Acknowledgement

This Year 5 Social Studies Resource book has been produced by the Curriculum
Advisory Service Unit.
The following people are acknowledged for their contributions in the development of
this book.

Mr Sikeli Qio Dudley Intermediate School

Mr Johnson Rura Ro Camaisala Memorial School
Ms Vasemaca Doka Curriculum Development Unit Primary
Mr Rohit Prasad CDU
Mr Nitesh Prasad CDU
Mr Aminio Kaivuaqava CDU
Workgroup members

• Mr.Raneel Rinesh Prasad Deenbandhoo Memorial

• Mr.Tifere Versoni Mausio Stella Maris Primary
• Mr.Josevata Rokodua Vieuto Primary
• Mr.Anil Chand Nehru Memorial
• Ms.Romeeka Rajashree Nand A.O.G Primary
• Mr.Peni Niukalasi Vatuwaqa Primary
• Ms.Sheenu Joytishna Chandra SSM Primary
• Mrs.Maopa A. Saumi Dilkusha Girls
• Mr.Umesh Prasad Nasinu Sangam
• Mr. Maretino Koroivuki Delainamasi Government School
• Ms. Laleshni Prasad M.G.M Primary
• Mr. Keasi Delana Jnr Live and Learn

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Unit 1.0 Social Organisation and Processes

1.1 Personal, Social Groups and Processes p3

1.2 Cultural Identity, Diversity and Cohesion p10

Unit 2.0 Time, Continuity and Change

2.1 Understanding The Past p17

2.2 Continuity and Change p24

Unit 3.0 Place and Environment

3.1 Features of Places. P27

3.2 People and Care of Places p43

Unit 4.0 Resources and Economic Activities

4.1 Uses and Management of Resources p49

4.2 People and Work. P54

Glossary p60
Reference p63

2
STRAND 1: SOCIAL ORGANISATION AND PROCESSES
Sub Strand 5.1.1
Personal , Social Groups and Processes

Social Groups
Achievement Indicators
 Identify the different social groups, charitable a n d G o v e r n m e n t
organisations in the communities
 Find out the characteristics, roles and responsibilities of social
groups in their communities

Social Groups in Our Communities

A community is a group of people who live together in the same

location and they have something in common like race, religion,
occupation and interests. They have different ways of
interaction with each other because they belong to different
social groups. A person can be a member of different social group.
There are many social groups in our communities and we may belong
to any of them depending on the characteristic, roles and
responsibilities of each group. The first social group that we belong to
is our family. A school is a community which has many social groups
that the children belong to and they have their roles and
responsibilities to play.

Formal and Informal Groups

Social groups can be classified as informal and formal. For

example your class is a formal group while your duty group could
be informal. Each of these groups will always have a leader and
the members have different roles to play in the group.

3
For you to do

1. Find the meanings of the following words.

a) social
b) roles
c) responsibilities
d) communities
e) characteristics

2. Picture study

Picture A Picture B

a) Where would you find the social groups in Pictures A and B?

b) What are some of the characteristics of the social groups shown?
c) What are the roles of the social groups shown above?
d) How can you be a member of that social group?
e) Why should you be a member of each of the social group?
f) What can you learn from each of the social group?

4
 3. Complete the table below by identifying the different social
groups in your community and at school and their roles.
a)
Social groups in my Roles
i cccccccommunitycommunity
ii
iii
iv

b)
Social groups at school Roles
i
ii
iii
iv

2. In your group, choose and write down the similarities and differences
between each social group.
3. Write down some rules of each social group.
4.a) Write down all the social groups that you belong to in your community and
school.
b) What do you like about these social groups?
c) Collect some pictures of different social groups, Paste and label them on a
chart

5
Charitable Organisation
Achievement Indicators
 Describe the characteristics, roles and responsibilities of charitable organisation.
 Discuss the importance of charitable organisations

What is a charitable organisation?

It is an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need in
our communities. People help and give money voluntarily to these organizations to
meet the needs of people who need help.
Fiji has a number of charitable organizations who raise money every year to help
people who are unfortunate. The money received is shared by people to buy their
basic needs like food and clothes. Children also benefit from these organizations
as they supply them with their school stationaries, uniforms, shoes, bags and even
their lunch.
Not everyone can be assisted by these organizations except those in real need.
Some examples of charitable organisations include: The Fiji Red Cross Society,
Save the Children’s Fund and Women’s and Youth Clubs.

6
For you to do

1. In your groups study the charitable organizations.

Picture A

Picture B

Picture C

7
a) What are the main roles of the charitable organizations given in the
pictures?
b) What type of help do they provide to people especially children?
c) Who donates money to these organizations?
d) Find out if there are children in your class or school who are receiving help
from any charitable organisations. What type of help is the child receiving?
Please share the experiences to the class.
2. Make a list of other charitable organization and discuss how it has
benefitted your community.
3. Collect some pictures of other charitable organizations and display them to
the class.
4. Research Work
i. Find out from your community/settlement or school if they have received
any help from any charitable organization.
ii. What type of help did they receive?
iii. How did the help benefit the people?
iv. Discuss your findings with the class.

