Fijians in the United Kingdom
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Fijians in the United Kingdom include Fijian-born immigrants to the United Kingdom as well as their British-born descendants. As of 2011, there were 6,285 Fijian-born residents in the UK.
History and settlement
Fiji and the United Kingdom have close ties, with Fiji being a member of the
Fijians have been dubbed the "unsung heroes" of the British army,[3] and, according to Major Charles Heyman, "There is a long military tradition in Fiji and many serve today because their fathers and grandfathers did" and "the Fijians have been an essential part of the British empire and what they are doing, basically, is filling the vacant slots in the British Army because we cannot recruit enough from the UK itself".[3] As of 2009, approximately 2,000 Fijians are working for the British armed forces (as a result from recruiting since 1998).[4]
Demographics and population
The
The largest numbers of people of Fijian origin in the UK can be found in London as well as towns within the proximity of British Army infantry bases such as
Culture and community
Many Fijians attend community church services held at various barracks around the country on the first Sunday of every month.[16] The Fijian community in the UK is fairly tight-knit and they enjoy large banquets and meals together, where traditional Fijian dishes are cooked in earth ovens, Lovo is a popular with the community whilst other foods such as chicken, lamb, fish with coconut milk alongside yam and sweet potatoes are also popular.[16] There are currently no Fijian shops or restaurants in the capital, although many African owned establishments prove popular with the Fijian community. Food is a major part of Fijian culture, and celebrations take place across the country every year on a day called Fiji day which commemorates the country's independence.[16] Dancing and games of rugby are also a common sight at these celebrations.[16] Fijians and other Pacific Islanders also tend to choose similar night clubs and venues especially in London.[16]
Notable individuals
- Nifa and Nishan Hindes
- Satya Nandan
- Ramon Tikaram
- Tanita Tikaram
- Derek Derenalagi
- Rus Tuima
- Joe Cokanasiga
- Phil Cokanasiga
See also
References
- ^ "Fiji suspended from Commonwealth". BBC News. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ Taylor, Rebecca (4 September 2006). "London Lives: The Fijian soldier". Time Out. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
- ^ a b "Fiji's 'unsung heroes' of UK army". BBC News. 9 November 2004. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ McDougall, Dan (26 April 2009). "To Helmand and back". The Observer. p. 23. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
- ^ Place of birth data collated by OECD based on 2001 UK Census Archived 27 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "2011 Census: Country of birth (expanded), regions in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Country of birth (detailed)" (PDF). National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Country of Birth – Full Detail: QS206NI". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Born abroad: Other Oceania". BBC. 7 September 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- ^ Provisional results – 2007 Population and Housing Census – Fiji Government Online Archived 25 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Nifa and Nishan Hindes". SWAD. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- ^ "Satya N. Nandan Re-Elected". United Nations. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- ^ "Ramon Tikaram: Summary". TV.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- Polydor. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
- ^ Stephen, Phyllis (1 April 2022). "Council elections 2022 – Simita Kumar – Southside/Newington Ward". The Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "London Lives: The Fijian soldier". Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
External links
- Kiona Sina, a London-based group showcasing Polynesian dances and songs unique to the Pacific Islands including the Cook Islands, Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti and Tonga Archived 23 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- BBC Born Abroad, Other Oceania
- London Lives: The Fijian soldier Archived 12 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine