Early European visitors sometimes called Fiji the ‘Cannibal Islands’ because they heard stories about some tribes eating enemies long ago, but this wasn’t something all Fijians did and it stopped long ago!
Fiji - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Fiji For Kids
Cakobau was a powerful Fijian chief who became a Christian in 1854 and stopped some old war‑time practices.
Fiji became a British colony in 1874 when Chief Cakobau and other chiefs signed a deed giving control of the islands to Queen Victoria of Britain!
The British brought workers from India to Fiji starting in 1879 to help work on sugar plantations, and many of them stayed — that’s why many Fijians today have Indian heritage!
Fiji gained its independence from Britain on October 10, 1970, and this day is still celebrated as a national holiday!
The old Fijian town of Levuka was Fiji’s first capital, and today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site because its historic buildings show what life was like in the 1800s!
Long ago in Fiji, some people built special sacred stone places called naga. These weren’t big cities or buildings, but stone shrines where villagers held religious ceremonies and rites with priests and youths!
The first Christian missionaries arrived in Fiji in 1835 and helped create the first written form of the Fijian language!
Long ago in Fiji, people built ancient hill forts with stone walls, terraces, and ditches on high ridges to protect themselves in times of war — some of these were very tall and strong!
Traditional Fijian sailors used the stars, ocean swells, and birds to help them travel between islands long before compasses or GPS existed!
The island of Beqa in Fiji is famous for its traditional fire‑walking ceremony — vilavilairevo — which has been performed for more than 500 years, where trained men walk barefoot over hot stones as part of a long‑lasting cultural ritual!
Bonus Fun Facts
In Fiji, rugby sevens is one of the most beloved sports — even more celebrated than regular rugby — and Fiji’s sevens team is famous around the world for winning big tournaments and Olympic gold medals!
The Fijian island of Taveuni is called the ‘Garden Island’ because flowers and plants grow so easily there, making it very green and full of life!
Fiji is home to a famous floating bar called Cloud 9 that sits out in the turquoise ocean on a big two‑level platform — you can take a boat out to enjoy drinks, pizza, music, and swimming right in the sea!
Fiji is home to the famous bottled water brand Fiji Water, which comes from an underground artesian spring deep in the volcanic rocks of Viti Levu before being bottled and sent around the world!
The Fijian banded iguana can change its color — its bright green can get darker or even nearly black when it’s stressed, threatened, or communicating.
Fiji has more than 1,200–1,500 different species of fish in its ocean waters, making it a paradise for snorkeling and diving!
The coconut crab in Fiji can grow as big as a large cat or small dog’s shoulder height, with long legs over 3 feet wide, and its powerful claws can crack open coconuts so it can eat them!
In Fiji, people race traditional bamboo rafts called bilibili in fun annual competitions like the big Bilibili Race on the Sigatoka River.
The island of Rotuma, part of Fiji, has its own unique language and culture different from the rest of Fiji!
Fiji is famous for having some of the friendliest people in the world.
Fiji has black sand beaches made from tiny pieces of volcanic rock that sparkle in the sunlight and look very different from the usual white sandy beaches!
Fiji’s giant clams can grow as big as a bathtub and live for more than 100 years, making them some of the longest‑lived and largest clams in the ocean!
Fiji has natural hot springs where the water stays warm all year round because of underground volcanic activity!
The Fijian phrase ‘Vinaka vaka levu’ means ‘thank you very much’ and sounds like vee‑NAH‑kah VAH‑kah LEH‑voo!
Fiji is famous for its mix of cultures — indigenous Fijian, Indian, European, and Chinese traditions all come together in everyday life through music, food, festivals, and celebrations!
