Idolism in itaukei culture

Itaukei Idolism By Elia Vesikula I woke up these morning 18/1/26 seing a TV crew trying to film a scene of a Fijian cultural documentary featuring a prominent leader. The Fijian leader was kneeling and presenting something and was doing so to a being a cultural chiefly woman of authority. I saw myself trying to explain to the TV crew how to film the documentary. Reflection The Taukei people do not worship God but worship their cultural gods (vanua) which emphasize Fijian culture and tradition and take part in ancestral worship. They use cultural artifects, such as whales, tooth, yaqona, mats and worship through Fijian ceremonies. Satan once said all those honored tradion is accorded to to me, Satan. This is a form of idolism. I plead to itaukei to worship God Jehovah, God Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit. Fijian Whales tooth in Fijian ceremonies is a form of Idolism Let us look at one aspect of Fijian culture to show idolism in Fijian culture or tovo vakanua. Lets look at the cultural artefact the whales tooth or tabua used in a lot of important Fijian ceremonies. The traditional Fijian whale’s tooth used in ceremonies, known as a tabua (pronounced tam-bua), is made by processing and styling a sperm whale tooth, usually harvested from stranded whales. Historically, these teeth were rare and highly valued, with the preparation process designed to enhance their beauty and significance as a, "chiefly item".  Here is how the tabua is traditionally prepared: 1. Sourcing and Initial Cleaning Source: The teeth are taken from the lower jaws of sperm whales found stranded on Fijian beaches. Cleaning: The tooth is cleaned and scraped to remove any remaining gristle. Early Alternatives: Before the widespread availability of sperm whale teeth (prior to contact with European traders), early Fijians used tabua carved from the hardwood of the buabua or kura tree.  2. Polishing and Coloring To give the tabua its characteristic rich color and shine, it undergoes several treatments:  Polishing: The tooth is polished until smooth. Staining: The tooth is often rubbed with coconut oil and turmeric (rerega) to darken it, or smoked in a specialized, small, bark-cloth covered, tent-like structure. Smoking Process: The tooth is smoked over a fire of sugarcane or masawe roots, which stains the ivory to a rich, deep orange or tobacco-brown patina. Appearance: This results in a polished ivory piece that looks, at first glance, to be carved from high-quality wood.  3. Final Assembly Drilling: Holes are drilled through the tip and the butt (the base) of the tooth. Cord Attachment: A plaited cord of magimagi (braided coconut husk fibre) is attached to each end. Presentation: Once prepared, the tabua is often presented in a special basket or wrapper, sometimes accompanied by a polished stone known as a tina ni tabua. Lets read the bible verse that talks about idolism or the worship of false Gods. 1. Exodus 20:3–6 You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments Exodus 20: 3 above says You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for your self a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is that is in the water under the earth,. You shall not bow down to them or serve them for I the Lord your God amd a jealus God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the chjildren to the thirs and the fouth generation of those who hate me but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commnadement. Below is how the tabua is made. 4. Cultural Significance and Protection Non-Commercial: Tabua are not bought or sold in the conventional sense; they are exchanged as gifts to mark significant life events, such as weddings, births, and funerals, and to seal contracts or apologies. ----------- Fijian practise idolism through the udse of whales tooth in their ceremonies. Below is abible verse emhazing that we should have no ther Gofd. 1. Exodus 20:3–6 You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments Bible verse on idolism 10 Key Bible Verses on Idolatry June 18, 2022by: Crossway This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series. All commentary notes adapted from the ESV Study Bible. 1. Exodus 20:3–6 You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. Read More You shall have no other gods. Yahweh demands exclusive covenant loyalty. As the one true God of heaven and earth, Yahweh cannot and will not tolerate the worship of any “other gods” (Ex. 22:20; 23:13, 24, 32); in other words, monotheism, the worship of the one true God, is the only acceptable belief and practice. before me. This Hebrew expression has been taken to mean “in preference to me,” or “in my presence,” or “in competition with me.” Most likely, “in my presence” (i.e., worshiping other gods in addition to the Lord) is the intended sense here, in view of (1) the creation account (Gen. 1:1–2:3), which makes any “other gods” irrelevant (since only the Lord is active); (2) the events in Egypt, in which the Lord displayed his superiority to “other gods” (cf. Ex. 12:12; 15:11; Ezek. 20:7–8); and (3) the persistent call to worship Yahweh alone (Ex. 22:20; 23:13, 24, 32–33; cf. Deut. 6:13–15). Even though this commandment does not comment on whether these “other gods” might have some real existence, Moses’ statement to a later generation makes clear that only “the LORD is God; there is no other besides him” (Deut. 4:35, 39; see also Ps. 86:10; Isa. 44:6, 8; 45:5, 6, 18; and 1 Cor. 8:4–6). You shall not make for yourself a carved image. The gods of both Egypt and Canaan were often associated with some aspect of creation and worshiped as, or through, an object that represented them. The Lord has made it clear, through the plagues and the exodus, that he has power over every aspect of creation because the whole earth is his (Ex. 9:29; Ex. 19:5), and thus he commands Israel to refrain from crafting an image of anything in heaven or earth for worship (Ex. 20:4–5a). The prohibition is grounded in the fact that the Lord is a jealous God (see Ex. 34:14; Deut. 6:15), and that the Lord has no physical form, and should not be thought to be localized in one (Deut. 4:15–20). Israel saw what happened to Egypt when Pharaoh refused to acknowledge what was being revealed about the Lord; here Israel is warned against doing the same, while also being reassured that their God is merciful and gracious (see Ex. 34:6–7). 2. 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Most NT letters contain final words of warning in their closing lines. Keep yourselves from idols means keep yourselves from trusting, obeying, revering, and following—that is, in effect, worshiping—anyone or anything other than God himself, and his Son Jesus Christ. 3. Psalm 115:4–8 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.  4. Romans 1:21–23 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.  End