A young Fr Frank Hoare singing with Indo-Fijian parishioners - Photo: Fr Frank Hoare
THE CHALLENGE
In 1986, St Pope John Paul II pronounced Fiji ‘the way the world should be’ - a country with different ethnic and religious communities living together in peace. However, one year later, the peace was shattered by two coup d’etats led by Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. These were the first of four coups, the last occurring at the end of 2006.
In response to the 1987 coups and their aftermath, Columban missionaries in Fiji decided, in February 1990, to prioritize work for justice and reconciliation. Needing to reflect on the social dynamics of Fiji society to understand the coups and be catalysts for change, we sought inspiration in the Gospels and tried to act as missionary peace-builders.
IDENTIFYING THE ROOTS OF THE PROBLEM
The coups involved complicated political intrigues and personalities. But ethnic prejudice is a source of social division, ripe for manipulation by political and military leaders for their own purposes.
Ethnic prejudice in Fiji is based on stereotypes held by the main ethnic groups about each other. Hard-working ethnic Indians are dismissed as selfish, mean individualists while the relaxed communitarian indigenous Fijians are condemned as lazy and irresponsible.
To develop as humans, we all need to belong to groups. But because we are socialized to accept our culture as normative, we easily denigrate cultures different from our own. We don’t see them just as different but as inferior. This ‘us and them’ division becomes a negative emotional prejudice when used to incite competition, fear, and suspicion in ordinary people by those seeking leadership and power. Ethnic prejudice stirred up in this way leads to discrimination and hostility.
Not everything in a culture is perfect. That is also true of our own culture. But we usually compare the ideals of our own culture with the failings of other cultures. We must try to understand other ethnic communities in the context of their historical, geographic, social, and economic environment. We need to be open to learning how each culture has adapted to its context. We must widen the spaces in our tent to accept other cultures as different responses to the mystery of life in society.
A shadow drama of the crucifixion, part of a reconciliation ritual in an intercultural encounter weekend at Ba in 1995 - Photo: Fr Frank Hoare
INSPIRATION FROM JESUS' TEACHING
In Jesus’ time, simmering prejudice, which often boiled over into open hostility, existed between Jews and Samaritans. Samaritans refused to give hospitality to Jesus and his disciples when they were on their way to Jerusalem (Luke 9:53). Yet Jesus refused to allow his disciples to curse them. Jesus, a Jew, held up a Samaritan as an example of compassion to a wounded Jewish traveller (Lk.10:36–37). He cited a Samaritan as an example of faith, in comparison with Jews, after healing the ten lepers (Lk.17:17–18). St John, too, noted the inability of Nicodemus, representing Jews, to surrender in faith to Jesus (John 3:1-21), contrasting it to the enthusiastic faith of the Samaritan woman (John 4:39).
Self-critique reduces inter-group defensiveness. It inspires groups to take back projections of their unaccepted behaviour (that they attribute to the other group). Jesus’ discussion with the Samaritan woman exemplifies open dialogue on inter-group differences (John 4:4–42). It encourages the mutual respect that should characterize such a dialogue. It suggests the importance of a community taking its identity and tradition seriously but being open to having these integrated with other identities and traditions at a higher spiritual level.
COLUMBAN RESPONSE
Columbans are missionaries. We experience the letting go of stereotypes and prejudices through our efforts to understand and live in other cultures. In Fiji, we learn both Hindi and Indigenous Fijian languages. We try to adapt to indigenous Fijian and ethnic Indian cultures through gospel universalism. So we are well positioned to be bridge-builders in Fiji.
After the first coup, Fr Dick Keelan and I, with strong backing from Rev. Paula Niukula, an ex-President of the Methodist Church, started People for Intercultural Awareness to work for mutual respect between cultures. We held two-week courses for indigenous Fijian and ethnic leaders and conducted many weekend workshops for parishes, schools, and colleges. We targeted young leaders such as teachers and seminarians. I wrote two short books on intercultural exercises to help students, teachers, and parishioners experience intercultural dialogue. We encouraged prayer groups to meet and explore their cultural differences as well as celebrate their similarities.
Columbans arranged for Indo-Fijian lay leaders to live for a while in Fijian villages and for Indigenous Fijian seminarians to live during their pastoral year with Indian families for four to five months. We facilitated reflection on these experiences to ensure the participants learned from them.
A biblical image that I find very meaningful is the story of Jacob wrestling the stranger (Gen. 32:25–29). Though wounded in the encounter, Jacob perseveres and wins a blessing from the stranger, who proves to be the Other. I believe that in struggling to include people of other cultures and faiths, we come to know and love God better.
I treasure the image of a Columban missionary as a bridge-builder. I am fascinated by culture and captivated by faith. I rejoice when I make friends with people of different cultures and faiths. When I am able to deepen the respect and acceptance of people for each other, I truly experience myself as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I feel I am working for Fiji to be how it should be.
Columban Fr Frank Hoare lives and works in Fiji.
Listen to "The way the world should be"
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