8
Government and Non- government Organisations

A government organization is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the

machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration
of specific functions. Some examples of government organisations in Fiji are as
follows: Public Service Commission (PSC), The Judicial Department and the
Department of Finance.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens'

group which is organised on a local, national or international level. Examples
include: Green Peace, Coral Reef Alliance, World Wide Fund for Nature and Reef
Environmental Education Foundation.

NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen

concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political
participation through provision of information.

Source: www.google.com Source: www.google.com

For you to do
1. Collect pictures of government and non- government organisations (NGOs)
that are common in your community.
2. Discuss the roles and responsibilities of this organisation.
3. Describe how this government/ non- government organisation has helped
your community.

9
Sub Strand 5.1.2
Cultural Identity, Diversity and Cohesion
Fiji, a Multicultural Country.
Achievement Indicators
 Describe multiculturalism
 Explain the special features of a multicultural Fiji.

Fiji is known to be a multicultural country in the South Pacific

because many different races live together and they have their own
culture. Today all the people who are born in Fiji are known as
Fijian no matter what race we belong to but they have their own
cultures. Our identity is reflected in our culture and we always
value it. For example, an iTaukei will value his culture by
speaking his own mother tongue.

Today we all call Fiji our home and we all work together to develop
our country. Schools are places where multiculturalism is seen.
Children from different races, religion and families come together
to learn in schools. It is a good place to share our culture with one
another and learn from each other’s culture at the same time.

For you to do
1. Find the meaning of these words.
i) Multiculturalism
ii) Races
iii) Culture
iv) Identity
v) Mother tongue.

Our Culture, Our Identity

Our identity is reflected in our culture. There are many ways in
which our culture could be reflected. It is reflected in our

10
 language, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, our beliefs and our
traditions and customs and our hairstyle.

Today, people in Fiji have learnt from each other. Our Indo-
Fijians have worn sulu and jaba where as our iTaukei are
wearing Saris and Salwar kameez. We share each other’s food
and eat together in school and in workplaces and communicate
using each other’s mother tongue. These are special features of
multiculturalism.

Ways in Which Culture is Reflected and Learnt

The language we use What we wear Our tradition and customs

Our culture is Our belief system

Names of people and
reflected in
places

How we mourn our dead The food we eat Our community setting

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As we socialize with each other in our different social groups, we
are also learning each other’s culture as seen in the diagram
above. Some people learn it from the media like listening to
radios, watching movies and reading newspapers. The different
ethnic groups living in Fiji value their own culture and they
always preserve it.

For you to do

1. What is multiculturalism?
2. Explain the type of community that you belong to.
3. How do you learn other people’s culture:(i)at home (ii) at school
4. Group Research Work
The teacher will divide you into groups. Each group has to
carry out a research on one of the ways shown in the diagram
above. Choose an ethnic group different from your own.

12
Living Together Peacefully in a Multicultural Fiji.
Achievement Indicators
 Find out how different cultural groups live
peacefully
 Examine how different cultural groups work
together

Living together in a multicultural country like Fiji makes it very

important that we understand each other’s culture and at the
same time learn other’s culture. This will enable us to live in
peace and harmony with other. We will appreciate each other’s
culture and show respect and tolerance towards it.

In Fiji, there are events and celebrations which unite us together

as one, putting aside our ethnic differences. There are many
religious and cultural celebrations which we all celebrate together
like Easter and Christmas for Christians, Diwali for Hindus, and
Eid for Muslims. These days a set aside in our yearly calendar that
we can all celebrate together as a nation.

There are different festivals in which our culture is also

showcased. A good example is the Hibiscus festival where
different ethnic groups display their culture through dances and
songs and the contestants dress up in different costumes of people
living in Fiji. This is a good way in which peace is promoted in our
multicultural country.

13
For you to do
1. A. Study the pictures below.
i) Describe the type of celebration which is happening in
each of the pictures.
ii) How is peace and unity shown in each picture?

Picture A Picture B

Picture C Picture D

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B. Given below are some events that bring people together.
i) Name the event/celebration shown.
ii) How do the activities shown in the pictures promote
multiculturalism?

1 2

3 4

2. Identify some activities at school that promote

multiculturalism apart from the one shown above.

3. In groups, perform a role play/dance, which shows

multiculturalism.

15
4. Research Work
Name the different ethnic groups that live in Fiji and find
out their common values that promote peace. Your
teacher/parents can help you with this task by completing
the table below.

