Indigenous Fijians live co-operatively in a lifestyle based on sharing within large extended families. Bures, the traditional name for their dwelling - are single room structures with bamboo woven walls and thatch roofs. Families perform all the activities of daily living under one roof in these intricately designed structures. The kitchen resides outside of the bure and is a simple separate building with a firewood oven under the ground (lovo). Bathrooms are covered pits in the ground somewhere in the back of the bure. Villages often contain a mix of bures and other typical building structures however there are some villages around Fiji that are mostly or entirely made of the thatched dwellings.

Village homes do not have definite boundaries making for intimate living. It is unusual to find a Fijian family living on land outside of a village. Chores such as washing, fishing, cleaning, cooking and minding the children are all shared activities done by the people of the village. Many villager live without the luxury of electricity or clean running water making money only by selling produce and handicrafts. Rugby and volleyball are popular sports amongst the young Fijians and a game is often going in the village with many spectators. The discussion of village politics over a bowl of yaqona (kava) is a typical evening in a Fijian village.

Indigenous Fijians own approximately 80% of the land in Fiji with some being sub-leased mostly to Indian sugar cane farmers, industries and tourist resorts under the discretion of the village elders. The money from the lease goes to improving villages and new projects and more importantly education and expensive ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.