A new publication by Kimberly Burnett, Ron Vave, and Alan Friedlander in World Development Sustainability looks at financing and expenditure of indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) funerals in Fiji. Perceived obligatory adherence to an immutable culture, plus emulation, can compel families to carry out a costly funeral. To balance a respectable funeral against household survival, families reduced costs by modifying and/or dispensing with select rituals, prepared ahead by saving, or participated in communal functions, which are reciprocated in the future. This research shows that although funerals may not yet be considered a social economic burden, early research can identify and address issues, thereby enhancing community resilience.
Vave, Ron, Kimberly M. Burnett, and Alan M. Friedlander. “Balancing culture and survival: an urban-rural socioeconomic assessment of indigenous Fijian funerals in Fiji.” World Development Sustainability (2023): 100063.