Ethnic group Values

16
 Sub Strand 5.2.1 Understanding The Past
Achievement Indicators
 Collect evidence on the early Fijian ways of life before and after the
arrival of the Europeans.
 Explore the differences and similarities on ways of life of the early
Europeans and Fijians.
 Investigate the impact of the coming of the Europeans
The Early Fijians – iTaukei

The first I Taukei are generally

believed to arrive in Fiji more
than 3000 years ago. They
travelled from island to island
looking for a better place to
live using their canoes called
the drua.
Lutunasobasoba was a chief
who landed with some men at
Vuda on the Western coast of
Viti Levu. They arrived in their
canoe called the Kaunitoni.
Others led by Degei settled in
the coastal side of Nakauvadra
Mountain.
The early I Taukei lived
communally in bures and
planted their own food and
made their own tools and
weapons from stone and wood.
They were cannibals and used
cannibal forks to eat human
flesh. They wore tapa and
leaves to cover parts of their
body.
17
Pictures of early iTaukei before the arrival of the missionaries

For you to do
1. Picture Illustration.
In the spaces given below draw some traditional tools used
by the early iTaukei before the arrival of Europeans. Find
out where and how the tools were used. The first one is
done for you.
War Club
- used by warriors for wars and protection

War Clubs- used by warriors for wars and

protection.

18
2. Complete the table below by filling it in with the name of the
utensils/materials used by the early iTaukei in the olden days.
Cooking and preserving food
Eating utensils
Dressing-clothes they wear
Crops they plant
How did they worship?
Building materials.
Transportation
Education

3. Word Search – Look for the words listed below in the

puzzle and discuss the findings with your groups.
S A K M E B A M B O O S K A
I T A L M C I S T N U F B P
M A U Z U K C L A Y P O T S
G U N O I L S O T C S V M L
L E I L M A S I N A W U H E
Z U T H E L S E B N Z F I S
B A O S T R N O K O V O Y K
O T N I U K S P D E G E I B
W H I P E A S Q U S Z A E L
N U O B N L I S H E N A L Z
Y E M U T I X L E A V E S I
I T T R E N D I U F G H I J
B U S E K U A L M F S U K I

L U T S A Q A M O L I M E N
1.Canoes 7.Degei
2.Bures 8.Bamboo
3. Clay pots 9.Kali
4. Saqamoli 10.Masi
5. Lutunasobasoba 11.Leave
6. Kaunitoni

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The Arrival of Europeans

The first European’s arrival in Fiji had been accidental. The first
discovery was made in 1643 by a Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman.
The second to land on Fiji was English navigator Captain James
Cook in 1774, and he also continued to explore the islands during
the 18th century. However, much of the credit of the discovery and
recording of the Fiji Islands went to Captain William Bligh, who
sailed through Fiji in 1789 after the mutiny on the Bounty, a
British Royal Navy ship. At around the early 19th century,
shipwrecked sailors and runaway convicts from the Australian
penal settlements were the first Europeans to land and live among
the Fijians, while missionaries and sandalwood traders came
around at mid-century.

Abel Tasman – 1643 William Bligh - 1789 James Cook – 1789

When the Europeans missionaries arrived in Fiji, their first task

was to stop cannibalism by teaching Christianity to the chiefs.
When the chiefs were converted all their people would follow them.
They also learned the iTaukei language so that they could easily
communicate with the indigenous people. They translated the
Bible into the native language and taught them how to read and
write. Later on, they brought clothes and tools for the people to
use.

20
For you to do
1. Find the meanings of the following words.
a) explorer
b) navigator
c) mutiny
d) shipwrecked
e) natives
f) sandalwood
g) traders
h) century
i) Indigenous
j) cannibalism

21
2. Write down some changes that you can see in the two
pictures before and after the arrival of Europeans.

Before the arrival of Europeans After the arrival of Europeans

3. Discuss some of the items that the early Europeans brought to Fiji.
Items Uses
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

The Early Life of iTaukei and Europeans in Fiji

When the Europeans arrived in the early days, the natives did not
have any idea of buying and selling of goods. They only used their
traditional ways of exchanging goods which is called the barter
system. This was also used when the Europeans traders arrived
with their goods to Fiji. The money system was used when the
Europeans settled in Fiji to start their businesses.
When cannibalism had stopped, some of the early Europeans settlers
married native women. This made the relationship between natives
and Europeans stronger. The early missionaries established mission
schools for the natives to attend and a lot of changes started to
develop in Fiji in the early days after the ceeding of Fiji to Great
Britain by Cakobau, the Tui Viti at that time.

22
For you to do
1. In groups, discuss some advantages and disadvantages of the
arrival of Europeans in the early days.
2. Name some of the goods that were used during the barter system.
Fiji Today
After the ceeding of Fiji to Great Britain, we were governed by the
Queen. Great Britain sent representatives to Fiji to set up a Colonial
government. At the same time some of the indigenous iTaukei
people have done well with their education and they were also part
of the government administration with the Europeans. A lot of
changes were seen in Fiji such as schools and hospitals, police
stations, churches and there were law and order amongst people.
New businesses were set up for the people to get employment and the
barter system had stopped while money was used.

I Taukei and Europeans live together in Levuka during the

Colonial administration.

