment to the relational value of the ocean, notwithstanding long-standing power differentials. The sport is hence positioned as integral to living, evolving culture rather than timeless indigeneity.

Citation

Kanemasu, Y. (2024), "Paddling Our Sea of Islands: Fiji Outrigger Canoe Racing (Va'a) as Living Culture", Kanemasu, Y. (Ed.) Towards a Pacific Island Sociology of Sport (Research in the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 22), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 79-98. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1476-285420240000022005