Na yaqona kei na i tikotiko ni veivakarautaki vakavuli: Na veisataki ni i tuvatuva vakalawa kei na veiqaravi raraba (Yaqona [kava] and the school campus: Regulation versus facilitation [Fijian])

Abstract

Na yaqona e gacagaca ni veiqaravi se i tovo vakavanua vakaitaukei ka ra dau vakayagataka talega ena veibogi eso vei ira na noda, ia oqo e sega ni vakatokai me wai ni gunu vakavavalagi. E dina ga ni ra sega ni dau gunuva na yaqona na gonevuli e Viti, e dau taurivaki na kena vulici e valenivuli na veiqaraqarivi vakavanua ka vakayagataki kina na yaqona. E ra dau vakaitavi talega na gonevuli e na veiqaraqaravi vakavanua vei ira na vulagi e na so na soqo e koronivuli. Ni cabe na yabaki 2000 a navuca na tabacakacaka ni vuli e Viti me sa vakatabui na kena gunuvi na yaqona e na loma ni bai ni koronivuli, ka nanumi ni vakaleqa na nodra veiqaravi na qasenivuli. E na vakadidike oqo e a taurivaki na kena dikevi ka vakacakulei na kena gunuvi na yaqona. E mani raici ni rawa ni vakaluluqataka na kena monataki na cakacaka ni veiqaravi vakaqasenivuli ka vakabibi ke ra a gunu yaqona mai e na bogi. E dina ni sa dodonu dina me vakatabui na gunuvi ni yaqona e na kena dikevi vakavakasama, ia e tukuna na dau ni vakadidike oqo ni vakatatabu oqo e dodonu me voci tale mada vakavudi. Na yaqona e gacagaca ni nodra vakasoqonivata na itaukei ni veikoronivuli, e dau vakayacori kina na veiqaravi vakavanua e koronivuli, e dua na ka e tukunikataki kina na i tovo vakavanua. Na veitiki ni veiqaravi kece oqo e dau lai soqonivata ka solevaka me ra vukea yani na nodra tadolova na vuli vinaka na luve i Vitia. (Yaqona (kava) is a culturally significant, non-alcoholic drink consumed nightly by many Fijians. Although yaqona is not consumed by primary or secondary school students, cultural protocols related to yaqona preparation and presentation are often taught in their schools, with students then presenting this indigenous drink to acknowledge visitors to the school, open events and support fundraisers. In the early 2000s, some within the Fiji Ministry of Education began questioning whether yaqona use by teachers was negatively impacting their teaching ability, suggesting it should be banned from the school campus. In this study, Fijian teachers were cognitively tested and interviewed following an evening of yaqona consumption with the results suggesting this indigenous substance can disrupt cognition and in turn negatively impact teaching quality the morning after consumption. Although development theory prescribes prohibition and situational bans in cases where indigenous substances negatively impact productivity, the author argues that prohibiting yaqona in Fijian schools would be short-sighted as the findings show that this traditional substance is critical to the facilitation of school function, identity formation and academic achievement, all elements necessary to development.)