People

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 […]

By Alipate Pareti Fiji’s Naibili Vatunisolo is one of the best parasports athletes in the South Pacific region, having won a bronze medal in discus at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She acquired her disability after undergoing knee surgery in 2010. In 2017, she represented Fiji in the Fazza Para-Athletics Championships in Dubai, and […]

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 Alipate Pareti Remember that small white medic vehicle with a stretcher bed that speeds into action every time there’s an injury on-field at the national stadium? Well, meet Setareki Koro, a 69-year-old man from Bucalevu, Nakorotubu in Ra. He is the man behind the wheel of that medic cart, and his sole responsibility is […]

Warwick Marlow on turning trash to cash, and bringing Fijian art into hotel suites By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti Walking into the domain of an artist is an incredible feeling. Everywhere you look is a mirror of the artist’s beautiful mind, every corner demanding to be noticed. This is certainly the case when you step foot into […]

Classical operatic singing is becoming a regular feature of Fiji events, thanks to the talented vocal group, Pasifika Prima Voce. Founded by Sunia Soko Loga, a classical vocalist who has returned to Fiji after years studying music at Kosin University in Busan, Korea, the group leaves audiences rapt with their powerful, harmonious voices and stagecraft. […]

Words and photos: Angus Delaney Mana Coffee is one of many businesses around Suva that’s getting an artistic makeover from superb Fiji artist Jack Eastgate. The mural, focused around a tanoa, is one Jack hopes customers enjoy as much as he does. “I was really excited that they allowed me to put this up and […]

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 […]

Supporting the world’s human rights activists from Suva By Samantha Magick At the height of Fiji’s Covid-19 wave last year, one Fijian woman was working from her kitchen table in Suva to help arrange the evacuation of women activists from Afghanistan. Virisila Buadromo is the co-lead at Urgent Action Fund Asia and Pacific, a feminist […]

By Kite Pareti Plantation Island Resort’s Sales and Relationships Manager, Apisai Vasu, is quite literally, a jack of all trades. Vasu has been at Plantation for more than 20 years, joining as a trainee straight out of the Fiji Institute of Technology’s tourism and hospitality school. “From tourism school, I joined PIR doing reception work, […]

Fijian activist Komal Kumar has received the 2022 Simone Veil Prize for Gender Equality. Kumar is a strong advocate in climate change, ethics, feminism and politics, and was selected for the Prize by the French Embassy in Fiji in March last year. Kumar said she felt very humbled and grateful to have accepted the award […]

Two Fiji university students have launched an innovative project to provide better aid to the visually impaired. The University of the South Pacific’s (USP) Shahil Prasad and Salveen Deo garnered praise from lecturers and students alike for their assistive device that can detect objects and computes the details to produce an audio text output that […]

Fijian polyglot, Paea Nawaqatabu is looking to publish a new Japanese language book for Pacific Islanders. Learning a new language can be quite a task, so the 27-year-old college student wants to ease the load by making a short, introductory guide. “As an islander, I struggled learning (Japanese) the first time because I wasn’t a […]

Writer: Anendra Singh Mother Earth speaks volumes when it comes to defining life, but the Reverend James Shri Bhagwan believes a more universal dialect does that better. In trying to put global existence on its axis from a Pacific Island perspective, Reverend Bhagwan goes deeper to elevate Mother Ocean’s role as the planet’s life source. […]

Before she left Fiji recently, Sarah Gwonyoma ran a mecca for Fiji book lovers, the Suva Book Swap, from her garage. Fiji Traveller spoke to Sarah about her life in Fiji before her departure. Sarah Gwonyoma, a writer and online book influencer by profession, moved to Fiji from the United Kingdom after meeting a “beautiful […]

Fiji writer, Mary Rokonadravu has won the 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize (Pacific) for her story, The Nightwatch. Rokonadravu described the win as affirming.  “Stories are bridges to connect us with each other, especially when we disagree or are different – stories allow us to walk in each other’s complexities and gain understanding of the […]

9-year-old Jack Oakley is set to become the first Fiji national to appear on the international stage of motorcycle racing.

By Rowena Singh “Fiji is a strong part of my existence,” says ghazal and Bollywood singer Kavita Kalyan. Kalyan is Australian born, but with strong family ties that take her back to Fiji, and her extended family in Suva regularly. “Despite living in Australia, I have always identified as being Fijian. Furthermore,  my parents’ heavy […]

Colin Philp was a founder and co-Chair of The Duavata Collective, which champions the interconnection between experiences within local communities, the environment & culture.​ Here, members of the Collective pay tribute to Colin. Colin meant so much to so many different people and as the many reflections and stories of his life and legacy pour […]