Exploring Fijian culture
Fiji, the land of tropical bliss, dream like beaches, bountiful beauty and smiling “bula bula“s. A paradise fringed with clear waves and scattered with coconut trees.
The magic of Fiji runs deeper than just the beauty of its landscape. It’s thick with Fijian culture and island traditions – passed on from generation to generation.
Fiji consists mainly of villages – honoring home grown, hand made and freshly caught methods daily. Island communities are home to the original pioneers of mindful and minimalist living.
Escape to the islands with us as we take a closer look at some island traditions, in particular the use of the coconut, and how we can bring island time to our own daily lives to optimize our health and happiness.
Coconuts and Fijian culture
Coconuts are a big part of Fijian culture – the tree of life provides a diverse range of benefits and uses. The soil in Fiji is rich in unique minerals and nutrients, making the coconuts some of the best in the world. Natural resources are valuable and used with gratitude. Islanders see coconuts as precious gifts from the Earth.
All the different parts of the coconut are honored in Fijian culture – including the coconut shell, coconut leaves, coconut tree trunks, coconut meat, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut water and coconut husks. This provides materials and ingredients for nutrition, personal care, cleaning, crafting, fuel, instruments, building materials and much more.
Even the age-old legends and myths that are whispered throughout Fijian culture hold stories of coconuts. One tales says that coconuts have eyes, that they watch people passing from their trees and decide which individuals to fall on. Legend has it that if you receive the coconut bomb, bad luck will follow you for the next three days. Heads up!
Memories of Fijian culture
Fijian native, Isabella, talks about her experience growing up with Fijian culture, “coconuts were part of our daily lives, from cooking with it, drinking the juice, eating the fresh coconut to coconut body oils“.
Isabella now lives in the North East US. She reminisces about her younger years in Fiji, her Fijian culture and how organic coconut oil played a part in creating her childhood memories.
“It was a time where our mothers slathered us little kids with coconut oil after every shower. I remember this very ritual day in and day out. You knew it was coconut oil because it was always in a clear bottle and the cork was just a rolled up piece of cloth. Even as a kid you could never mistake coconut oil for any other oil. It had that distinctive organic aroma that just filled the whole room. The organic smell of the coconut oil is what I long for now living in a climate that is so harsh, with subzero temps from January through to March”.
She goes on to explains that “as a Pacific Islander our skin tends to take a beating during the winters with all the extra layers of clothing we never get used to. I often found myself thinking of those days as a kid and as a young adult the constant ritual of using coconut oil on our bodies whether we were going out in the harsh sun or just after a shower. I remembered my mother and great aunts that had the softest skin that glowed and looked so youthful even at old age. It made me think about going back to using coconut oil again. A tradition that still goes on in Fiji today”.
Then her quest began, but it was a specific type of coconut oil that she longed for, “I knew being so far away from the South Pacific that finding pure and organic coconut oil would be difficult. I just happened to be shopping and the “OrganicFiji” logo caught my eye. I was so excited that I finally found a product that used raw organic coconut oil and came from Fiji…it made my day”. Isabella exclaims with happiness on her discovery of Organic Fiji’s organic, extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil. “Now every day when I use the coconut bath soap and the nourishing lotion I’m thrown back in time and once again, I’m a kid slathered in coconut oil.
Thank you OrganicFiji for keeping the kid in me alive!”.
Not all coconut oil is created with the same standards
In Fijian culture, only the purest coconut oil is grown and used. The grade of coconut oil you choose directly dictates how well that oil will absorb into the skin, into your hair, how many natural benefits are left in the oil, and even the nutritional value and taste of the oil.
Using coconut oil that has the following standards will ensure you experience true Fijian culture through the magic of this wondrous oil:
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Certified Organic (by a regulated certifier such as USDA)
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Non GMO
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Raw
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Cold-pressed
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Extra-virgin
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Unrefined and unbleached
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Made from fresh coconuts
- Coconut oil crafted by Organic Fiji
- USDA Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth
- Raw, un-refined, cold-pressed and extra-virgin
- Aromas derived from organic essential oils
- Mindful, minimalist and multifunctional
- No toxic chemicals, harsh ingredients or synthetics
- Made in USA
Bring Fijian culture to your daily wellness routine
You too can encourage cleaner, healthier, minimalist living by honoring Fijian culture and the beautiful connection islanders have with nature, no matter where you are in the world.
We invite you to fall in love with Organic Fiji’s unique products. Immerse yourself in the tropical roots of these clean, pure, coconut oil body products.
Say hello, or bula bula, to cleansing soaps, nourishing lotions, whole body oils, revitalizing body scrubs, soothing lip balms and a delicious culinary oil. All infused with raw, cold-pressed organic coconut oil and crafted with pure essential oils and botanical extracts to offer a boost of natural whole body benefits.
Fun coconut facts from Fijian culture
- The name coconut comes from 16th-century Portugal where sailors who discovered coconuts thought the 3 holes on the shell looked like a human face – so nicknamed them ‘cocos’ roughly meaning “grinning face”. The second part of the word ‘nut’ was later added in the English language.
- The coconut palm tree (Cocos nucifera) can grow up to 98 ft tall and its leaves 13.1–19.7 ft long.
- Coconuts are actually a type of fruit, specifically a drupe. They are not nuts. (Other drupes include peaches, plums, and cherries).
- The structure of a coconut‘s water can substitute blood plasma because of its high levels of sugars and salts, similar to an IV solution. Coconut water was said to have been used during World War II in tropical areas for emergency blood transfusions.
- The fiber of the coconut husk is called Coir. It can be used for making hand crafted items such as brushes, sacks, ropes, mats, boat caulking, mattress stuffing, linen fibers and more.
Organic Fiji
Choosing coconut oil infused body products to improve whole body health is more than a product choice, it’s an ancient ritual steeped in deep Fijian culture and history.
Organic Fiji is a female and Pacific Islander owned boutique brand that creates organic body care products, based in California.
Organic Fiji’s artisan products have been USDA Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth since 2007 and are vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly and ethically created. You can also be assured that Organic Fiji products are free of GMOs, PEGs, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances, harsh ingredients or toxic chemicals.
A brand that believes in product transparency over ‘green-washing’ and are real people on the other end of the phone and email. Click here to contact Organic Fiji.
