Kanemasu, Yoko (2025) Chiefs, warriors and rugby players: strongman politics, militarism and sport in postcolonial Fiji. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, NA . NA. ISSN 1940-6940
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
The political trajectory of Fiji, a Pacific Island nation, is defined by the rise and fall of strongmen. Until independence in 1970, the British placed hereditary chiefs, historically endowed with command over the indigenous warrior class (bati), in control of the colonial administration. In the subsequent decades, national politics became a battleground for not only chiefs but also warriors themselves. Three of the nation’s four coups d’état were instigated by military leaders of commoner status, who rose to the apex of political power as prime minister: Sitiveni Rabuka (in office 1992–1999 and 2022 onwards) and Voreqe Bainimarama (2007–2022). Despite their struggle for control and the opposing political agendas they have aligned themselves with, both men have relied on their military persona and warrior masculinity for leadership, authority and influence. In this militarised terrain, a culture of muscularism and masculinism – especially sports like rugby – plays a critical role in foregrounding physical power in the nation’s social and political life. Rugby is regarded as an embodiment of indigenous cultural heritage and warrior ethos, with rugby players often compared to bati. Indigenous Fijian (and often military) men’s dominance in the combative game and the spectacle of their corporeal prowess, along with other aspects of physical culture, have mediated the public ambience of society that validates strongman leadership. Based on a literature review and ongoing research on Fiji rugby, this article investigates the historical and continuing entanglement between physical power, militarism and strongman politics in the profoundly gendered and racialised postcolonial nation.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure H Social Sciences > HM Sociology |
| Divisions: | School of Law and Social Sciences (SoLaSS) |
| Depositing User: | Yoko Kanemasu |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Jan 2026 02:36 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Jan 2026 02:36 |
| URI: | https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/15232 |
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