Culture

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti The Fiji Times at 150 is a book that is really a kaleidoscope of stories with a vivid, witty, funny, and remarkable history of Fiji through the Fiji Times’ lens. The author, historian and writer Anurag Subramani, described it as a ‘scrapbook of Fiji’s history’ at the book’s launch last week. He […]

A unique art exhibition will soon take place at the iconic Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva. It is called “Born From Fire: Return to the Flames” and will display work from Alice Hill, an accomplished professional glassblower from Hot Glass Fiji, and Shane Bower, one of Fiji’s most sought-after artists in both large and small-scale […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti Fiji is this week hosting the 10th International Lapita Conference, an event that brings together experts in the field of archaeology from the Pacific and beyond. The Lapita conference occurs every three to four years. This year it is being held at the University of the South Pacific and will end with […]

The Fiji Museum reopens By Samantha Magick For more than two years, the Fiji Museum’s doors were closed to the public. Now, with the opening of its flagship exhibition, Voyages: Stories of an Ocean People, we can see what the team has been busy working on. It’s a place transformed. “The necessity to change the […]

By Shazia Usman Picture this – two girls around 10 years old. Wearing two-sizes-too large psychedelic-coloured shorts their mums bought for them at some sale, catching the Number 21/22 bus on a bright Saturday morning in Samabula, Suva, Fiji. Their destination? The Suva City Library, of course.  They were great friends, these two, but stronger […]

By Kite Pareti The Navua-Deuba/Pacific Harbour area is an hour’s drive from Suva and Sigatoka. It has a thriving community of nearly 20,000 residents and is home to veteran soccer legend Patrick Wise and rugby star Waisea Nayacalevu.  It is a place of pilgrimage for many local families and friends looking for a welcoming beachside […]

Local filmmakers finally getting screentime By Ben Wheeler “Every culture has the right and responsibility to present its own culture to its own people,” writes New Zealand filmmaker Barry Barclay.  “That responsibility is so fundamental it cannot be left in the hands of outsiders, nor usurped by them.” These words seem more relevant in Fiji […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti Yesterday marked a special day for the descendants of the Girmityas in Fiji as they commemorated not only the shared pain of their history, but also the deep friendship that they share with indigenous Fijians. In a moving traditional ceremony in Naivilaca village in Noco, Rewa, home of the people who rescued […]

Part Two: Reflections of the Fiji Fringe with Sharleen Ali By Ben Wheeler Sharleen Ali is dynamic. She bristles with a creative energy that seems to produce so many thoughts a minute that if there was a way to convert them to electricity, her ideas could power a small village. It is this potency that […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti Nausori was declared a town in 1931 but is rich in a history that started well before that time. It is the site of Fiji’s first sugar refining company, a place of remembrance for the people who died aboard the Syria and those who came to the rescue of passengers, and the […]

By Leila Parina It’s Wednesday afternoon in the old capital of Fiji, and I am waiting for the clock to strike 2 before I can prepare to depart for the next boat to Suva. I have been in Levuka for less than 24 hours and I am already in awe of its rich history, old […]

By Ariela Zibiah. Photos: Zoomfiji The Namosi Eco Retreat, nestled in a remote part of Fiji, is a get-away in all senses of the word. The sky feels bigger, the milky way appears to be at arm’s length, the air is crisp, and you are completely off grid, creating a feeling of being cocooned in […]

By Ariela Zibiah A political cartoon published in 1977 in Fiji has taken on a rather poignant meaning, as it could’ve been speaking to today’s political impasse. The cartoon depicts Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, whose party had just experienced its first loss after two elections, leaving on a boat (Leadership) and Siddiq Koya, the then […]

Get ready to experience the magic of watching dancers in flight, as Moana Loa brings aerial acrobatics to the Fiji Fringe Festival. Moana Loa was established in October 2015 and is home to some of the best emerging gymnasts and aerialists in the country. Co-founder Ateca Ravuvu says the dance company will be performing an […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti “The nature of the fringe festival allows artists to be unbound by the expectation of a funding second party, affording them the liberty to create and present work that is a more honest reflection of their practice.” – Navi Fong VOU, known for their fiery performances, is bringing the heat from the […]

We’re all about fun and excitement and that is the spirit we bring to all of our dance performances, says Amit Chand, Director of Masti Arts and Dance Group. Masti (which means ‘fun’ in Hindi) is a dedicated group of creative young dancers who have performed 4000 shows across Fiji, as well as international gigs, […]

The Fiji Fringe Festival this week released its artists guide, with details of the performers who will be appearing at the event, which runs in Suva from 25th February till the 4th of March. Fiji Traveller is proud to be a sponsor of the festival. Look out for our profiles of the performers and activities […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti “We are excited to be witnessing so many different art forms that make up Fiji’s creative industry. We are also looking forward to watching and supporting our fellow artists in the festival and celebrating their unique contributions to our arts industry.” Expect an electric performance at the Fiji Fringe Festival from Fiji’s […]

Custom, handcrafted Tanoas, or Fijian bowls, will be displayed across restaurants and bars at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva with the aim to elevate guest experience. IHG says the handmade wooden bowls are a testament to the Ministry of Forestry’s joint efforts with local Fijian villages in upskilling carvers to create sustainable income opportunities […]

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti A sports photography exhibition currently on show in Suva, The Digital Land of Games, pays homage to the various landscapes that sports touch. The exhibition, which you can see at the Alliance Francaise, is a crossroads between sports and culture, and also serves as a prelude to the Olympic Games, to be […]

From Queensland Art Gallery comes this interview with Salote Tawale, developed specifically for ‘The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10). ‘No Location’ comprises an almost 15-metre-long bamboo raft referencing a bilibili. QAGOMA writes: “With humour and a lightness of touch, Tawale gently proposes that we consider the potential of this cultural knowledge and […]

By Iliesa Tora First it was Sandalwood Blood. Now it’s They Said. Two books in a space of seven years, authored by a Fijian in Tonga, Iliesa Samu Lala. Now 72 years old, the almost-7-foot giant of a man’s recent work, They Said, collects discussions and conversations he recorded over the years as he travelled the globe. These […]

Join us for an afternoon & night of International award-winning short films from USA, South Africa, UK, Japan and more. From Fiji, the festival will showcase recognized local films by up-and-coming Fijian filmmakers, together with films from former winners of the local Kula Film Awards. The event also marks the launch of the country’s Media Learning […]

A matriarch of music, the Queen of Vude, supporter of many charities, and a diva who comes home and cooks for her family every night.  Laisa Vulakoro has an in-depth talanoa with Islands Business’ Rowena Singh about her four decades in the industry. “I’ve been in this industry for over 40 years and I’m still […]