Tag: Fiji
“First of its kind”: Rosie 4WD safari buses explore Fiji’s highlands
/ | Leave a CommentBy Prerna Priyanka Rosie Holidays has introduced two 4WD buses, a first in the country, that are driving a new experience for visitors. The buses will provide access to some of the most remote and historically significant areas in the highlands of Viti Levu. Mosese Tamanitoakula, Rosie Living Manager at Rosie Holidays, highlighted its importance […]
What’s new Fiji Travellers? News for those who explore, cruise and stay
| Leave a CommentSouth Sea Cruises Group introduces South Sea Cats South Sea Cruises Group has introduced South Sea Cats, a new resort transfer and snorkelling adventure service. Operating with purpose-built catamarans, the service will commence in early 2025, offering morning transfers to Tokoriki and Matamanoa Islands and evening transfers to Malolo and Castaway Islands. With eco-friendly outboard […]
Levuka
| Leave a CommentLevuka makes a memorable first impression. Arriving by sea, colourful storefronts and historic buildings are framed by the forested slopes of an extinct volcano rising sharply behind the township. Levuka, as Fiji’s first capital (1874-1882), is a town of many firsts. It is a significant cultural world heritage site under the United Nations Educational, Scientific […]
Ben Masirewa: Fijian guitar virtuoso shares his musical journey
/ | Leave a CommentBy Prerna Priyanka Ben Masirewa, who has been dubbed a “one-man musical genius,” is returning to the Fiji Fringe Festival after his blazing performance last year. Masirewa credits his father for instilling a rebellious spirit within him, fostering a love for rock ‘n’ roll and encouraging him to dare to be different. “He dared me […]
Jane Ricketts’ memories of Fiji and family
/ | Leave a CommentBy Samantha Magick and Elizabeth Kolivuso Suva painter Jane Ricketts’ paintings are a window into Fiji’s history and history-makers, iTaukei and Indo-Fijian culture, cityscapes and intimate depictions of her family. Ricketts developed her interest in art at a very young age, at the knee of her grandfather, who painted landscapes. But it was a turning […]
InsideOut’s music with meaning
/ | Leave a CommentBy Rowena Singh “There’s never a last song,” says InsideOut lead singer and guitarist, Apakuki Nalawa about the band’s ability to fill dancefloors. “We have to literally run off the stage. People just don’t want to stop partying, dancing and singing.” InsideOut’s passion, iTaukei lyrics, melody and instrumentation has brought them fame across Fiji and […]
Killers of the Flower Moon, Fourth Cinema and the Future of Fijian Film
/ | Leave a CommentBy Ben Wheeler For many, the name Martin Scorsese is synonymous with American cinema. His films Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and Goodfellas are considered by many to be among the greatest Hollywood has ever produced. Others like After Hours and The King of Comedy have a distinctly cult following and have inspired art as varied […]
The wonders of Qilaqila, Lau
| Leave a CommentBy Samisoni Pareti Located on the northwest tip of Vanuabalavu, Lau, tiny limestone islets— many of them looking more like boulders –litter the bay to make up this natural wonder. The limestone rocks are secure anchors, and the many narrow channels and sheltered coves form natural anchorage and berthing bays for yachts, motorboats and other […]
Sharing ginger beer goodness
| Leave a CommentBy Rowena Singh It’s hard to imagine a more refreshing drink option than a cold glass of Ginger Lei’s lemongrass or moli ginger beer, pumped straight from a frosty keg. You may have tried it at the ROC Market or at the Ginger Café in Suva, or poolside at the Sofitel Resort on Denarau. Now […]
Oceanic Refractions: A transcendent dive into Pacific realities
| Leave a CommentBy Prerna Priyanka In a captivating intersection of art, environmental awareness, and cultural storytelling, Mere Nailatikau and Amer Kanngieser are set to launch their groundbreaking exhibition, “Oceanic Refractions.” The exhibition, which originated from a serendipitous encounter in Suva five years ago, promises a unique sensory experience that delves into the Pacific’s environmental challenges through the […]
Building an edifice of love
| Leave a CommentBy Samantha Magick On the Suva seawall at Nasese, a huge heart faces out to sea. The site of the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital, it is a symbol of the passion a family and the community they have built, have brought to caring for Pacific children with congenital heart defects. Established by the […]
Tourism Fiji and Mastercard collaborate to bring surfing dreams to life with Mick Fanning