For you to do
1. What are some of the things that have not changed in the
iTaukei ways of life during the pre- Europeans time until
today?
2. Design a poster on some of the goods used in the barter system.

23
 Continuity and Change
Achievement Indicators
 Emphasise on the different groups of people that arrived in Fiji in
the early day.
 Discuss and how and why the early Indians were brought to Fiji.
 State how the Indo-Fijians have contributed to the development of
Fiji.
 Illustrate through poster drawing and explain how other ethnic
groups have assisted in the development of Fiji.
 identify and collect evidence of social growth and development in Fiji.
The Arrival of Other Ethnic Groups to Fiji
When the Europeans have settled well in Fiji, they purchased land
in exchanged with firearms that could be used in tribal wars at
that time. The colonial government had started farms of sugarcane
and cotton wools and they needed people to work for them. The i
Taukei were reluctant to work on the farms so Sir Athur Gordon,
the first Governor General decided to bring labour from overseas.
Slaves from Solomon Islands were imported or blackbirded to
Fiji to work on the farms.
The Early Indians
In 1879, Indians first arrived in Fiji in the Leonidas from
Calcutta as indentured
servants to work on the sugar
plantations until 1916.Of the
new arrivals, some 85% were
Hindus, 14% Muslims, and the
rest were mainly Christians
and Sikhs. Most of the
migrants were men 20 to 40
years of age from the poor,
uneducated, agricultural
castes. Life in India was never easy, and economic conditions had
pushed them to accept the inducement offered by the British
Empire to work in the sugarcane farms in Fiji.

24
After the indentured system was abolished, however, most chose to
stay in Fiji even after they were offered passages back to India, and
the majority became independent farmers and businessmen. Today,
Indians make up a significant portion of the Fijian population and
have greatly contributed to the development of Fiji.

For you to do

Try to identify some of our Indian leaders who have greatly helped
our country to succeed.

25
The Early Chinese to Fiji

The history of Chinese people in Fiji dates to the 1850s, when Moy
Ba Ling, also known as Houng Lee, reached Fiji in a sail boat from
Australia and settled in Levuka. He later returned to China, before
bringing his relatives and some others to settle in Fiji, in
connection with the gold rush. Later arrivals came looking for
sandalwood and beche-de-mer. The first shops in rural areas of Fiji
were opened by Chinese merchants. Today, the number of Chinese
has also increased and they have contributed to the development of
our beloved Fiji.

For you to do
1. Write down the meanings of the following words.

1 Blackbirded

2 Indentured system

3 Slaves

4 Labourers

5 Beche-de-mer

6 Merchants

7 Colonial government

2. Discuss how the Indo Fijians and Chinese contributed to the

development of our country.
3. Design a poster drawing and explain how other ethnic
groups have assisted in the development of Fiji.
4. Find out how other ethnic groups arrived in Fiji and
for what reasons.
Example: The Banabans of Rabi, The Japanese, etc.

26
 Sub Strand 5.3.1 Features of Places
Achievement Indicators
Identif y Fiji and its location on the map using basic mapping skills
Talk about its Geography
Describe Fiji’s unique features which attract many people.

Where is Fiji Located in the South Pacific

Fiji is one of the islands in the South Pacific group. It is

comprised of 322 islands. About 100 are inhabited, while the
balance remains nature preserved.

For you to do
1. In pairs choose a Pacific island country, and draw its flag.
Display all the flags in the classroom.

27
 2. Copy and complete the table.

Country Capital Unique features

e.g. Fiji Suva  Hub of the South Pacific
 Tropical climate
 Multi-racial country
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Vanuatu
Solomon Islands
Tuvalu
Kiribati
Tonga
Niue
Cook Islands
New Caledonia
Tahiti
Nauru
Marshall Islands
Palau
Federated States of Micronesia
New Zealand
Australia

28
The Map of Fiji Islands

For you to do
1. Use the map of Fiji given below to locate:.
i) your place of birth.
ii) your place of residence.
iii) your mother and father’s place of birth.
iv) your school.
2. How many island groups are there in Fiji?
3. Name the four Divisions shown on the map.
4. In which Division are the following places located?
i) Lautoka ii) Navua iii) Savusavu iv) Levuka
5. Name the passage that lies between Viti Levu and Vanua Levu?

29
 Map of Fiji Islands

Physical Features of Fiji.

Our environment is the surrounding in which living and non-
living things are interdependent on each other for development
either physically or culturally. Fiji has a unique environment
with special features.
For you to do
1. Define the following terms:
Environment
Living
Non Living
Interdependence
Development
Physical
Cultural

30
Physical Environment
It refers to an environment that is made by nature. It has neither
being developed nor spoilt by man.The physical environment
comprises of all the different factors of nature, consisting of
physical features that occur naturally. This includes water
(rivers, seas, and oceans), natural vegetation, landforms, rocks,
weather and climate. Natural resources are found in the physical
environment.

