mataqali

Mataqali is a term from the Fijian language referring to a kinship group or clan within the iTaukei social system. It comprises related families descended from a common ancestor and is one of the main social units alongside vanua and yavusa. A mataqali typically holds customary lands and resources within its area and carries obligations for communal labor, ceremonies, and social welfare. The mataqali is usually organized under a mataqali head (turaga ni mataqali) and senior elders who represent the group to higher authorities, including the yavusa and vanua.

Within a yavusa, several mataqali may exist, and each mataqali may be subdivided into tokatoka (sublineages). Membership is hereditary and genealogical; descent from the common ancestor defines the mataqali, though marriages and family alliances connect different mataqali within the wider community. Land tenure in many iTaukei communities is held collectively by the mataqali, with members having customary rights to use portions of land allocated to the mataqali.

In modern times, mataqali continue to influence land administration, customary ceremonies, and community decision-making, although state legal frameworks and formal governance structures interact with customary law. The term mataqali derives from Fijian and is commonly translated as "clan" or "lineage."