ABSTRACT
The word of Christ is only accepted, attended to and understood; it is carried around on the body as an emblem of devotion, being an intrinsic part of, as well as adding meaning to, the public presentation of Fijian manhood in terms of the suluvakataga and the bula shirt. Although Methodism constitutes just one of a number of denominations which make up the complex constellations of Christianity in Fiji, its first-on-the-scene status and long-standing links with the indigenous Fijian traditional leadership makes it a pertinent denomination to study in this context. More than 66 per cent of indigenous Fijians identify as Methodists, making it the dominant faith community in Fiji.