For you to do
1. Study the pictures above and list the physical features
of the environment.
2. Describe the physical features near your school.
3. How have the people changed the physical features of places
near your school/community?
4. Group work: Identify and collect pictures of physical
features of Fiji and make a poster. Present the posters and by
discussing the importance of the physical features shown.
5. Name some resources that we get from our physical
environment and state its use.

Resource Uses

31
Cultural Environment

Cultural environment is part of the physical environment which

man has changed to satisfy their needs. These changes can be
clearing of forests or land to make roads, houses and farming.
Changing the landscape for development is good; however there are
other negative effects on living things. It is always wise to make
decisions on developments by thinking of the negative effects and
those who would suffer from it.
Picture A Picture B

Picture C Picture D

32
For you to do
1. Study the pictures and discuss the types of cultural
environmental change taking place. State the advantages
and disadvantages in the table provided.

Cultural features Advantages Disadvantages

A
B
C
D

Case Study
The people of Suvavou village in Lami were fortunate enough to
have the establishment of the new RB Harbour Mall beside their
village. This means new job opportunities for the people of
Suvavou to work in the supermarket and in the shops provided
in the mall. It also brought their access to shopping closer and
convenient to them instead of going to Lami town or Suva city.
In 2010, the J.S Hill Construction Company started work on the
new project. They cut the mangroves and bulldozed the area, dug
out the sand from the mangrove bed and brought rocks and soil
to reclaim land in the area of the new complex. The people of
Suvavou are now finding it easy to go shopping, but they were not
aware of the adverse effects on the environment.

33
For you to do
1. Using your knowledge of the changes that had taken place
to the environment, fill in the table below.
Physical Changes/Effects Cultural
Environment Environment

2. Write down the benefits of this project to the people of Suvavou

village.
3. Explain some of the negative effects of the construction
on the people and other living things in the area.
4. What should have been done before the construction of the
Complex?

34
 Economical Investment
Achievement Indicators
 Explore Fiji’s special features and how it can attract
economical investments.
 Identify tourist attractions in Fiji and explain how the country
has benefitted from them culturally and economically.

Our physical environment has attracted tourists to Fiji every

year. When tourists visit Fiji, our economy will grow because they
would be using money for all the services that they would be using
while holidaying. It also provides employment for the people who
are working in the tourist industry like hotel workers, drivers,
tour guides and sales people in shops. People in rural areas also
benefit as they would be able to perform cultural items for
entertainment to the tourists and in return they give money back
to the entertainers.

Many people benefit from tourist and the government gets money
from them through taxes they pay. Today tourism is the largest
revenue earner for our government and the people of Fiji have
benefitted a lot from this industry. For example, money received
had been used by the government to pay for school fees and bus
fares for students.
35
The tourism industry has a major role in seeing that our physical
environment are not destructed but are always preserved as this has
attracted tourists from all over the world to Fiji. They wanted to
experience the unique environment and the cultural diversity of
people of Fiji

36
For you to do

1. How do these people benefit from the tourism industry?

People Benefits

Students

Business owners

Hotel workers

Drivers

Community members

Handicraft sellers

Senior citizens

Villagers

2. Write down something that is so special about Fiji that

tourists wanted to experience.
3. Study the pictures and discuss what activity is taking place in
each picture.

37
Preserving Our Heritage Sites

Fiji has some sites with unique features that need to be preserved.
Most of the items and pictures of the past are preserved in the Fiji
Museum in Suva for people to see. These items could not be
reproduced because they were used by our ancestors in the past as
they have some historical connections to their livelihood.

Today, there are selected sites around Fiji which are known to be
heritage sites. There are certain things in those places which are
recorded down in the history books of Fiji which would be
remembered forever. Levuka, the old capital of Fiji is Fiji’s first
World Heritage site. Makogai Island and Viseisei are two of our well
known heritage sites today. Tourists visit these two places
because they have something special within them.

For you to do
1. Find out more about Levuka’s heritage site. What history
does it have which is very important to the people of Fiji.
2. Think of a particular area in your community/settlement
which has some historical memories which is important to
Fiji’s history.

Monument –Viseisei Vuda

38
 Makogai Island
Bouma Taveuni

39
Mapping
Achievement Indicator
 Identify special features on the map
What is a map?
A map is a drawing of a place as seen from above. It has special
features that we need to understand to make map reading easier.
There are different types of maps that we can use. Mental maps
are maps that we make up in our mind that help us to go from
one place to another. Sketch maps are used to locate places which
are unknown to us and they have special features in them.

Special features of a map

There are five main features of any map that would help us to
understand what the map is about and the different features that
are drawn on it.

The five features include the:

 Map title
 Direction
 Map Key/Legend
 Scale and distance
 Contour lines
 Symbols

40
For you to do
1. Draw a sketch map of your school/community. Include some
of the features given above with the help of your teacher.
2. Use the map given below to answer the questions.