| Leave a CommentBy Prerna Priyanka Tourism Fiji has joined forces with Mastercard to offer surfing enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the waves of Cloudbreak with three-time world champion surfer, Mick Fanning. The exclusive week-long trip at Namotu Island Surf Resort has already captured the imagination of global surfing fans. Now, in a unique twist, Tourism Fiji […]
A Disappearance in Fiji
| 2 Comments on A Disappearance in FijiBy Samantha Magick A new detective novel set in Fiji brings to life a time rarely discussed beyond academic texts; the experiences of Indian labourers under Girmit. A Disappearance in Fiji follows Akal Singh, a 25-year-old Sikh police officer, sent to Fiji in disgrace after an indiscretion in his previous posting of Hong Kong. He […]
Flights to Noumea soon
/ | Leave a CommentFiji Airways has launched its newest international route to New Caledonia’s capital, Noumea. “We are very excited about the prospects of this new route”, said Fiji Airways Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Andre Viljoen. The first flight to La Tontouta International Airport in Noumea will be on Thursday 30th November and starting 7th December, […]
Fijian artist Jeke Lagi unveils new exhibition ‘Variant’
/ | Leave a CommentBy Prerna Priyanka Self-taught artist, Jeke Viwalu Lagi’s new show Variant at the Gallery of Oceanian Art in Suva shows off his abstract expressionism in a new way, through the use of woodwork and paint. The exhibition at the University of the South Pacific’s Laucala campus, is a captivating display of Lagi’s distinct woodwork creations […]
Meraia Taufa Vakatale: anti-nuclear activist and feminist trailblazer
| Leave a CommentBy Asenaca Uluiviti and Sadhana Sen Fiji recently lost Dr Meraia Taufa Vakatale, a monumental woman leader who broke many glass ceilings with her numerous firsts. As an educationalist, diplomat and politician, she profoundly impacted the lives of tens of thousands in Fiji and the region, particularly young women in politics and anti-nuclear activists. Dr […]
Mason Lee: The Red Wave pioneer still challenging himself
| Leave a CommentBy Max Cross Mason James Lee has been a leading light in the Fiji art scene since his first exhibition in 2000. The self-taught, award-winning painter, muralist and interior designer, is of Chinese and iTaukei heritage. Born and raised in Suva, Mason feels a deep connection with his paternal family land in Bua on the […]
Barbenheimer
/ | 1 Comment on BarbenheimerLast weekend saw the release of two of the biggest films of 2023: Oppenheimer and Barbie, known collectively as “Barbenheimer”. As hundreds of thousands of cinemagoers around the world got together to watch both blockbusting releases, we sent our new film reviewer Ben Wheeler out to see what all the fuss was about… Oppenheimer (dir. […]
Fashion, culture to meet at Suva Flea Market event
/ | Leave a CommentBy Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti The Makete Fashion Show promises to be a night filled with culture, art, and talent, showcasing the incredible local talent to be found in Suva. Creative coordinator and Assistant Director of the Pacifique Artisans Collective, Shakira Ah-Koy Mcdonald, is continuing the legacy of the women in her family by encouraging and promoting […]
Paradise found
| 1 Comment on Paradise foundA day at Malamala Island By Ben Wheeler “Welcome to Paradise!” our sunny Fijian guide beams through the speaker system as our catamaran arrives at the picture perfect Malamala Island Resort. It’s a bold claim, but then Fiji has a habit of living up to this regularly-served slice of marketing jargon, astounding visitors with its […]
Elders’ stories: Pioneering power worker lauds renewables
/ | Leave a CommentBy Kite Pareti The use of renewables in Fiji has eased the load for Atunaisa Cawaki. The 69-year-old was a underground cable jointer for the-then Fiji Electricity Authority (now Energy Fiji Limited) between the 1970s and the 2000s. From Pacific Harbour to Labasa, Cawaki and a group of apprentices he supervised laid some of the […]
Fiji on Film
| 2 Comments on Fiji on FilmLocal 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 […]
Naivilaca Peace Village cements its place in history
| Leave a CommentBy 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 […]
Fiji Tourism Convention to be held in November
/ | Leave a CommentTourism Fiji says the Fiji Tourism Convention will be held on November 2nd this year. The Convention will be bringing together industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders to discuss and deliberate the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the sector. At the recent Fijian Tourism Expo 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka shared the importance of […]