[photo:Enda Low]
Hundreds gathered in Suva today to celebrate Rotuma Day, an annual event focused on preserving and promoting Rotuman culture among younger generations.
The two-day event has brought together representatives from Rotuma’s seven districts, with communities encouraged to actively take part in keeping their traditions, language, and identity alive for future generations.
Organising Admin, Faga Paulokai’tu, says that for the hosting district of Pepjei, the aim of this year’s Rotuma Day celebrations is to ensure that youths remain at the centre of the event.
“For this event, it’s showing respect, and more so, is the love, and to sustain that. So it’s like an annual event, but that’s how we try to revive our tradition, our culture, so our future generations, so it’s not forgotten.”
Paulokai’tu says this year’s celebration includes competitions and traditional dances as a way to revive and preserve Rotuman culture.
This has also been echoed by farmers, who say youths should be allowed to learn more about their culture and become interested in it, as a way to keep them away from drugs and crime.
The Rotuman Day celebration will end today; however, its impact in ensuring the Rotuman culture will continue.
