The Olympics and World Cup are probably the two greatest international sporting events. Some features of Western culture stand out in them. The intense competitive spirit, the gross commercialization, the combat-like participation of athletes and fans are interconnected. They are key aspects of the socio-economic and political systems of the Western world, systems that can threaten the world with nuclear holocaust and destroy the life systems through climate change and loss of biodiversity. We must learn from the human values of other cultures, values which also appear in their traditional games.
Veitiqa is a game for men. A reed three or four feet long capped with a six inch oval point of heavey wood is thrown with the forefinger in such a way that it will skim along the ground to a distance of 100 yards or more. One team has its innings first and each member has his throw marked by a reed. The opposition then throw and when a throw of theirs surpasses the mark of one of the other team that marker is removed. The number of markers to surpass the best throw of the other team becomes the score for that round of the stronger team. The rounds continue until one team reaches a certain score.
Caqe moli is a game for women using much the same scoring method as veitiqa. The women kick a large orange with the upper instep of a bare foot and can make it travel 40 yards or more.
The two games are played with much good humor, chanting of slogans and cheering from the participants. A remarkable thing about the two games, from the point of view of a non-Fijian, is that immediately after the game the winners assemble a stock of clothes and tie them to long bamboo poles. They then proceed in formation to where the losers are seated shouting derisive insults and mocking them about their ability. Then the captain of the winning team gathers the poles together, chooses one and presents it to the captain of the losing team. When he or she has formally accepted them, the clothes are distributed among the losers.
Seeing this one of the Indo-Fijian youths said, “If we Indians were playing that game we would all try to lose.” Something of the acquisitive nature of his own ethnic group was highlighted for him by seeing its contrast in another culture.
There was no TV, no sponsorship, no drug testing, not national anthems, no spectators in Savusavu iTaga that day, but best of all there were no losers.
