Fijian veitalanoa: an ontological exploration of Oceania oralities through silence

Silence is a seldom discussed but essential aspect of any Pacific Indigenous orality, communicating much. This article explores Fijian orality in the form of veitalanoa (a traditional orality or discursive form found in Fiji) by paying attention to silence. We discuss silence in Fijian veitalanoa through three themes drawn from an investigative veitalanoa which focus on people, space and time. In the article, ontological understanding of silence is pursued by reference to the Oceania Oralities Framework, an analytical tool for this purpose. Our intent in drawing attention to silence in Fijian veitalanoa is to honour customary wisdom by promoting ontological discussion capable of fueling future research. Our aim in using the framework is to support researchers interested in the potential of oralities to serve the peoples of the region through research in areas that include leadership development, climate change resilience and so on.