41
 5.3.2 People and Care of Places
Achievement Indicators
 Identify the different characteristics of land use patterns in
Fiji
 Select factors that influence types of land use
 Explain how F i j i h a s u t i l i z e d t h e l a n d t o a t t r a c t i n c o m e
 Describe the advantages and disadvantages of types of land use

Land Use and Farming Practices.

There are many ways of using land and it depends on our needs.
When we look around us, we can realize the many ways in which
land has been used. It could be used for:
i) farming
ii) building houses, roads and bridges
iii) building hotels, industries and commercial buildings
iv) recreational facilities such as parks

For you to do
Study the pictures and identify the type of land use by filling in the table.
1 2

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 3 4

5 6

Pictur Land use type Changes that have

e taken place
1

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Write a story on the land use illustrated in the pictures. What do
you think about the changes; were they good or bad. Discuss your
ideas with the class.

Farming

Fiji has abundant land that could be used for subsistence and
commercial farming. The government has provided a lot of
assistance to farmers to assist them in utilizing their land so they
can produce more crops. They are provided with;
i) training on new methods of farming
ii) tools for farming.
iii) fertilizers, weedicides and pesticides
iv) seedlings.
v) advise by agricultural officers.
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The sugar industry which is one of Fiji’s main export, are
depended on farmers on the quality of cane they produce which
would give quality sugar for our overseas markets. In return,
the industry earns revenue which helps the government to
provide the needs for its citizens.

Today many Chinese are leasing our land for farming and that has
resulted in the plentiful produce that are sold in our markets.
When the farmers toil the land, there would not be any hunger in
Fiji as there would be abundant food available for all of us but we
have to buy it from them in order for their business to thrive.

For you to do
1. Identify some major agricultural products that are produced
by our farmers apart from sugar.

2. Where do we export our produce?

Produce Market
e.g. Sugar Europe

3. Differentiate between subsistence and commercial farming.

4. List down some advantages and disadvantages of

commercial farming.

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5. Case Study

Jone wanted to start his own commercial farm. His land is

near to a creek and he would need a bulldozer to clear the
farm land. The creek is the only source of water that
supplies water to his settlement which is situated near to
his farm. He has been advised to use pesticides and
weedicides to clear away the weeds and insects from his farm.
The Ministry of Agriculture would also supply him with
fertilizer.

a) Discuss in your groups the benefits of Jone’s farm

to the people.

b) What are some negative effects of Jone’s farm to the

people and other living things on his land?

c) What would be the best thing Jone should do before

starting his farm?

Unfriendly Land Use

Land has been misused by man in so many ways even though we

rely on it as an important resource. There are some good land
practices which benefit us for a long term while others has
brought disasters and affected other living things in the area. For
example, the use of slash and burn method to clear land would
affect the habitat of many living things. Many people today are
farming in land areas that used to be idle and some farmers are
moving towards highlands in search for fertile soil for planting.

46
For you to do
1. Complete the table

Friendly use of land Unfriendly use of land

e.g weeding and clearing land Slash and burn method
area

2. State some ways of conserving our land.

3. Identify some
4. Discuss the illustration on soil conservation method in class.

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 Sub strand 5.4.1 Use and Management of Resources
Achievement Indicators
 Identify d if f e r e n t types of land resources in Fiji
 Describe characteristics of the diff erent types of land resources
Discuss on co nservation and preservation f or sustainability.
Ho w to prioritise needs and wants .

Patterns of Land Use

Fiji is situated in the Pacific region. Its 300 islands make up the
group. The two main islands being Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
These islands have distinct geographical features that make up
their identity. The Western side of Viti Levu is known for its dry
and fertile soil. The Southern and Eastern parts of Viti Levu are
usually wet and their forests are thick with high highlands.
Likewise with Vanua Levu, its humid climate has similar
vegetation to that of the Southern and Eastern part of Viti Levu.
In the coastal areas of both islands are the low lying plains.

Low Lying Plains Dry and Arid Lands

Land pattern in Fiji

High Lands Coastal Plains

For you to do
1. Research and discuss the following terms with your teacher.
i. Pacific
ii. Coastal plains
iii. Geographical
iv. Identity
v. Highlands
vi. Coastal plains
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vii. Humid
viii. Vegetation
Land Resources in Fiji
Resources are things that provide the means to satisfy our needs in
order for us to survive. Our land has so many resources that
enables us to survive daily in our community. It provides us with
food, air, water, shelter and clothes. All our basic needs are
produced in some way by land resources. Our land is covered with
natural forests which has resources that we use in our daily
livelihood if we live in rural or island communities. Some of our
land resources include the land itself where we plant food,
root crops, trees, fruits and minerals resources and water. Some
of these resources are in abundant while others are limited in
supply.

