Fiji police - lava lava

**pugcasso** · 23rd March 12, 04:45 PM

(I don't know where to put this but thought it should go here)

During my kilt and related 'googling', I discovered the police of Fiji.

I find it fascinating that this clothing called the Lava Lava (perhaps better named a 'sulu' for that language?) is represented in their police force (I'm not sure how it is worn in everyday practice ... that is, I'm not sure if it is worn by some officers in everyday roles).

http://www.police.gov.fj/index.php?v...ery&Itemid=120

It seems to my eyes that the men wear this garment with a jagged angular edge and women wear a stright-edged version.

**Bugbear** · 23rd March 12, 05:04 PM

It's not Fiji, but the men of an American-Tongan church that was somehow associated with the Methodist church I attended as a teenager, would wear a garment like a lava lava for Sunday services. I don't know a lot about it, but it was somewhat like a suit, as it was explained to me.

**LitTrog** · 23rd March 12, 05:08 PM

I knew I'd seen those before!

Yeah, I'm a butthead.

**pugcasso** · 23rd March 12, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by LitTrog

I knew I'd seen those before!

Yeah, I'm a butthead.

I'm going to have to look up 'yabadabadoo' in my English-Fijan dictionary now

I hope some police there walk the sidewalks in those - that would be cool

Scottish police should be in kilts as well

**pugcasso** · 23rd March 12, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Bugbear

It's not Fiji, but the men of an American-Tongan church that was somehow associated with the Methodist church I attended as a teenager, would wear a garment like a lava lava for Sunday services. I don't know a lot about it, but it was somewhat like a suit, as it was explained to me.

after doing a bit of searching , it seems that is called a Tupenu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupenu

**Bugbear** · 23rd March 12, 05:56 PM

Yes, that would be the garment.
* That's really all I can contribute to the thread, sorry.

**islandkilt** · 23rd March 12, 06:11 PM

Since the white trader has taken up his residence on the island, the natives are all keen to possess printed calico, though they have to pay a high price for flimsy goods with blinding colours. Three yards of print are sufficient to make a lava-lava, and as the natives do not think it necessary to hem the borders, the garment is ready for use as soon as the three yards are cut off the roll. The strip of calico is twisted thrice round the waist so as to hang to the knee, and then fastened on one side of the waist for a knowing little twist and tuck-in. These bright-coloured lava-lavas are really very picturesque, when worn with garlands of flowers only. The men always look well on week-days, because they wear nothing but a lava-lava, or a native leaf petticoat. The women spoil themselves, even on week-days, by the hideous tiputas (bust cloths) they wear above the leaf petticoat or the lava-lava.

from: http://www.janesoceania.com/tuvalu_impressions

no expert, but I've never seen the 'jagged' hemlines before. Did find some pix of Samoan Police with a police blue lava-lava - but with a straight hem, and worn as a daily uniform I'm fairly sure.

The Fiji Police Force web site has pictures of modern officers in bloused, BDU type pants. Their history page makes reference to an original uniform of a white sulu tavatava (serrated sulu) and chinese blouse. So there ya go..looks like a ceremonial nod to the past.

I have a lava-lava or three - a couple from Hawaii, and one made in the fashion described above, I picked out a couple yards of something I liked at the fabric store and wrapped it around myself...

So far as the question that's sure to follow - watching a Hawaiian gentleman raise the feast from the imu at a luau years ago the thin fabric of his lava lava made the answer fairly obvious... of course it was a resort setting and these things are situational, yes?

come to think of it...

I've never heard anyone ask a man what he was wearing under his lava lava...