Customary Method of Resolving Domestic Violence in Fiji
摘要
By using the lenses of Southern and Pacific Criminology, this chapter explores the traditional customary method (bulubulu) of resolving domestic violence (DV) among the Indigenous community in Fiji. Bulubulu is an iTaukei term that refers to a customary practice in which the offender says sorry to the victim, asks for forgiveness, and attempts to reconcile. The chapter examines the complex dual relationship and contradiction between the customary approach and the state-legal methods for resolving DV. The findings indicate that despite state-legal interventions, urban and rural communities often continue to practice the customary method. The chapter argues that fully understanding the bulubulu method requires examining it within the context of Fiji’s historical, socio-cultural, and traditional governance systems. The findings demonstrate that the primary reasons for employing customary practices are to maintain family unity, protect the welfare of children, and uphold cohesion among communities and clans. Theoretically and empirically, the Southern and Pacific Criminology lenses acknowledge the plural methods of addressing DV, rather than assuming that the state-legal system is the sole legitimate means of resolving conflicts in the Pacific Island Communities of the Global South. This chapter contributes to the literature on Southern Criminology and Pacific Criminology to understand policing and conflict resolution in Pacific societies.