The Fijians: A Study of the Decay of Custom

"The Fijians: A Study of the Decay of Custom" by Basil Thomson is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The text explores the transformative changes and the decline of traditional customs among the Fijians under the influence of Western civilization and missionary activities. It aims to detail this cultural shift, especially concerning the Fijians' customs, belief systems, and social organization. The opening of the work introduces the author's extensive experience living among the Fijians for over a decade, during which he assumed various roles including Stipendiary Magistrate and Commissioner of the Native Lands Court. It discusses the struggle between traditional customs and the encroaching modern influences, illustrating how the Fijians are neither entirely savage nor civilized, but rather exist in a state of cultural transition. Thomson highlights the ambiguous outcomes of missionary efforts, which have changed moral and religious beliefs without addressing practical issues such as health and agriculture, resulting in a population that has become progressively complacent and disconnected from their former customs. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Sir Basil Home Thomson, was a British colonial administrator and prison governor, who was head of Metropolitan Police CID during World War I. This gave him a key role in arresting wartime spies, and he was closely involved in the prosecution of Mata Hari, Sir Roger Casement and many Irish and Indian nationalists. His equating of Jews with Bolshevism led to accusations of anti-semitism. Thomson was also a successful novelist.