Whales tooth, known as Tabua is an important cultural totem, therefore, it needs to be imported or exported through a proper process.

Permanent Secretary for i-Taukei Affairs Meleti Bainimarama says the Tabua is used in many traditional functions such as marriages and funerals.

Bainimarama says Fijians are not the only ones importing and exporting Tabua.

“We process the applications here at i-Taukei Affairs, it’s not only i-Taukei people taking Tabua across. It’s gone across Fiji’s population. Fijians of Indian descent. Fijians of European descent and even Fijians of Chinese descent.”

146 ‘Tabua’ were received from the New Zealand government which was handed over to the i-Taukei Ministry last month, 10 of which are with the Ministry of Environment for research purposes.