For you to do
1. In groups list some land resources and state their uses.
2. Mineral resources are extracted from within the earth.
Name some of these resources and write their uses.
3. Collect some pictures of land resources
and paste them for display to the class.
4. Design a poster of how our ancestors
usually conserve our land resources.
Example: Yams are stored in small
bures in the plantation.
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Poor Practices on the Use of Resources
Individuals and families have needs and wants and they have to
find ways to satisfy them. As the population increases, the
demand for our land resources also increases. There is a need to
prioritize these needs and wants so that there are resources left for
our future generations. Food and water could be classified under
needs as they are our basic necessities for survival. They have to be
used wisely so that they do not run out of limit. Wants would
include things such as timber and gravel from rivers to be sold so
that we can earn some money. Our needs and the way we use and
manage our resources depend on other factors such as culture,
time, place we live in and developments that would be beneficial to
us.
For you to do 1

2 3

1. Identify the problems illustrated in each of the pictures above.

2. What could be the best method to be used to avoid such practices?
3. Name some living things that are affected by such method of
using resources.
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 Conservation Habits
Good Soil Conservation
There are many ways in which we can conserve our resources.

replanting of trees

Complete the diagram above by filling in other land conservation

method

Tevita’s Story.
My father was a farmer. He planted root crops, fruit trees and at
times some vegetables. His farmland is close to the river and when
flood occurs, his farm was always affected. This did not stop him
from continuing to replace what was damaged.
When he turned 75, he realized that he could no longer walk long
distances meaning it would affect his farm. He gave the farm to
my brother with the hope that he would continue with what he
had started. My brother took over the farm and realized that he
needed to grow more crops and vegetables and also raised
animals. He decided to expand the farm which would be possible
if nearby trees were cut down.
Trees were cut down and he started using fertilizer to help the
crops to improve the soil. He also decided to use new farming
methods like irrigation by getting water supply from the river.
Areas were fenced for cows, piggery and goat farm. The farm
became bigger from what my father had started and later the
51
community felt that my brother was not looking after the place
well.
Most of the things that he was doing in his farm have also
affected the environment and the community.
My sister in law decided to take him to the agriculture office to
seek advice and one of the important things he was told was to
learn to conserve the environment and its resources while
expanding his farm.
Questions
1. What type of farmer was Tevita’s father?
2. What values did his father have when he was still working
on the farm?
3. Write down some mistakes Tevita’s brother did on the farm?
4. He was using fertilizer for the crops. What else could be
affected apart from the crops?
5. What problems could be caused by fencing the animals
beside the river?
6. Why was Tevita’s brother having problems with his farm?
7. What advice did he get from the agricultural officers?
8. In the space provided, make a sketch map of the farm and
clearly show the location of the animal’s fence, river and
other root crops that were planted on the farm.

52
 Sub Strand 5.4.2 People and Work
Achievement Indicators
 Identif y and collect evidences of the diff erent types of work available in their
communities
 Sort the special characteristics of each type of paid work
 Describe how they spend their earning f rom their communities to help their
f amilies
 Identif y diff erences in income f or diff erent types of jobs

 Compare the value of Fiji’s currency in relation to other currencies

People and Work

Different people do different work. There are two types of work;

paid and unpaid work. Unpaid work are usually work we do at
home like washing dishes and feeding the pigs while in paid work
a salary or wage is received for doing the work. A person’s salary is
calculated from the amount of time that is spent in doing the
work.

Different types of Work

1. Casual workers - people only work when there is work to

be done and the workers are paid as soon as the work is
completed.
2. Temporary Workers – these workers usually work for a
period of time and depending on the contract they sign
before they begin to work.
3. Permanent Workers- these workers continue working
until they retire from their work.
4. Voluntarily Workers – these workers are not paid for
the work they do but provide their services free of charge
in our communities.

53
For you to do

1. Fill in the table below by writing examples of workers

that come under each group.
Occupation Casual Temporary Permanent
e.g teacher

2. Define the following words

i) salary/wages
ii) employer
iii) employee
iv) employment

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3. Conduct a mini research at school or in your community on
the type of work done and the salary that each worker receives.
Work Income/salary/wages Hourly pay

4. What type of work would you like to do when you grow up?

The Value of Our Currency

Our currency (money) does not have the same value with other
currencies of other countries. In some countries our currency in
much stronger and others it might be weaker. We need to
understand the value of our money every day by comparing it with
other countries’ currencies. If we travel from Fiji to Australia, we
need to change our monies to Australian money so that we can use
it while in Australia. There are foreign exchange outlets in towns
where we can change our currencies –the Fiji Dollar into other
currencies.

For you to do
Activity
Look for an old newspaper and cut out the currency exchange
rate article to be used in class in converting Fiji dollars into other
currencies.

Fiji Dollar
$1 Australian dollar
$1New Zealand dollar
£ Great Britain Pounds
€ Euro
Yen

55
Families Financial Commitments
Achievement Indicators
 Describe the regular financial commitments f amilies have to make.
 Write a budget for an activity or event and keep records of the financial
transactions
 Write a plan to achieve a medium term personal goal (approx.: 10 weeks) through
savings and spending
 List financial services provided by banks and what their roles are in the
community

Parents work so that they earn an income to meet the family’s

financial commitments. Our financial commitment will depend
on the goods and services that we use daily at home. For example,
we need to pay for electricity bills, buy our groceries and pay for
bus fares. A budget should be prepared which would include all
the family commitments that need to be paid.

