Fijian wedding
A Fijian wedding with kava, whale tooth gifts, mats and a feast, in which two families exchange gifts.
Also: vakamau, sevusevu
In Fijian villages, the families of a bride and groom exchange gifts of mats, barkcloth called masi, food and, traditionally, a tabua, a whale's tooth. A kava ceremony, sevusevu, opens the visit, and a feast, often cooked in an earth oven called lovo, follows. The ceremony may be in church, with the bride in white or in local dress, and there is a communal feast with singing and dancing. Indo-Fijian weddings follow Hindu, Muslim or Christian rites and are described elsewhere. Customs vary by island and village.
Region: Oceania