CULTURE and civic participation are deeply intertwined according to youth activist Kava Masilagi.
With roots in the districts of Itu’ti’u in Rotuma and Nadrau in Navosa, Ms Masilagi grew up in a home where politics and current affairs were openly discussed.
As a child, she was never excluded from conversations about national issues or family decisions. She credits this experience for shaping her confidence in public spaces.
“I was always included,” she said.
“That was a really important for me growing up.”
Although she once considered studying medicine, she eventually pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Politics at the University of the South Pacific, graduating last April.
She is now completing a postgraduate certificate in international affairs and diplomacy.
Today, she works as an ethnographic officer with the iTaukei Trust Fund Board, contributing to cultural mapping for Rotuma, a monumental task she described as both enriching and deeply personal.
Raised by her grandparents on mainland Fiji, Ms Masilagi never had the chance to return to Rotuma during their lifetime.
Her grandfather had left the island to work in the Vatukoula gold mines, while her grandmother spent part of her childhood there before relocating.
Working to document and preserve Rotuman heritage has allowed her to reconnect with her roots.
“It was an experience that really reconnected me to my grandparents,” she said.
“It reaffirmed the customary beliefs and traditional values I’ve grown up with.”
She encourages other Rotumans, particularly those of mixed heritage, to actively reconnect with their culture.
“Culture shapes who we are, even when we don’t realise it,” she said.
Beyond cultural work, Ms Masilagi remains active in youth and political spaces.
She believes youth participation is trending in a positive direction, with more young people speaking up and engaging in national conversations.
However, she urges responsibility, particularly on social media.
“Freedom of speech must be exercised wisely,” she said,
Ms Masilagi also encouraged fellow Fijians to practice critical thinking in the face of misinformation and online scams.
Her message to youths yearning for change in the political arena is to get involved and participate in the process.
“Making a change involves voting,” she said.
“So, go out there and vote.”