For you to do

Homework Task – With the help of your parents, prepare a

family budget. Present your budget to the class and compare and
contrast your family financial commitment with your friend.

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Task 2 - Group Activity.
Prepare a budget of $200 for a family of four, two adults and two
children for a week. Clearly show the expenses and the amount
budgeted for each item.
Task 3 – Individual Activity
Make a plan on how you are going to save money.
Questions
1. How long is your saving goal?
2. What is the aim of saving this money?
3. How much would you need to save weekly/fortnightly/monthly?
4. What activities would you do in order to raise this money?
5. Where will you keep this money? Why?
6. If something happens before you reach your goal, would you
use this money or not? Give reasons.

Banks
Achievement Indicator
 List financial services provided by
banks and what their roles in the
community.
Our money is safe when deposited in banks. Banks provide
different financial services to the general public like exchanging of
currencies, depositing and withdrawing of money, loans, and they
also give us advice on how to save money. The first thing that a
person must do is open an account in a bank before he can enjoy
the services provided.
Today banking has been made easier with the use of technology,
people do not need to visit the banks but we can be served from the
bank from our home or even offices. We can withdraw money at
any time convenient to us even when the banks are closed. The
main focus for all banks are the customers that they serve and
they would try to find more customers to bank with them by
promoting their financial services through the media.

57
For you to do
1. List down the names of banks in providing services in Fiji.
2. What are some advantages of keeping money in the bank?
3. Find out the different types of financial services provided
by each bank.
4. How do banks help communities?
5. Complete the table by writing the similarities and differences
of each bank stated above.

Similarities Differences

6. What do you understand by the two quotes given above?

Explain them to the class.

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Glossary

Arid having little or no rain

Bech-de-mer sea slug, or sea cucumber
Black birding the practice of kidnapping Pacific Islanders for sale as
cheap labour
Budget an estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of
time
Bure a wood-and-straw hut
Climate an area's long-term weather patterns
Coastal Plains a flat, low-lying piece of land next to the ocean
Commercial farming where food is produced in large quantities for sale in the
market
Community a group of people living in the same place
Cultural Diversity a variety of cultural or ethnic groups living together
within a society
Currency a system of money in general use in a particular country
Deposit a sum of money placed or kept in a bank account
Development the process of growth
Drua a double-hull sailing boat that originated in the south
western Pacific islands
Employee a person who is hired for a wage, salary, fee or payment to
perform work for an employer
Employer a person or organization that provides jobs to people
Employment the condition of having paid work
Environment the surroundings or conditions in which a person,
animal, or plant lives
Ethnic a social group that shares a common and distinctive
culture, religion and language
Expenses the money spent on something
Geographical relating to the landscape of the earth
Gold rush rapid movement of people to a newly discovered goldfield
Handicraft skill of making decorative objects by hand
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Harmony when people are all getting along together
Heritage features belonging to the culture of a particular society,
such as traditions
Recreational facilities a building or place that provides a particular service
especially for enjoyment
Highlands an area of high or mountainous land
Humid containing a high amount of water or water vapour
Identity the set of qualities and beliefs that make one person or
group different from others
Income money received, especially on a regular basis, for work
or through investments
Indigenous originating or occurring naturally in a particular place
Interdependence people, animals, organizations or things depending on
each another
Landforms a natural feature of the earth's surface
Mother tongue the language that a person has grown up speaking from
early childhood
Multiculturalism representing several different cultures
Navigator a person who directs the route or course of a ship,
aircraft, or other for transportation, especially by using
instruments and maps
Pacific relating to or near the Pacific Ocean.
Preserve maintain (something) in its original or existing state
Reconciliation to settle or resolve
Salary regular fixed payment that a person earns for performing
work during a specific period of time
Subsistence farming farming that provides enough food for the farmer and his
family but not for sale
Tapa cloth made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree, used
in the Pacific islands
Unique being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else
Vegetation the plants of an area or a region

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Voluntarily something you do because you want to, without being
influenced or forced
Wages A regular payment, usually on an hourly, daily, or weekly
basis, made by an employer to employee
Weather the daily conditions of the atmosphere in terms of
temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, and moisture
Withdrawal an act of taking money out of an account

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References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine-conservation accessed 20th, August, 2015

http:// www.google.com/url? air+pollution. Accessed 15th, August, 2015

http://www.bluelagooncruises.com/destination-fiji-islands/fijis-people-and-
history/ Accessed 10th. August, 2015

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine-conservation. Accessed 10th, August, 2015.

http:// www.google.com/url? fijis+map Accessed 15th, August, 2015

http://www.goipeace.or:jp/english/activities/program/programs.html. Accessed
10th, August, 2015

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