Other lands
The sari of Indo-Fijians
The sari as worn in Fiji by the descendants of Indian indentured labourers, for weddings, Diwali and prayers.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for wearers, makers and the curious.
Indo-Fijians are Fijians whose ancestors came from the Indian subcontinent, many as indentured labourers. The sari remains their dress for weddings, Diwali, prayers and formal events. It is draped in the Indian style, with local choices of colour and cloth.
Wrapped step by step
Each drawing shows the cloth so far, with the newest step outlined in gold. The figure is a front view; the wearer's left is on your right.
Step 1 Tuck the plain end into the petticoat at the right hip. Step 2 Wrap the cloth once round the waist. Step 3 Form pleats at the front. Step 4 Tuck the pleats at the navel. Step 5 Carry the pallu across the chest and over the left shoulder. Step 6 For prayer, draw the end of the pallu over the head. Step 7 Let the rest of the pallu hang behind. Finished The sari of Indo-Fijians, seen from the front.
Where it comes from
Indian labourers came to Fiji in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to work on sugar plantations, and about half of Indo-Fijians trace their origin to the Awadh and Bhojpur regions of northern India. They brought the habits of dress of their villages, adapted over time to Fiji's climate and shops. Today the community is spread through towns and sugar districts, and many families have moved abroad. The sari carries memory of home alongside daily life in the islands.
How it looks
Most women wear the Nivi drape, with pleats at the front and the pallu over the left shoulder, in silk or synthetic cloth that suits the tropical warmth. Older women may cover the head with the pallu for prayer. For daily wear, many Indo-Fijian women wear dresses, skirts or the salwar kameez, and the sari is kept for events. Weddings are in red, gold, pink and bright silk. Chiffon and georgette are common because they are light, and the wearer may choose cotton for the heat of the day. Weddings use heavier silk with zari work, often in bright colours and with gold jewellery.
Who wears it and when
Women wear it for Hindu weddings, Diwali, Ramnavami and prayer gatherings. A bride wears a sari or lehenga, with gold jewellery. Younger women may wear it only at weddings and festivals. Details differ by family, faith and region of origin. The sari is worn as part of the festival of Diwali, when families light lamps and exchange sweets, and by women at prayer. Community events, school functions and cultural shows also feature the sari. Girls often first wear one in their teens for a family wedding or a festival, and a mother or aunt may help to drape it. Overseas Indo-Fijian families in Australia, New Zealand and Canada keep the custom too. This guide gives the general form, and a maker, dresser or family may do it a little differently.
Sarees worn this way
Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryPallu desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The drawings are simplified diagrams of the order of wrapping, not a lesson: how a drape is worn differs from family to family. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sari: Suyash.dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Banarasi sari: Ekabhishek, CC BY-SA 3.0, source