ABSTRACT
Fijian communities have engaged in capitalist trade since the 1700s, but the notion that Fijian traditions and customs are ultimately incompatible with money-making remains pervasive. The accumulation of wealth for personal use, the 'way of the money' that is said to govern European and Indo-Fijian thoughts, is considered un-Fijian and in conflict with the 'Fijian way' of living 'in the manner of the land', because it removes Fijians from their traditional life, both spatially, ideologically. Modern Fijians often articulate their ambitions and aspirations through a desire for the modern at the expense of tradition. The rapid modernization of Fijian society, the growth of primary and secondary industries has made it increasingly difficult for Fijian men to remain content with a traditional Fijian way of life that strictly limits their market participation. The paradoxical nature of Fijian's relationship to money, the modern economy was moreover highlighted by the peculiar ideas and practices displayed by Fijian market vendors and souvenir traders.
